This morning, I was cold. So I grabbed my corporate logo fleece jacket from my old company. Right now, I’m drinking hot water and honey from a corporate logo thermal mug my new company gave me for Christmas.
The jacket was a team-builder for morale. We used to wear them as a group to our company-wide meetings. It was de rigeur for our team. The guys never wore them because they weren’t cold, but put them on the pegs at the office so they’d have them for meetings. The girls wore them all the time.
It sounds silly, but I love getting free stuff from work. Normally I eschew labels and logos because I’m anti-advertising and marketing of the gross consumer variety. And just because someone is sporting the logo, it doesn’t mean they work there. (Unless it’s David Bau on an airline flight, but how could I have known that?)
There is one special unofficial Industrial Light and Magic item that I want. I can’t get it and no, offers of sexual favors didn’t even work. It’s a black Team Sebulba long-sleeve shirt my friend’s team had made when Episode I
I also love how my friends will outgeek my dates by wearing a simple Mozilla t-shirt under their dress shirts. The old red monster star peeks out like a Superman logo, adding cred to the geekery since the old star isn’t available anymore.
It sounds dumb, but my favorite pen right now is something my co-workers got from a vendor. It’s heavy, rubberized, with shiny silver lettering. It’s refillable and feels great while you’re writing.
Best place for corporate schwag? I think Pixar. I knew someone who worked there and he had great stuff, hats, fleece jackets, chambray shirts, everything. The on-staff masseuse is probably their best perk though. I’m sure Google has better stuff these days, but I don’t see it first-hand anymore.
Want more schwag? Hit a trade show. Schwag galore. Lots of it will be crappy, but I got a cool Deutsche Telekom pin from the Tour de France’s pre-race marketing parade. I wore that on a baseball cap at work and met a standoffish co-worker with an interest in cycling! Sometimes it really is a conversation starter if you have an unusual piece.
What does your corporate schwag say about you? What items have you received that you absolutely love?
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My company’s gear is pretty limited (tote bags, anyone?), but I did an internship at a not-for-profit that worked in space in the HBO Building, and the schwag there was awesome. Hats, shirts, bags, posters, special DVD packs…there was something new every day, but more importantly, the stuff was actually pretty cool.
I have black fleece from an old company that I would rather not promote so I have plain black badge over the logo. I only wear to the gym and the guy at the desk always asks who the badge is in memory of – ha!
Free stuff is great! I don’t care whose name is one it… unless I find it offensive or something. I live for free bags, mugs, pens and whatnot I get from professional conferences. Practical items for free, yes!
We don’t get much free stuff directly from my employer (I had to pay $5 for my branded mug), but I have gotten some nice pens and such for working on our charity drive.
The best gift I received is from my old law firm. It’s a high quality Nike golf umbrella with the firm logo displayed in a modest way. I work for a competitor now, but I still use the umbrella and just pray that a partner doesn’t see me walking down the street with it. Ha ha.
My least favorite item I ever received was a golf shirt emblazoned with my company’s logo. We all received the shirt in Large – regardless of gender or body frame – and it was quite unflattering. I threw is away the day I wore it to the gym (only place I thought it was safe to wear such a potato sack) and someone said to me “Oh, it’s so nice to see an expectant mother so committed to physical fitness during this special time.” Hello! I’m not sperminated!