Swag = crap
Say it out loud with me. Swag equals crap. Allow me to explain why I have come to hate the concept of swag at HR conferences.
We live in an imperfect world. I know. I’m at least 60 pounds overweight and I have a lazy eye. I get it. I also know that after attending over 100 HR conferences that we have a HR conference system that is broken. The people that put conferences together are smart. They focus on putting great content in front of their audience. The HR practitioner. Practitioners attend HR conferences for a lot of different reasons but mainly to learn. The freight for HR conferences is mostly paid (sponsorships and exhibiting) by the vendor community. Those marketing and selling to the HR practitioner. Makes sense, right? Wrong.
I have no problem with sponsorships. I like quiet money, and as a recovering marketer I damn sure like access to attendee data. But, I hate the Expo hall as it currently exists at most HR conferences.
What happens in the Expo hall of most HR conferences is despicable. Rational, logical, intelligent beings are reduced to cartoon characters. It’s so sad actually… the juxtaposition of intelligent, thoughtful content delivered in the sessions and keynotes versus the smash and grab carny atmosphere of Expoland. Grown people running around the expo looking for free shit. Stuff that they could buy at any office supply and/or toy store. Devolution personified. People acting like animals. Sucks actually.
I blame everyone. I’m that guy, so of course I would blame everyone.
I blame the women and men of HR who are more interested in chocolates, shoe gift certificates and yoga mats than having a thoughtful conversation with a vendor partner. Most HR practitioners thoughtfully pick the sessions they attend during conference. Why not the same approach for what vendors to meet? I’ll tell you why… swag. Swag is the enemy of thoughtful people. It represents all that is broken in the relationship between HR practitioners and HR vendors. Before you think I’m overreacting… pause… long pause… ask yourself this question, would squishy globes, cheap plastic shit and beach balls be given away at a CFO conference? A conference for CEO’s? No. Hell no. In fact, you’re crazy if you think so. So why is it okay at an HR conference? Is this something we can control? Can we change our own behaviors and desires? Can we change the vendors’ behaviors and desires?
Speaking of the illustrious vendor community. They have blood on their hands as well. Especially the marketers and sales teams that think they can bribe / persuade intelligent HR leaders with swag. In some ways, I blame them more… they should know better. Swag is degrading… people running around trying to gather tricked up office supplies. Makes me want to barf. Here’s an idea… don’t give away swag. Rest on the fact that you have awesome software and want to have serious discussions with serious people about serious stuff. Take the effin high road instead of placating to the lowest common denominator. I get it… if you’re a vendor and you’re reading this… you’re thinking this is the way it is done. Horseshit. Dare to be different… dare to be humane. No more swag.
This didn’t happen overnight and we won’t fix it overnight, but we need to elevate the level of discourse. Swag is a speed bump to serious discussions and, moreover, people taking HR seriously.
You might be wondering how we fix it… simple… we create standards at our HR conferences. We tell both sides that we’re having a NO swag conference. We manage expectations for both contingents and we foster communication between these two parties. We enable serious business discussions. Both sides will come to LOVE the new order of HR conferences.
Here’s the thing… we need to have more respect for ourselves and we need to demand that others within our ecosystem share that respect. Nothing respectful about swag… those who desire it and those who peddle it.
Couldn’t agree more. Love the comment about whether swag would be given away at a conference for CFO’s/CEO’s. It is up to us in HR to demand more respect. The swag at HR conferences reminds me of my children at the free toy bin at a shoe store. Ok for them – they are under 10. Not ok for professional, smart people.
I completely agree. At the SHRM conference in Vegas, I couldn’t stand to walk through the exhibition hall. It was a complete waste of time. I made more contacts in the Social Media room frankly. And these are people who prefer to communicate online!
AMEN, Mr. Tincup! I’m with ya….and can we just say no to the bingo cards too?!!
I’m with you. 100%. Although I didn’t note this in my #HRTech conference overview (http://chinagorman.com/2011/10/13/hr-people-doing-business-wait-what/) it further proves my point. There was precious little swag at #HRTech. I’m not sure anyone raffled off an iPad, a $500 Visa card, or a weekend at a resort. And what swag I did see, was low-key and/or actually useful.
I wonder what the rate of conversion is for that crap? Let’s say they spend, I don’t know, $25,000 on the talking duck toy or whatever for that conference. Plus they bring 2 extra interns to cart it and swipe badges. That’s another $500 a day including travel per kid. So $26,000.
Is there a survey or something that vendors do regularly that tells them this is a good return on their investment? “Yes, I first heard about your service when I was at SHRM 2010, and your swag made me stop at the booth. I remembered you when we were looking for a new ATS, because your little stuffed duck sits on my desk and quacks every time someone comes in the office. That’s why we now pay you $50,000 a year for your service.”
I just don’t see it. But then, I’m not a marketer. So clearly I’m missing the bigger picture.
I agree too. However it sure was fun to win a pair of Ray Bands in Vegas
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Having worked for software companies (many not focused on HR) and attending trade shows for 30 years, I don’t think we’ll see the end of swag anytime soon. This isn’t an HR-only phenomenon.
The swag and contests are designed to help get people to stop and talk to you – to help you stand out from the information overload atmosphere of a show.
Lead generation is certainly a goal, but so is building awareness with attendees who don’t currently have a need you can meet but may in the future. As William knows, the anatomy of a deal will generally have many marketing touches in its past.
I think the problem with swag is when the vendor staff at an event rely on the swag to pull you in vs. human contact and conversation. The old chestnut still holds, people buy from people.
I’ll raise my hand for the no-swag conference. We don’t need it. I will challenge China on her comment though…while I didn’t see much in the EXPO hall, somehow Dwane Lay and Paul Smith found some. Most centered around light-up trinkets. UGH!
Ok.., here’s the deal… I do think the CFO conference would have swag. However, to your point… Swag is a simple distraction. A distraction that gives HR pros (dispite the “people person” myth) an excuse to not authentically connect. Because connecting w a stranger is hard and scary and takes me back to high school …. blah. So… Until human beings quit being afraid, swag will be the great equalizer. What about getting rid of swag but keepin libations?….
@ Jennifer – “Free toy bin” is my favorite response so far… thank you.
@ Todd – Yeah the social media lounge at SHRM was awesome… Curtis did a fantastic job putting that together.
@ Kathy – Bingo Cards = Meh
@ China – This was not about HR Tech at all actually. I was in the Expo Hall for 5 minutes during the conference. This post was a generalization of ALL HR conferences.
@ Franny – Everyone is a marketer… one of the many problems with being a marketer. Kinda like HR… the “I love people” department.
@ Chris – At least you won something useful.
@ Fix Credit – Are you a robot? I sure hope so because I don’t want to piss off anyone with the name Fix Credit. I’m still trying to rebuild my entrepreneurial credit.
@ Joyce – You’re a sophisticated marketer, you get it and you’d never make fun of your prospects/customers. At a recent HR conference, I saw a middle aged HR Director of a 5,000 person firm get in to a clear phone booth to try and catch money that was floating around. The vendors were making fun of her and worse than that… they had a line 15 deep to get in to the booth. I swallowed vomit while viewing the carnage. I was ashamed for her and for the vendors. While not about swag… some vendors get it and work it and a much larger population of vendors don’t.
@ Trish – You’re my hero.
@ Dawn – Great thoughts… thank you.
Having just finished SHRM Atlanta’s conference let me make a few observations.
-There was less swag than in past conferences, perhaps vendors are realizing that it doesn’t make that big of a deal.
-However, without the swag many HR people would not visit the marketplace. Most attendees don’t get the value of connecting and learning about something new. The want the chance to win the Ipad or Kindle or TV or pick up some trinkets for the kids.
-Without the hook to make someone at least stop the vendors would talk to almost no one and subsequently not come back next year, thus costing the conference a ton of money. This would then raise the price of your attendance ticket, which would then supress attendance and probably eliminate many conferences.
-Most of these people are not of the HRE ilk. Much of attendance is driven by CEU possibilities and not necessarily the learning.
-In the spirit of openess I did get a couple of aluminum water bottles, some cookies and a pen that lights up so you can write in the dark. Unfortunatley no on has called me to tell me I won their Ipad.
Although I’m the least likely character to take this role, let me play out why swag is important (just for my own amusement):
1) Something to show for it: Many attendees want something (anything!) to take home to give to their kids/colleagues/spouses who were mad that mom/dad/co-worker went in the first place.
2) Shiny objects: You know what doesn’t get someone’s attention? A really good idea on a artificial wall. You know what does? Some shiny do-hickey that squirts bubbles while saying “HR Rocks!” in an electronic voice. No swag means rethinking the entire element of attendee attraction.
3) Giveaways: Do you include raffles/bingo/giveaways in your no-swag manifesto? If so I might bend to your will. If not, I don’t really see the difference.
4) Maybe content doesn’t matter: Although we like to think otherwise there are a certain percentage of attendees who are credit hounds that could give two shits about content. Does quality content and real engagement matter if you just want to re-up your certs?
Discuss and disembowel please because I want to wrong on all of this.
Post HRTech last year you said, “I come for the swag”.
http://vimeo.com/15441987
What changed?
@ Michael – Not sure we need to have a “hook” it get people to have intelligent conversations. Value is valuable. I liked the disclosure at the end of your comments. Twas funny.
@ Mark Stelzner – (1) I could see that if the “stuff” was truly valuable. But it is not. It sucks. Here’s a thought, get out and purchase something thoughtful for those you love, respect, etc. (2) Yep, it does. And it is a noble pursuit… all involved need to re-think how and why. (3) I do. I hate giveaways almost as much as swag. Fucking useless giveaways actually. Last time I checked, no governing body over tradeshow giveaways… so, the most qualified prospect wins shit. Giveaways are hucksterism in different clothing. (4) The two should be married. More credit hours should be given to great content. Great content should prevail over shitty content. That should be what we all aim for and/or hold each other accountable for. My four cents.
@ HK Bansemer – Two things. (1) My rant last year which was forced to be taken down was ALL sarcasm. Too bad I muffed that up so the typical viewer couldn’t tell. I should have been more over the top. That might have helped. But I own it… I was trying to get people to think about swag back then. (2) I have grown up a bunch over the last 13 months. I’ve attended a ton more HR conferences in the interim and I’ve learned a ton about myself. I didn’t like swag back then and now I hate it. For what it represents, I hate it. Thanks for asking btw. #appreciated
As a Talent tech vendor I struggle with the concept of swag – personally I attend conferences to have serious conversations with serious buyers – the more swag someone has collected leads me to believe they are treasure hunting not tech buying
US swag beats European swag hands down but now with legal enforcement of the new bribery act upon us in europe the value of swag also needs noting & you swag hunters need to beware of declarations of benefits in kind! As for the psychological breakdown that swag pretends to be is utter rubbish & I would argue i prefer lucid sane customers than one with magpie eyes 
For what it’s worth – we started to discourage swag five years ago for all of our People Report conferences – for a lot of reasons, including saving the planet and landfills from a lot of trash. Hotel staffs will tell you that the rooms are full of swag trash that never even leaves the building. We have been pretty successful – our sponsors love the fact that they don’t have to carry or ship a lot – instead many of them will cover the costs of speaker books, make donations to the event charities or auctions, or donate something that really is useful. Those Ipad raffles are still pretty popular. Our events are small compared to the majority of the HR only events you are describing – but our transition has been pretty painless.
Amen. Having just returned from HR Southwest, I was a bit annoyed by all the bags and trinkets, shiny / flashy things, and people acting a bit like they thought they were in Vegas. I thought it was just me getting old.
@ Lisa – I love the treasure hunting imagery… conjures up all kinds of images for me…
@ Luckypenny – Good point regarding the planet… I missed that in my post but spot on in terms of how, by supporting the concept of swag, we’re actually making our planet worse…
@ Aaron – Well, I love HR Southwest… and the people behind the show… that said, swag sucks… peddlers and hoarders be damned…