Today, in a shift away from inexpensive, disposable giveaway products, many brands are embracing useful, meaningful company swag ideas that people want to hold on to, like tote bags featuring cool designs and reusable and refillable ceramic mugs. In fact, the top promotional product trends in 2025 showed that 83% of US consumers regularly use promotional products in their day-to-day lives. And according to a recent ASI’s Ad Impressions Study, promotional products are Americans’ favorite form of advertising. It’s no wonder brands are lining up to create useful and stunning promotional products.
Effective company swag ideas showcase creativity, innovation and a genuine understanding of what their audiences value, such as Disney’s Winnie the Pooh Nostalgia Collection that draws in their audience with fond childhood memories.
From heart-eye emojis to engaging comments like “I need these now,” these big and small business swag ideas made quite an impression on social media. Read on to find out how these brands used their company swag to engage with their audience and grow their business.
- Company swag ideas should reflect your brand’s personality and resonate with your audience through thoughtful design and meaningful details.
- Offering location-based company swag helps build a stronger connection with the local community and promotes local pride.
- High-quality, comfortable employee swag can enhance team unity and foster pride in your brand.
- Custom company swag items, such as caps, mugs and T-shirts, provide a fun and functional way to increase brand visibility and engage with customers.
Tote bag company swag ideas
1. Mush
Source: mushbottega via Instagram
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Instagram: @mushbottega
Leaning into its bright, colorful brand identity, this jewelry store in Los Angeles created company swag featuring its logo and fun color palette. This cute bag, where customers can stash all the goodies they pick up in-store, is useful and reusable.
Find inspiration in Mush’s designed merchandise that aligns with its brand, fun aesthetic and the customer relationship with Mush products.
VistaPrint offers a variety of bag types you can print your design onto. If tote bags don’t capture your brand essence, maybe duffel bags or laptop cases are a better fit.
2. Sbj Esntls
Source: SBJ Esntls via Instagram
Location: Los Angeles, CA
Instagram: @sbj_esntls
Sbj Esntls designed a canvas tote bag with the message “self care is esntl,” incorporating part of the brand’s name into a popular mantra. It also uses butterfly imagery, associating the brand with transformation.
When brainstorming company swag ideas, think beyond literal depictions of your brand and its products. Instead, consider the feelings and concepts you can communicate. For example, as a personal trainer, you might design merchandise that suggests achievement and self-improvement.
3. Andelin Family Farm
Source: Andelin Family Farm via Instagram
Location: Nevada, USA
Instagram: @andelinfamilyfarm
Andelin Family Farm wanted to expand the typical farm experience for its visitors. So, they converted a barn on the property into a farm store, putting up market lights and selling merchandise. The farm had a specific logo designed for the store to bring the swag designs together, distinct from the farm itself.
When the Andelin Family Farm expanded by converting its red barn into a farm store with merchandise and swag, “it really opened an awesome opportunity as a value-added shopping experience for our guests and increased our revenue,” the owner said. The farm store and merchandise also created a guest following that built anticipation for new merch drops each season.
4. Sager Reeves Gallery
Source: Sager Reeves Gallery via Instagram
Location: Columbia, MS
Instagram: @sagerreeves
Art gallery Sager Reeves maintained an artistic yet functional approach when creating coasters, tote bags and mugs for its latest merchandise line. They wanted their swag to become a conversation piece among visitors and customers.
“We look for items that are functional and beautiful, that we’d personally want to own and use. Our gallery gift shop is one way our visitors can support and connect with the gallery even if they’re not in a position to purchase original artwork,” said the gallery owners.
As you design your best company swag, consider how it can be a more affordable and accessible alternative to your main product line.
5. The Snail On The Wall
Source: The Snail On The Wall via Instagram
Location: Huntsville, AL
Instagram: @snailbooks
The Snail On The Wall bookshop created a design that could easily be used on multiple promotional products, like T-shirts, mugs and tote bags. The illustration features a snail reading a book and perched atop a stack of books saying “Pace Yourself.” It’s a perfect design for printing on any color background (or swag!). Reminiscent of book illustrations, the graphic ties into the store’s primary offering: books!
Brands can create similar looks by finding inspiration in their products, even if that means thinking outside the box and alluding to their products figuratively. For example, a tutoring service could create a planner that looks like a report card.
6. Kolam
Source: VistaPrint via Instagram
Location: Paris, France
Instagram: @kolamparis
When Kolam was looking to create branded swag, they turned to VistaPrint. Drawing inspiration from the nano canteen’s Sri Lankan roots, the deep purple tote features their logo of a folklore-inspired character in bright, attention-grabbing colors.
When you’re exploring company swag ideas, think about what will get noticed. Whether your brand needs to stand out on a crowded city street or an Instagram explore page, bold design choices can help you do that. This is easy if your brand identity already incorporates bold colors or patterns, but if your look tends to be more subdued, experiment with ways your merch design can attract attention without deviating from your brand.
With more countries, states and cities banning plastic grocery bags, reusable tote bags are a useful item to offer customers, so they can look great while shopping sustainably!
Clothing and footwear company swag ideas
7. Ben and Jerry’s
Source: Ben & Jerry’s via Instagram
Location: South Burlington, VT
Instagram: @benandjerrys
Collaborations (“collabs” for short) are an effective strategy for any brand. A collab exposes one brand’s audience to the other’s, leading to sales from new customers outside their typical demographic. They also allow creative teams to try new designs outside their comfort zone, creating something fresh in the process.
That’s what Ben and Jerry’s did when they teamed up with Nike to create Chunky Dunky, incorporating the familiar backdrop and imagery found on every pint of its ice cream. The Nike swoop is there, but this time with a wavy bottom edge, a nod to a dripping ice cream cone.
Collaborations should make both brands’ involvement immediately clear and highlight both companies’ assets when collaborating on swag.
8. Disney
Source: Disney Store via Instagram
Location: Burbank, CA
Instagram: @disneystore
Disney’s Winnie the Pooh Nostalgia Collection brought back fonts and styles familiar to anyone alive in the 90s, a fun nod to longtime fans. With skinny fonts and small, centered character images, these sweatshirts feel subdued enough for an adult fan but playful enough to be unmistakably Disney.
9. Adobe
Adobe’s audience-focused hoodie swag via LinkedIn
Location: San Jose, CA
Linkedin: @adobe
Adobe gave out practical company swag—a branded tech entrepreneur uniform of a gray hoodie, sneakers and bag for toting tech tools—at its Adobe Champion event in San Jose. Take inspiration from Adobe’s effective approach of giving people the swag they actually want. If techies can be spotted by their gray hoodies, Adobe wants them to be spotted by its gray hoodies.
Don’t be afraid to get niche with your company swag! Try to create swag that feels like an inside joke with your followers, showing that you “get” them. Specialized merch is a great way to make your audience connect with you!
10. LinkedIn
Source: LinkedIn Life via Instagram
Location: Sunnyvale, CA
Instagram: @linkedinlife
LinkedIn has the image of the “buttoned-up, professional” among social media platforms. Company swag can shape how your brand is perceived, so by teaming up with Converse, LinkedIn showed the world that they, too, can be relaxed and relatable.
However, these simple sneakers don’t go so far off-brand that they don’t feel like LinkedIn, and that’s why they work. They add a new dimension to viewers’ perception of LinkedIn’s brand without contradicting its persona.
11. Sneaky Pickle
Source: 𝕊𝕟𝕖𝕒𝕜𝕪 ℙ𝕚𝕔𝕜𝕝𝕖 via Instagram
Location: New Orleans, LA
Instagram: @yousneakypickle
New Orleans restaurant and bar, The Sneaky Pickle, leaned into its funky, offbeat vibe to create eye-catching custom T-shirts. The design was the creative brainchild of its owner: “I actually design all of the merch. And my business has been taking off with tons of other restaurants and businesses inquiring for designs.”
Consider tapping into your skill set or using online design tools to create merch designs as The Sneaky Pickle’s owner did. Not only can DIY design save you money, but it’s also a way to personalize your branded merch even further.
12. Dunkin’
Source: Dunkin’ via Instagram
Location: Canton, MA
Instagram: @dunkin
Super Bowl commercials are often trend-starters, and at the 2024 Super Bowl, Dunkin’ featured a parody boy band known as the DunKings. But that’s not all they did—they also dropped DunKings tracksuits, which sold out almost immediately and led to eBay bidding wars.
If your brand has a following, stoke interest in swag with merch drops. You can build anticipation for the drop ahead of time, counting down on social media and teasing the merch before it’s available. It doesn’t even have to be a traditional drop—engage your audience with a raffle or contest to build hype.
13. Edy’s Grocer
Source: Edy’s Grocer via Instagram
Location: Brooklyn, NY
Instagram: @edysgrocer
Edy’s Grocers brings its brand to life with the KEEP IT ZESTY T-shirt. This black crewneck features a bold design on both the front and back. The front showcases the fun phrase “Easy, Peasy, Lemon Squeezy!” in bright yellow, with a small purple hand squeezing a lemon. On the back, the same graphic appears larger, with the brand’s tagline, “Keep It Zesty,” and “Edy’s Grocer.”
The lemon imagery is a key part of Edy’s Grocers’ brand, symbolizing freshness and zest. More than just branded swag, this T-shirt captures the brand’s personality and commitment to bold, flavorful products.
When brainstorming swag ideas, think about how your unique company swag can reflect your brand identity. Like Edy’s, incorporate elements of your brand story into your merchandise to create a deeper connection with your audience.
Although T-shirts are a popular type of merchandise, they’re not the only custom clothing options VistaPrint offers. For example, we have custom aprons, polos and even socks.
Headwear company swag ideas
14. Creamies
Source: Creamies Ice Cream via Instagram
Location: Various
Instagram: @creamiesicecream
Premium ice cream brand Creamies, serving customers since the 1950s, designed hats and T-shirts bearing their iconic logo. The merchandise is fairly understated; swag doesn’t need to be complex or even a vehicle for brand recognition. Because Creamies is a long-established business, this merch is simply a way for clientele to showcase their love for the brand.
Sometimes all swag needs to do is offer a way for loyal customers to wear the logo of a brand they love.
15. To the Moon
Source: VistaPrint via Instagram
Location: UK
Instagram: @tothemoon.uk
Luxury candle brand To the Moon worked with VistaPrint to design white embroidered baseball caps for swag with a subtler touch. A minimalist design can be a sophisticated way to promote your brand, even when it’s juxtaposed with a casual item like a cap. Sometimes, your logo is all you need on a piece of merchandise.
When designing your company swag, think about whether your brand identity is more subtle or maximalist. Do you offer a wide range of products or services, or just one? How does your target customer tend to style themselves? While there’s such a thing as having too little of your brand in your merch, there’s also such a thing as having too much.
Sometimes, less is more! Start with a subtle design and go bolder until your swag matches your brand’s energy and identity.
16. Gold Dust Hair Studio
Source: golddusthairstudio via Instagram
Location: San Antonio, TX
Instagram: @golddusthairstudio
Gold Dust Hair Studio, an eco-friendly salon that recycles and repurposes all waste materials and hair clippings, was inspired by the colors, atmosphere and people of the salon to create this line of merch. When we asked the salon owners why they wanted to create company swag, they told us it felt natural to lean into its cute, creative brand. Turns out, it really paid off!
The owners told us, “It has created constant free marketing for us. We have had many new clients call for an appointment just out of the curiosity of a shirt they saw on someone out at the mall. This got them to look us up, engage in our website and click on our socials.”
17. Water’s Edge
Source: Water’s Edge via Instagram
Location: Mt. Pleasant, SC
Instagram: @watersedgeshemcreek
Knowing that their customers needed a way to keep the sun out of their eyes at their cabana bar, Water’s Edge designed these caps using brand fonts and colors. The custom caps feature Water’s Edge’s logo, with “cabana bar” in capitals underneath. That way, anybody who sees one instantly knows what kind of business Water’s Edge is and where to go for their next ice-cold drink.
Think about ways you can lean into the lifestyle your brand promotes. If you’re all about having fun, bucket hats could be a better fit than baseball caps or other hat styles. Design the kind of merch you’ve seen your audience wearing and if you aren’t sure what they wear, research this before you start the design process.
18. Tarpon River Brewing
Source: Tarpon River Brewing via Instagram
Location: Fort Lauderdale, FL
Instagram: @tarponriverbrewing
Tarpon River Brewing’s bright orange caps cleverly match the shade of their craft beer. They’ve got camouflage hats in the same line, evoking an outdoorsy lifestyle. As you design your company swag, think about creative ways to incorporate or suggest the lifestyle your brand promotes. For Tarpon, it’s all about the outdoors. For you, it might be an eco-friendly, sustainable lifestyle.
Explore who your customers are and how your brand relates to their identity, which will help you design company swag that appeals to them.
19. Made It Mikayla
Source: Made It Mikayla via Instagram
Location: Tucson, AZ
Instagram: @madeitmikayla
Mikayla, a digital artist and graphic designer behind Made It Mikayla, brings a unique touch to headwear swag with her Tucson Arizona Cap. This white embroidered cap features a striking design of the Arizonian landscape—complete with the sun, desert and various cacti—alongside the text “Tucson, Arizona.” The bright colors and detailed embroidery pop against the white cap, making it a standout piece of merchandise for anyone proud of their Tucson roots.
Location-based company swag ideas like Mikayla’s Tucson Cap help build connections with the local community. Incorporate geographic elements such as landmarks or regional symbols to create meaningful swag that resonates with your audience. This makes it a great company swag idea for promoting local pride.
Drinkware company swag ideas
20. Cooperative Coffee Roasters
Source: Cooperative Coffee Roasters via Instagram
Location: Asheville, NC
Instagram: @cooperativecoffeeroasters
For coffee shop branded company swag, mugs are a no-brainer, especially if the clientele can bring them back to the shop for a refill. Aiming to build that close relationship with their customers, Cooperative Coffee Roasters designed distinctive mugs based on old-school diner designs.
When designing your company swag, think about your relationship with customers or clients. How can the merchandise strengthen that bond or enhance their experience with your brand?
21. Broken Tart
Source: Broken Tart via Instagram
Location: Oak Park, IL
Instagram: @brokentart
When designing their company swag, Broken Tart knew all too well that people wanted a cup of coffee to go with their baked goods. The bakery released two custom mugs to promote the brand and give customers something useful. By offering both a classic ceramic mug and a screwtop lid option, they covered all bases: lounging at home and busy days on the go (that hopefully includes a stop at Broken Tart!).
22. Greiser’s Coffee and Market
Source: Greiser’s Coffee & Market via Instagram
Location: Connecticut, USA
Instagram: @greisers
Connecticut coffee shop Greiser’s hometown, Easton, has been officially named the Christmas Tree Capital of Connecticut (CTCC) because it has more tree farms than anywhere else in the state. People visiting between Thanksgiving and Christmas are a huge source of traffic for the store, so Greiser’s decided to capitalize on that seasonal boost. Sales of the coffee shop’s branded caps and mugs also support Easton tree farms, meaning Greiser’s merchandise directly benefits their local community.
Consider how your company swag can give back to your local area or community. This will help build more meaningful relationships with your audience.
23. Just Rosy
Source: Just Rosy via Instagram
Location: MA, United States
Instagram: @just__rosy
Just Rosy, a small-batch jewelry brand known for its nature-inspired, demi-fine pieces, uses custom white mugs with a metal rim and the brand’s logo as part of their corporate swag. These mugs are a staple at trade shows, where they serve as both event swag and employee gifts. The simple, functional design helps promote the brand while fostering a sense of unity among team members.
Custom drinkware is an enduring swag choice for two reasons: it’s durable and everybody uses it. Your business can increase recognition and recreate the success of the brands featured here by making it easy for people to enjoy a drink in your branded vessel.
Sticker company swag ideas
24. Ocoee Coffee Joint
Source: Ocoee Coffee Joint via Instagram
Location: Ocoee, TN
Instagram: @ocoeecoffeejoint
Who doesn’t love a good sticker? Especially one you can stick on your coffee mug or laptop? Ocoee worked with an independent artist, William Nealy, to create these stickers. The business owner wanted to create something that appealed to the rafting and outdoor community they cater to in Ocoee. “I wanted to make something that portrayed all the fun that’s had out there on the river,” the owner of Ocoee Coffee Joint told us.
25. Bomu
Source: Bomu via Instagram
Location: Multiple locations
Instagram: @bomuevents
Bomu’s sleek black quarter-zip jackets are the perfect example of employee swag that blends comfort and style. Designed for their management and creative teams, these jackets feature a minimalistic design with the brand’s logo embroidered in white on the left chest. This kind of thoughtful, high-quality swag speaks volumes about the brand’s attention to detail!
Focus on quality and comfort when choosing employee swag—items your team loves to wear will create a stronger connection to your brand.
26. Peaceful Side Social
Source: Peaceful Side Social via Instagram
Location: Tennessee, USA
Instagram: @peacefulsidesocial
Recognizing that stickers are a hot ticket item among craft beer fans, this Tennessee brewery made them a big feature of its merchandise line. One of a frothing beer glass and the other of a tasty-looking snack containing the Peaceful Side Social logo—the fun illustrated stickers perfectly align with the brand’s identity.
Sometimes, company swag just needs to feature your brand colors. Although detailed, complex products can be valuable, something more subtle, such as using your logo, can be just as effective.
Unique company swag ideas
27. Loews Hotels
Source: by Soboconcepts for Loews Hotels via Instagram
Location: Miami, FL
Instagram: @soboconcepts
One fun way to personalize your company swag is to incorporate your location in some way. It doesn’t have to be straightforward, like a skyline, either. Loews Hotels created these deck chair phone holders in a fun nod to their Miami location. Swag can be functional or purely fun. The right balance for your brand depends on what your brand does, and for a hotel chain that welcomes vacationers, a fun little phone holder is the perfect way to promote the brand.
28. New York Post
Source: New York Post via Pinterest
Location: New York, NY
Instagram: @nypost
Consumable swag is a delicious way to make an impression. The New York Post did this brilliantly with branded buckets of gummy bears featuring a witty phrase. Promotional products like this can be a great gift for collaborators, appealing office swag for office visitors and giveaways for event attendees.
Think about where and how the recipient will use your swag, like how the New York Post created a shareable office pick-me-up. Maybe your merchandise will become a valuable tool in its receiver’s toolkit or make weekday lunches easier. Focus on the user’s experience with your corporate swag ideas.
With food swag, it’s often best to steer clear of nuts and dairy. You never know who has allergies!
When you’re brainstorming company swag ideas, don’t limit yourself to items you’ve seen other brands offer. Think outside the box and explore creative options, like customizable puzzles and plant kits. Loews and the New York Post knew their audience and created unique company swag that they would enjoy. Think about innovative ways you can stick in your target customer’s mind as you design your next piece of swag.
Design the kind of company swag you’d want to receive
When you have great promotional products, people won’t just be happy to receive them; they’ll line up around your booth, enter giveaways and follow your brand more closely for new merch drops. The key is to create something people are excited to receive and keen to hold on to.
“Bringing your brand and business to life on physical products has the power to strengthen customer relationships and even open up new revenue streams,” explains Llorenç Sola, General Manager of VistaPrint Promotional Products, Apparel and Gifts.
As shown in the examples in this article and as Llorenç Sola points out, “great swag and memorable merchandise is an effective and authentic way to grow your business, while tapping into the fun and creativity of the design process.” Once you’ve got something that grabs the right kind of attention, you’re on your way to replicating the success of the brands we’ve featured.
