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Domain 5: Promotional Activity | Magic Swag

Posted by Communications2 on May. 1, 2023  /  Member Resource  /  Subscribe 0

Magic Swag—Extra, Extra, Read all about it!

Written by Cynthia Re’Mine | Associate & Director, Marketing & Business Development | Reaveley Engineers

Does the same conversation come up every year in your firm on the perfect gifts for career fairs, golf events, onboarding, employees, clients, or whomever? The swag that people clamor to get, hold on to for life, tell others about, and result in them hiring your firm. The question sure comes up in our firm. Have you noticed that no matter what you order, it's not quite right, and everyone has an opinion? Does this elusive swag actually exist? We took a new approach last year and let the technical staff pick the loot. Wanna know what happened? I bet you do!

First, let's discuss SWAG (Stuff We All Get) or promotional products to build brand recognition and engagement, boost sales, and penetrate markets. Swag is derived from swagger, meaning cool, composed, and “with it.” And don't we all want to be "with it"? Back in the day, we called it tchotchkes. There is a new word for your vocabulary. Use it as a conversation starter.

Born in America, swag was first used by George Washington for his 1778 election campaign with the creation of a commemorative button. I think it is safe to conclude it worked. 

I just returned from a conference where my swag bag contained the items below. I googled the approximate cost and categorized them into toss, happy meal, and magic swag. I've also provided a review from either myself or the person who received the item.

TOSS:

• Travel lint remover $.68—Tried it; tape works better. Pro tip: Toss a small roll of clear packing tape in your bag. It works much better for lint and hair removal.
• Pen $.78—I have too many pens. There were three more in the bag. See below.
• The swag Bag $.50—I have too many bags. Put it on the counter at work for others. It landed in the toss bin.

HAPPY MEAL:

• Custom Lollipop $3.00—I gave it to my 5-year-old grandson, but he preferred the tootsie pop he traded with his 10-year-old brother, who valued the visual appeal of the custom pop. He did not prefer the taste. 
• Magnetic clip $1.50—I put it on the man door to the garage for the grandkids to move around when visiting. I could use it to clip items I must remember when leaving for work. It is a slow trip to the toss category.
• Four (4) pens $1.00–$2.00 each—10-year-old was thrilled to have three new pens with a stylus end. He had no use for the pen without the tip. His mother was not thrilled for him to have three ink pens. But that's not really my problem. To the 10-year-old, I was for sure "with it."
• Small wire bound memo book $1.50—10-year-old loved this; he pretends to be his dad making notes. 
• Micro first-aid kit wrapped in cardstock (1x2x.25) $1.00—I gave it to my daughter for her diaper bag. She wasn’t as thrilled as her children were with their “toys.”

MAGIC SWAG

• Pocket size (2x3x.5) first-aid kit in plastic box $2.00—Love it. Put it with my travel supplies and added a small card-size sewing kit to the box. Thank you, Pettigrew & Associates.
• Marbles in a bag $2.00—Played a few rounds of marbles with my grandkids to demonstrate I'm “with it” then put them in yaya's toy box to play with them again. No logo or name on this, a miss for this firm. These will live on for years to come.

So, what happened when the technical staff selected the swag. We were informed that they were "particular” about the swag. We ordered the “particular” items as requested. The magic swag arrived, and guess what? After the first round of giveaway events, the swag was not so magical.

What's magic to one person is in the toss category for another. Understand your audience, give them something useful, and understand it will likely be regifted to someone else. The swag should help them appear cool and "with it"—magic!

Motivational marketing guru Cynthia Re'Mine is a firm Associate and leads the marketing and business development efforts for Reaveley Engineers in Salt Lake City, Utah. She mentors with passion, guiding those around her to amplify their leadership and confidence to make a meaningful impact on their firms. With over 25 years of experience marketing in the AEC industry, she's a valuable resource for building a loyal team.

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