Companies offer their employees branded gifts and clothing accessories as part of brand exposure. So, you often get that company t-shirt with a massive logo plastered across the chest. And in some cases, the color combination simply hurts the eyes.
The truth is that no one wants to wear those poorly-designed clothes even if they love the company to bits. But as the season of gifts draws ever closer, your company can come up with fantastic ideas for swag socks and work tools.
Here are some ways to create company swag that people will actually wear with pride.
Share something you’ll actually wear
If you can’t wear it, don’t share it. Most companies miss the memo on user experience when creating swag gifts for their employees. They see these gifts as an opportunity to get the company’s brand out there.
But that’s not the right approach to creating company swag; leave the decision-making process to your employers — the people who will wear or use these items.
Encourage your employees to come up with ideas for the design. Then create a poll to determine the most popular design. By doing so, you increase the chances of making a swag accessory that people will wear.
Don’t plaster the company logo all over the place
As part of the brand exposure, company executives with no design or fashion experience want to get the brand out there at all costs, which is a recipe for unwearable company products.
Instead of focusing on brand colors and ways to make the logo as big as possible, let the designers come up with ideas. Designers have a better aesthetic appreciation for things like balance and proportion.
An aesthetic appreciation for things like balance and proportion is inherent in designers. Designers at sites such as LOGO.com know how important it is to deliver a memorable logo experience to your customers, which is why they developed AI tools to help you create unique, memorable logos. Furthermore, designers need the freedom to decide where to place a logo so that it attracts the most attention.
Make fitness a priority
Today, people are obsessed with fitness and healthy living, which creates an opportunity for your company to make cool stuff for them. For example, you can customize company-branded fitbits or gym attire for your employees.
By posting pictures wearing those items, your employees will help advertise your brand to a broader audience. And at the same time, you will promote a healthy culture in the workplace.
In essence, you get brand exposure while promoting a healthy workplace culture.
Use a memorable catchphrase
Think Different.
Apple’s catchphrase is memorable because it applies to every aspect of life while capturing the company’s ethos. And most importantly, it is simple to remember.
So, if your company has an attention-grabbing catchphrase like “Just Do It,” you can brand sweatshirts and t-shirts with it.
Even if your catchphrase is not that catchy, you can delegate your marketers to come up with something memorable. You can open a company-wide slogan contest for employees to pitch ideas. Alternatively, you can use a relatable inside joke with widespread appeal.
Attach a cause to it
If your company is passionate about something, let’s say climate change, you can add a short message that shows your dedication to this cause. You don’t have to write a message; a graphic designer can illustrate this message in one picture.
However, remember that users don’t take lightly to companies that preach what they don’t practice.
If your company doesn’t care about the environment, don’t use your company swag to support climate-related issues. Otherwise, people will accuse you of greenwashing — and you will tarnish your company’s public reputation in the process.
Go green
Any company can show its dedication to the environment without greenwashing its products. You just have to choose the right message and tagline to attract attention to the item you want people to wear.
For example, you can share reusable grocery bags and straws with the company’s logo with your employees. Give them multiple bags so that they can share them with their friend circles.
Another option to show your company’s dedication to eco-friendliness is the rechargeable solar-powered phone charger. This gift item is helpful in every scenario, making it a perfect gift for your employees.
Conclusion
Creating cool company swag allows your business to boost brand awareness and make employees happier. And with the right approach, your brand’s paraphernalia will be in every home — and even gift store. So, work with your designers and marketing team to come up with top-notch ideas for your company’s swag gift ideas.
