Here’s another story from Vegas that needn’t stay in Vegas. If nothing else, Interop provided plenty of blog fodder.
Schwag, for those unfamiliar with the term, is the abundant promotional material one picks up for free at trade shows. This can include anything from hats to bouncy balls, pens to stuffed monkeys, all stamped with a company name. Nearly every booth has something to offer, and the stuff is so popular that some booths close to the front give out schwag bags to fill with your collected goodies.
Some of the trade show attendees seem to be there for no other purpose than schwag gathering, walking from booth to booth, wordlessly harvesting their bizarre collectibles. I imagine their homes covered in shelves, filled from floor to cieling with the diseased thinking of a thousand desperate marketing teams. Every night, after every show, they pour their newest bag of treasures out on the floor and sort it by color, size, company. They admire each three-sided highlighter, each USB key in the yellow flourescent light of a dusty lamp before placing it in its spot upon the overloaded shelves. Either that, or they sell it on Ebay.
Now, I myself am not really a fan of schwag. I have collected and disposed of enough crap in my life to recognize the beginning of another such cycle. However, after a long day of manning a booth on hard concrete I do have a weakness for beverage. As it happens, many booths recognize the desire for drink among tired trade show folk, and in lieu of yet another t-shirt, they break out the booze. Knowing this, I chose the end of the day to make my own round of Interop’s exhibitors. All went well until I reached a particular booth which was providing half full plastic cups of champagne. Though I was inclined to decline the offer anyway (champagne doesn’t appeal in this particular context), I didn’t even have a chance before I was denied the glass. Why? Because I was an exhibitor.
I have heard of this policy before, but I still don’t understand it. What would be the benefit of instructing your booth minions to deny drink or schwag to anyone? Are there trade secrets in the champagne? Is the stuffed monkey in some way a competitive advantage? Are you afraid of offering comfort to the enemy?
I am part of the decision making team at a young growing company. I am not in competition with the champagne provider. In fact, I may be a great prospect in the next six months, and yet, because I am an “exhibitor” I am denied the benefit of their largesse. What could possibly be the thinking behind this policy?
If you are giving something away, give it to everyone. If you can’t do that, don’t give something away. The risks of supplying your competitors with valuable pens or performance enhancing champagne is nothing compared with the risks of denying a large group of individuals on the chance that they might not be prospects. If even one future customer is in that group you have probably lost more than the collective value of everything you’ve given away.
Help a Neophyte:
What do you think? Is there a reason for this schwag stinginess? Don’t I deserve a drink?
Schwag Stinginess
May 6th, 2008 | Trade Shows
5 comments ↓
I can totally understand your lack of fondness for promotional schwag. I’m actually a partner in a company that sells promo items, and I think that the use of it is often directionless and wasteful.
When I go to a tradeshow, I try to collect those items which I know I will use or inspire my thoughts in some way or remind me of a company that I want to do business with.
I think that it is crazy that a company would have a “No Exhibitors” policy on the dispensing of promotional items or drinks. If anything, some of the most valuable business contacts you can make at a tradeshow are with coexhibitors and they are potential customers too(perhaps even more inclined to be customers than much of the foot traffic.)
Good post.
I wouldn’t say that my lack of fondness for promotional items is universal. There are always one or two items that I think are right on in either their usefulness or entertainment value. However, I think you are right on when you say the use of it is often directionless (perfect word).
Thanks for stopping by.
I would also tend to agree with Mr T. I have never heard of such a “No Exhibitor” policy at a tradeshow. This is absurd as many of the exhibitors make better prospects than the visitors.
I can just see the discussion from the executive marketing team of this company. I assume they were executives as people lower in the marketing department would never make such an irrational and uninformed decision.
“I know, instead of the usual cheap beer, let’s give away champagne!”
“Great idea, but it’s expensive.”
“Well, we’ll get the cheapest stuff possible from that discount store in Jersey before we leave and make Ted check it in his bag.”
“Good idea, but I think we can improve upon it. We could either give away small portions in fancy glasses or large portions in giant plastic cups.”
“This is Vegas. Let’s go with the giant portions.”
“We’ll have to cut down how much we give out. Let’s just not give any to those other freeloading drunks that are exhibiting at the show.”
“Perfect! Another brilliant idea from the executive team! We really earned our stock options and bonuses today that the rest of the company doesn’t know exist. Let’s go play golf and hit on young girls in the clubhouse.”
“I second that!”
I think you’ve nailed it Chad. I may produce that dialogue into a little one act play.
Years of observing corporate idiots beneath the glass ceiling have finally paid off in entertaining blog comment material! Woohoo!
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