Creating memorable, keep-able promotional items can enhance your brand / campaign rather than getting tossed out. On a hiking trail, Dave shares “rules” and considerations from experience, including many examples and anecdotes, ergo:

Rules:

• Light enough to travel
• Photo-op-able
• Sizes suck
• Quality goods
• Metaphorically yours
• Will it fly?
• Thrifty for lots
• If you’ve seen it before, don’t do it

Examples:

• Scarves (muted design, subtlely design, useful in chill too)
• Flags (simple design, sized to fold, wear like a cape, bonus for decorating event)
• Beer coozies (low cost, party-friendly, connect to home)
• Passports (independence, handy for notes, interactive)
• Pins and stickers (easy giveaways, make a bundle for excitement, mailable, each unique)
• Temp tattoo (inspired by Sailor Jerry rather than just a logo)
• Masks (remixed from users, great for events, provides interactive activity)
• Plush owls (remixed from user, take like a traveling gnome, shoot from cannon!)

Other Considerations: 

• Design for your audience and crew
• Workshirts with patches + bandanas
• Swag-box exchange and unboxing
• Budget guidelines
• Making best t-shirts

Breaking rules:

• Lighters and pint glasses with etched logo (renegade “hippie” culture)
• Coasters (allowed us to leave bread crumbs, bars/restaurants find useful)

Recorded spontaneously in May 2013 on Varley Trail, Lynn Valley, North Vancouver

Listen to: Making Great Swag – soliloquy on a trail, part 3 (23:37, 192k mp3, 37MB)