Urbandictionary.com defines a swag bag as “a goodie bag that contains various useless yet irreplaceable items packed into a duffle bag, usually given at parties or by sponsers (sic). Sometimes just useless house-hold items with a brand-name insignia on them.” But don’t tell that to Dennis Bevers, president and owner of BASSCO, Inc., a Louisiana-based company that assists customers find the right promotional items and decorated clothing. Traditionally, the acronym ‘SWAG’ stands for Souvenirs, Wearables and Gifts, but, says Bevers, a swag bag is “basically a ‘goodie’ bag with a variety of gifts for recipients.”
So how can you know if your company would benefit from putting some swag in a bag?
‘Tis the reasons for swag bags
According to Bevers, who has been advising clients for over three decades, swag bags serve several purposes. Among them are:
- * Branding
- * Thanking recipients for attending an event
- * Reducing event costs by distributing sponsor’s products
When including merchandise in swag bags for promotional or branding purposes, it’s important they are quality-made. “Cheap golf balls may be remembered more than quality ones, as well as gifts in other categories,” cautions Bevers. Make sure items you include in a swag bag represent your company properly, he says.
It’s important to thank attendees for taking the time to attend your event because it “always costs more to replace a client than retain one,” says Bevers. Showing appreciation by giving a small gift can be far more cost-effective than buying television or radio time to increase sales volume.
Sometimes, people share swag bag contents with others, extending the promotional life of the items donated. “Many participate in donating to the Oscar swag bags for the publicity as the goodies and donors are published for all the world to know,” he says.
Knowing what to include in a swag bag
There are certain things that do not belong in a swag bag. For example, cheap or inappropriate gifts, or items that have no correlation to the donating organization or the event at which they are given.
Gender-specific items are also a no-no, unless all recipients will be of the same gender. For example, a cap is not ideal for an all-female conference, since they are generally considered a male-oriented item, says Bevers. Tech items might be appreciated by certain audiences, but if a majority of recipients are generally not considered tech-savvy, a Bluetooth might not be the best gift.
Better quality drink ware, such as acrylic tumblers or stainless steel travel mugs are generally considered a safe item to include in a gift bag. Other favored gifts include quality ink pens and USB flash drives, says Bevers. Something that often gets overlooked is the actual bag containing the swag.
“A nice bag may get more use than many of the other items included” in it, Bevers says.
And just how do you know when you’ve given enough or too much? Bevers says he worries about not giving enough than too much. That’s because you want recipients to recall the swag bag and its contents fondly, and not including enough items may leave a negative connotation. However, he cautions, it’s best to spend the swag bag budget wisely to ensure items are memorable and well-made.
“If the budget is set a ‘X’ dollars and the money is spread over eight items, it may have been preferable to include only five items with more value per piece, or just one high-dollar items with a couple other quality items,” says Bevers.
Tami Kamin Meyer is an Ohio attorney and writer. She may be reached at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
