Combating the ‘Anti-Swag’ Bias When Selling Promo Items

As in-plants look to the sale of promotional products as a way to generate business and increase their value, they may at times encounter some “anti-swag” sentiments from customers concerned about the environmental impact of promo items. This is nothing new in the promotional products industry, which has long been criticized for producing low-value items, often dismissed as “trinkets and trash.”

A recent article by the Advertising Specialty Institute details how a few major conferences and companies have publicly chosen to allocate their marketing budgets away from promotional giveaways, fueling a small but notable “anti-swag” trend. Although this sentiment hasn’t halted the industry’s growth, some professionals have noticed an increase in client concern regarding the environmental impact of promo items, with 4% of distributors expressing strong concern and 19% being somewhat concerned about clients’ negative attitudes.

Industry professionals report encountering eco-conscious clients more frequently in the past nine months. The main concern behind this shift is the idea that disposable promo items contribute to pollution and global warming as they are often discarded, adding to environmental waste.

To counter these concerns, distributors are increasingly offering sustainable, high-quality alternatives, such as eco-friendly products made from biodegradable materials. Some are shifting client focus from quantity to quality, advising that fewer, higher-value items can improve brand perception and reduce environmental impact. Emphasizing “merch that matters” rather than simply competing on price could reshape the industry's image and align it with clients’ evolving environmental values.

To read the full story on the “anti-swag” influence and how distributors are countering it, click here.