A Guide to Swag Worth Giving Away

Let’s face it—a lot of the swag given away at conferences, trade shows, and even weddings, misses the mark. As a business owner or event planner, you want to give potential customers a product they’ll keep and use over and over again. So, what swag promises the best return? What freebies are worth giving away?

Swag is a staple (beloved even) so don’t take away the free stuff, the conference swag, or the wedding welcome bags! Four in five people will accept a free gift no matter what it is, but read on to learn more about the swag people really want.

The Top Three Highly Desired Swag Items

What swag do people want the most? The t-shirt, of course! 30% of those surveyed said the t-shirt is #1 when it comes to swag they’d like to receive. An honorable mention goes to the USB port/charger and the tote bag, with 14% and 12% of the vote, respectively.

Consumers know what they want, but what swag do they usually end up with? Fortunately, the t-shirt is the most commonly received swag giveaway.

The Overall Most Desirable Freebies

All swag is not created equally, but according to those surveyed, there is definitely a swag sweet spot. If you’re looking for swag your consumers will love to get, check out the list of most desirable giveaway goodies:

chocolate covered pretzels

The Most Desired Swag by Region

With the t-shirt being the clear winner, it’s only fair to take the King of Swag out of the equation. Behind the t-shirt, the most desired swag by region varies…a lot:

While four in five people prefer a swag item they can reuse, consumers out West beg to differ—they prefer a freebie they can snack on. Keep these stats in mind when selecting your company’s swag. Headed to a trade show in Iowa? Bring the tote bags! Sponsoring an event in NYC? Water bottles are the way to go.

The States That Order the Most Custom Swag

We dug into our own internal sales data to better understand who was ordering the most of the top swag. We’ll be honest—the results surprised us!

Hats

Jackets

Koozies

Custom Ink sees you, Wisconsin!

Swag Items They’ll Keep, Not Trash

When it comes to picking swag that won’t get trashed the second they step foot out of the conference, check out these swag bag favorites:

Add your company logo to one of the top five and rest easy knowing they’re sure to use your freebie again and again.

What About Wedding Swag?

There’s no way to talk about swag without sharing some fun wedding swag facts! Whether you’re looking for the perfect items to include in your wedding welcome bags or you’re arguing with your fiancé about the importance of the perfect wedding favor, check our wedding swag recap.

Two Out of Three People Love Wedding Swag

That’s right! Two out of three guests love wedding swag and can’t wait to get their hands on that wedding welcome bag. Brides, tell your husband-to-be you’re ordering the Two Less Fish in the Sea koozies—Uncle Ed and your freshman year roomie have a drawer dedicated to the holy grail of wedding swag for a reason!

Women Find Wedding Swag More Important Than Men

Are you surprised? We get it—the groom may never get why the napkin color (and fold) matters, why you’re about to rip your hair out over finding out the centerpieces have spray roses instead of thistle, or why the wedding favors have to be absolutely perfect. But, that’s okay, because you’re not alone—women find personalized swag items 1.2 times more important than men.

No matter what you need swag for, pick a product people are going to love. From the perfect t-shirt to rep the company, to water bottles for the big race, to sunglasses for your wedding guests—Custom Ink can help. Check out our entire catalog of customizable products.

What’s the best (or worst) swag you’ve received? Let us know in the comments section below!