Check the bottom of your closet. That tote bag from the conference is there, right? Maybe there's a stress ball, a water bottle you used once. Most event merchandise follows a predictable journey: handed out with enthusiasm, shoved in a tote bag, briefly considered, then relegated to the junk drawer or donation pile. Within weeks, it's forgotten. Within months, it's gone.
But what if event swag wasn’t disposable?
The gap between a forgotten tote bag and a genuine collectible isn't budget. It’s intentionality. It's understanding your audience well enough to know what they'd actually keep — not what's easy to order or what shows your logo best, but what would make them feel seen.
At VidCon 2022, we put this into practice with YouTube Shorts' Drive-Thru activation. Over 17,000 attendees picked up custom trading cards, snacks, and collectibles—but the trading cards became the real story. Each one featured personal details about top creators: subscriber counts, star signs, favorite snacks. Small touches that transformed a simple giveaway into something fans actually wanted to collect.
We built the experience around discovery, with a rotating daily menu and surprise creator appearances that turned swag pickup into an event itself. The campaign generated impressive numbers—31 million likes, 184 million views, 31,000 unique Shorts. But here's what really matters: years later, fans are still hunting down those trading cards. Not ironically. They genuinely want them. Those cards represent something: the thrill of the surprise menu, the rush of meeting a creator in person, the weekend they won't forget. Good swag doesn't just sit on a shelf, it takes you back.
If trading cards elevated swag from forgettable to collectible, Lady Gaga's "Dead Dance" campaign took it even further with one-of-a-kind art pieces that became some of the most sought-after items we've ever created. We partnered with celebrity set designer Kris Moran to repurpose over 125 vintage porcelain dolls into art pieces inspired by the music video's dark, theatrical world. Each doll was meticulously hand-painted and individually styled—no two were alike. Instead of manufacturing 125 new items, we gave existing objects new life, turning forgotten dolls into coveted art pieces that reflected both Gaga's vision and our commitment to sustainability.
“Our approach to merchandise is simple: if it doesn’t have long-term meaning or value to the people receiving it, it’s just waste,” stated Melissa Mahon, COO, MAS. “We design with purpose, sustainability, and creativity so that fans feel a real connection.”
From repurposed dolls to collectible trading cards, we prove that swag can live beyond the event, becoming cultural artifacts people treasure. Both projects share the same philosophy: thoughtful design that prioritizes lasting value over temporary impact.
Instead of asking yourselves "what should we make?", consider "how can we make something meaningful?" Because here’s the uncomfortable truth: the industry has been solving the wrong problem.
We've asked "what's cheap and easy to produce?" when we should ask "what would people genuinely want to keep?"
We've prioritized logo visibility when we should prioritize emotional connection.
We've thought about the singular event when we should think about what happens after.
The result? Wasted money, resources, and opportunities to create lasting brand affinity.
Thoughtful Swag Design:
Creates lasting brand recall because people keep and display items they love
Generates organic content as fans share their treasures on social media
Reflects genuine brand values instead of contradicting sustainability commitments
Builds deeper connections by showing fans you understand what they actually want and appreciate
Makes financial sense when you consider the long-term value of one cherished item versus hundreds of discarded ones
This isn't about shaming anyone for past choices. Every brand has handed out forgettable swag—it's been the default for decades.
This is about recognizing we can do better—we should do better. Imagine what the industry looks like when this becomes the norm, not the exception.
This isn't theoretical. We've already done it. Sustainable, meaningful swag isn't a luxury or a nice-to-have, it's the future of experiential and that future is already here.