Did you know that the word Swag, which has become synonymous with “cool”, is actually an acronym of “Stuff We All Get”? This is a trend that emerged from the dot com years, when tech companies used to give away attractive branded items at events. Over the years, the practice of gifting exclusive and desirable items has been leveraged by companies to drive brand awareness and recall.
Swag is typically used for driving brand loyalty while:
- Welcoming new employees
- Celebrating employee milestones
- Hosting prospective customers at events
- Hosting business associates at conferences
Swag is also sent to employees, existing customers, and business associates on special occasions, like Christmas and New Years.
What is Swag?
Swag usually refers to a collection of useful and desirable items, customized and branded with the company logo. These promotional items are great to build relationships with customers, or convert employees into brand ambassadors. While the event industry will take some time to get back on its feet post-pandemic, SWAG items continue to stay relevant in this era.
- 93% of organizers plan to invest in virtual events in the near future. Virtual event giveaways humanize a brand.
- 51% of consumers today appreciate brands providing them high-quality, custom and trendy face masks.
Types of Swag to Know About
From USB chargers to sweatshirts, there are many types of desirable items that companies can give away. The most common items used for promotional giveaways are tech accessories, fitness gear, drinkware, promotional outerwear, travel products and eco-friendly items. It is important to consider the persona of the target audience, company budget and durability and usability of the products before getting them made. For instance, items like wireless charging mouse pads and webcam covers can be great ways to motivate WFH. Millennials and Gen Z are health conscious, and will appreciate fitness gear.
- Sustainability is the buzzword. 46% of consumers favor a brand that provides environmentally friendly SWAG items.
- Promotional outerwear like jackets and hoodies, are kept by consumers for an average of 16 months, and generate 6,100 impressions.
What is a Swag Bag?
Swag bags are collections of branded desirable items packaged in a creative and fun manner. The items usually share a unifying theme, used by companies to mark an event or occasion. There can be gadget swag bags, consisting of highly versatile and usable products. Technology products like headphones and power adapters are highly valued, since people don’t usually buy these regularly for themselves. Stationary swag bags can contain notepads, kinetic desk toys, pens, pencils are useful and long-lasting and effective conversation starters. You can create customized swag bags to mark an occasion or celebrate an employee’s unique tastes.
- 72% of consumers tie the quality of promotional product to business reputation
- Apparel items have the highest brand recall factor, with 85% people remembering the brand name.
Benefits of Swag
Promotional items can help companies drive brand recall, brand awareness and also employee loyalty and satisfaction. They can leave a long-lasting impact and also generate good ROI.
- 40% of consumers who own promo products say that they have kept few of them for more than 10 years.
- 59% of employees have a more favorable impression for their companies when given branded promotional products
Convey Your Story Through Your Products
SWAG items; their packaging, design, content can say a lot about your brand and its culture. It is a great way to engage with your customers and bring cheer at your workplace. Remember that the quality of your swag reflects upon your brand reputation. Also, go for design and content that can surprise receivers and create a long-lasting impression.
Sources:
- https://www.scmp.com/magazines/post-magazine/short-reads/article/2153966/jay-z-one-who-made-swag-cool-guess-which-famous
- https://www.godelta.com/blog/promotional-product-trends
- https://www.forbes.com/sites/forbesbusinesscouncil/2019/11/21/consumers-are-hungry-for-an-experience-based-connection-with-your-brand/
- https://www.godelta.com/blog/what-are-the-most-popular-promotional-items-infographic
- https://welcome.bizzabo.com/reports/evolution-of-events-report
- https://www.sageworld.com/blog/index.php/2020/11/24/25-insane-but-true-facts-about-promotional-products-2/
- https://news.adobe.com/news/news-details/2020/Adobe-Unveils-First-Digital-Economy-Index/default.aspx
- https://blog.bizzabo.com/event-marketing-statistics
- https://media.asicentral.com/resources/2020-Global-Ad-Impressions-Study.pdf
- https://snacknation.com/blog/company-swag/
- https://www.ppai.org/media/5482/ppai2019consumerstudysummary.pdf
- https://www.qualitylogoproducts.com/blog/50-stats-promotional-products/