Branded swag is more than just a freebie at events or a gift to loyal customers. It’s a powerful marketing tool that boosts brand awareness and customer engagement.
Whether it’s the sleek, stylish tote bags at a trade show or the classic logo t-shirts at a company event, promotional swag embodies your brand’s values, messaging, and ethos, making it a valuable tool for building brand recognition and loyalty.
But swag isn’t immune to trends.
With the rise of the digital age and the mobile-first consumer, static swag just isn’t cutting it. Enter, the QR Code—a small, unobtrusive addition to your promotional gear can lead to a multitude of digital marketing doors, adding a dynamic and interactive element that enhances customer engagement and tracking opportunities like never before.
What does “swag” mean?
Swag, in this context, refers to any merchandise or promotional items that businesses give away for free to promote their brand, product, or event. These items are typically branded with a company logo and are intended to:
- Increase brand awareness.
- Foster customer loyalty.
- Create a memorable experience for the recipient.
Popular examples of branded promotional products include:
- T-shirts
- Hats
- Hoodies
- Bags
- Drinkware
- Water bottles
- Mugs
- Coasters
- Pens and pencils
- Keychains
- Stickers
- Notebooks
- Tech accessories (phone cases, USB drives, pop sockets, etc.)
- Laptop sleeves
Companies choose these items for their utility and potential for frequent use, ensuring ongoing brand exposure. Swag plays a vital role in marketing campaigns, as it allows businesses to:
- Increase brand visibility and awareness: Branded swag puts your logo and messaging directly in the hands of potential customers, increasing your brand’s reach and visibility.
- Create a positive brand image: By giving away useful or desirable items, businesses can create a positive image for their brand and foster customer loyalty and advocacy.
- Generate leads and drive sales: Branded swag can be a lead generation tool, encouraging customers to take action and engage with the brand beyond the initial interaction. This can ultimately lead to increased sales and revenue.
- Stand out from competitors: With so many businesses vying for attention, branded swag can give your brand a competitive edge and make a lasting impression on potential customers.
Biggest reasons to use QR Codes on all your company swag
QR Codes, short for Quick Response Codes, are two-dimensional barcodes that are scannable with a mobile device to access digital content. They can direct users to websites, social media profiles, videos, surveys, and contact information in a split second. So, why should you use QR Codes on your company swag?
Increased interactivity and engagement
A static logo on swag is like a billboard—on until the message fades. Traditional swag items have no real way to engage the recipient beyond the initial handout. They may serve as a reminder of your brand, but they don’t necessarily drive further interaction or engagement.
Adding a QR Code to your swag items transforms them into interactive marketing tools that engage users in a whole new way. With a quick scan, customers can access engaging content like games, contests, or exclusive videos, turning a simple swag item into an exciting and memorable experience. This can increase user interaction with your brand and leave a lasting impression.
Seamless integration with digital campaigns
QR Codes on swag items provide a seamless and convenient way to integrate offline and online marketing efforts. They can connect users to social media pages, promotional landing pages, or even app downloads via URL, ensuring a cohesive customer experience across physical and digital realms. This allows businesses to amplify their marketing messages and drive traffic to specific online platforms while increasing brand recognition and customer engagement.
Take the case of a company hosting an in-person event or product launch. They can include QR Codes on their promotional swag, directing customers to a landing page with event details, photos, or a live stream of the event. Customers enjoy easy access to information, while businesses can track user engagement and gather valuable data.
Enhanced tracking and analytics
Tracking the effectiveness of swag as a marketing tool can be challenging—if that’s even possible at all. It’s not easy to know how many people actually used the promotional items they received, let alone how it affected their purchasing decisions.
However, with QR Codes, businesses can track and measure the performance of their swag campaigns with greater accuracy. Dynamic QR Codes, in particular, provide businesses with valuable insights into audience engagement and campaign performance. They can track:
- Number of scans
- Location
- Time
- Device type
Businesses can use this data to demonstrate ROI and tailor future campaigns to their target audience’s preferences and behaviors.
Cost-effective customization
One of the chief pains of swag is keeping it current. Reprinting is costly, and distributing updated materials is a logistics hurdle. QR Codes let you sidestep this issue by allowing you to update content on the fly. This means you can use the same swag items for different campaigns, promotions, or events without incurring additional printing costs.
You can easily change the landing page, video, or social media link associated with a QR Code, keeping your swag relevant and up to date. It’s an adaptable and budget-friendly option for ongoing campaigns. A Christmas campaign transitioned to a New Year’s special? No reprint needed. Just redirect the QR Code to the new offer.
Building brand loyalty and retention
QR Codes can also help build long-term relationships that bolster customer loyalty and retention. Link it to a loyalty program, sign-up form, special offers, exclusive content, or a “secret” community, and suddenly, the act of scanning becomes an expression of allegiance and anticipation. Through this, swag stops being a one-time gesture but a perpetual touchpoint in the customer’s brand interaction.
When customers feel they are receiving value from a brand, it creates a sense of loyalty and belonging, leading to repeat business and positive word-of-mouth recommendations. QR Codes can also help you gather customer feedback and preferences, allowing businesses to personalize future marketing efforts and cultivate a loyal customer base.
Examples of using QR Codes on different swag items
To help you visualize the various ways in which you can use QR Codes on swag items, here are a few examples:
T-shirts and apparel
T-shirts and apparel provide a unique opportunity for creative QR Code usage. You can hide the code within a graphic or design, adding an element of mystery and intrigue for customers to discover. Or you can display it prominently for easy scanning with a clear call to action (CTA), encouraging customers to scan and unlock exclusive content or offers.
A popular example of this is the use of QR Codes on concert merchandise. Fans can scan the code on their t-shirt to access exclusive music releases, event tickets, or even interactive content like augmented reality experiences that complement the apparel’s theme. If the QR Codes lead to shareable social media content, it can also create a buzz and attract new customers through viral marketing.
Tote bags and backpacks
At their best, tote bags and backpacks are the workhorses of swag—loved for their utility. They’re a regular in public spaces, which means high visibility for your brand. A QR Code on a tote bag or backpack can lead customers to your brand’s eco-friendly initiatives, product catalogs, or location-based services.
For instance, during a music festival or conference, one of the ways media brands can use QR Codes is on a tote bag to link maps of the event venue or schedule of performances, saving attendees the hassle of carrying around a paper map or schedule. The best thing about tote bags and backpacks is that, unlike other swag items, they’re durable and frequently used, providing repeated exposure for your brand.
Drinkware
Water bottles and mugs are common items in both corporate and casual settings. They are excellent items for brand exposure, as they are often used at work, in public spaces, and while traveling.
A QR Code on a mug or bottle can link to health and wellness content, eco-friendly initiatives, or even a daily motivational or educational quote that changes daily or weekly. This encourages repeated interactions with the QR Code as the user continues to use the item.
Businesses can also use QR Codes on drinkware for promotions and contests. For instance, a QR Code on a water bottle could lead to a landing page where customers can enter a giveaway or competition for the best photo with their branded drinkware. As customers engage with the QR Code and participate in the contest, it creates a positive brand experience and promotes social sharing, further increasing brand visibility.
How to create QR Codes you can add to swag
Bitly is a user-friendly platform that allows businesses to create, customize, and track QR Codes easily. Its simple, intuitive interface makes it accessible to users of all levels, with no technical expertise required. You can brand and customize your QR Code with your company logo, color scheme, and design to maintain brand consistency. Follow these steps to create a QR Code using Bitly:
- Log in to your Bitly account or create a new one.
- Click Create new in the left sidebar, then select QR Code.
- Add the destination URL you want to link your QR Code to. You can also enter a title for your code, but this is optional.
- Scroll to the bottom of the window and click Design your code.
- Customize your QR Code by selecting a frame, changing the colors, and adding your logo. (Note: design options vary based on your subscription plan). The preview on the right will update in real time as you make changes, showing you what your QR Code will look like.
- Select Save current design in the templates section to save your design as a template.
- Click Create your code.
- Download and share your new custom QR Code.
It’s that simple! With Bitly, you can create unique and customized QR Codes that align with your branding and marketing goals. You can also track the performance of your codes in real time through Bitly Analytics, allowing you to measure engagement and ROI for your swag campaigns.
Make a bigger impact with your swag using Bitly QR Codes
QR Codes on swag items are not a gimmick but an effective tool to elevate your brand’s marketing and engagement efforts. With the ability to add a digital layer to traditional promotional items, QR Codes can transform them into interactive and engaging tools that create a lasting impact on customers.
At the center of this transformation is Bitly—a user-friendly and feature-rich platform that allows businesses to create, customize, and track QR Codes with ease. Bitly lets you add a personal touch to your QR Codes with branding elements and track their performance in real time, giving you valuable insights into the success of your swag campaigns.
Upgrade your marketing strategy today with Bitly QR Codes and unlock the full potential of your swag items. Get started with Bitly today!