--- title: "Wednesday Buzz: Stop Giving Lame Swag" id: "41602" type: "post" slug: "wednesday-buzz-stop-giving-lame-swag" published_at: "2018-02-21T22:22:11+00:00" modified_at: "2026-03-16T21:24:57+00:00" url: "https://associationsnow.com/2018/02/21/wednesday-buzz-stop-giving-lame-swag/" markdown_url: "https://associationsnow.com/2018/02/21/wednesday-buzz-stop-giving-lame-swag.md" excerpt: "People don’t always enjoy being walking billboards. Consider giving a different type of swag at your next meeting. Also: Do you actually know your weaknesses?" taxonomy_category: - "Meetings / Events" taxonomy_post_tag: - "Aspiring Leader" - "AssociationsNow" - "event swag" - "Meetings" - "Mid-Level Professional" - "promotional products" - "rebranding" taxonomy_content_format: - "Article" taxonomy_role: - "Director" - "Manager" taxonomy_persona: - "Association Professionals" --- [Home](https://associationsnow.com/) » [Articles](https://associationsnow.com/format/article/) » Wednesday Buzz: Stop Giving Lame Swag If you’re a frequent meeting attendee, you probably have dozens of tote bags in the back of your closet all boldly stamped with an organization name or company logo. Sometimes these bags can be pretty nice, but carrying around heavily branded bags outside of the event can feel a little … tacky. To combat this problem, entrepreneur Lynne Lambert started a company called Mapt Gear “that makes the *anti-swag* swag bag, a high-quality, stylish tote that publicizes a brand without turning into a walking billboard,” [reports AdWeek (opens in a new tab)](http://www.adweek.com/brand-marketing/look-out-trade-shows-here-comes-the-anti-swag-swag-bag/) . Her company imprints maps that highlight locations of brand headquarters or conferences on different products, including canvas tote bags. The idea is something of a left turn in a $20.81 billion swag industry that usually relies on logos for promotion, notes the magazine. And event pros might want to take a cue from Lambert’s idea. Think about how you can rework the swag that you hand out to be more elegant, personalized, and less logo-heavy. ### Know Your Weaknesses > Most Leaders Know Their Strengths — but Are Oblivious to Their Weaknesses [https://t.co/G3C292ddo9 (opens in a new tab)](https://t.co/G3C292ddo9) > > — Harvard Business Review (@HarvardBiz) [February 21, 2018 (opens in a new tab)](https://twitter.com/HarvardBiz/status/966303541156630529?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) **A lot of us know what we’re good at,** but we may have a blind spot when it comes to our weaknesses. A new [post from the Harvard Business Review (opens in a new tab)](https://hbr.org/2018/02/most-leaders-know-their-strengths-but-are-oblivious-to-their-weaknesses) says that leaders don’t have to be great at everything, but one serious flaw can do a disproportionate amount of damage. “Our data shows that someone who is perceived very poorly on any single, important leadership trait pays a high price,” writes researchers Jack Zenger and Joseph Folkman. “If their score is in the bottom 10 percent on one key skill, they will rank in the bottom fifth overall—*no matter how strong their other strengths are*.” The post goes on to provide a few ways you can identify your weaknesses. ### Other Links of Note **Could your fundraising ideation use a little inspiration?** The *Get Fully Funded* blog shares educational [fundraising lessons from Disney movies (opens in a new tab)](http://getfullyfunded.com/12-lessons-fundraising-according-disney/) . **Combat stale memberships.** Here are a few [ideas for re-engaging members (opens in a new tab)](https://www.webscribble.com/blog/3-membership-benefit-ideas-engage-members) with benefits from Web Scribble. **Sometimes, a meeting attendee’s mind can’t help but wander.** Meetings Professionals International reveals [how to keep him or her focused (opens in a new tab)](https://www.mpiweb.org/blog/article/5-ways-to-keep-your-meeting-attendees-focused) . (Mapt Gear) [Raegan Johnson](https://associationsnow.com/author/raegan-johnson/) Raegan Johnson is a contributor to Associations Now. [More articles by this author](https://associationsnow.com/author/raegan-johnson/) Tags: [#Aspiring Leader](https://associationsnow.com/tag/aspiring-leader/) [#event swag](https://associationsnow.com/tag/event-swag/) [#Meetings](https://associationsnow.com/tag/meetings/) [#Mid-Level Professional](https://associationsnow.com/tag/mid-level-professional/) [#promotional products](https://associationsnow.com/tag/promotional-products/) [#rebranding](https://associationsnow.com/tag/rebranding/) **Stay Informed** [Subscribe to our free newsletter](https://associationsnow.com/newsletter/) , *Associations Now Daily News*, to find out what’s happening in the association world every business day. ## You Might Like - [VideoTerin Bates, MBA, CAE, CX-PRO, Shares Her Experience at the 2026 ASAE Annual Meeting & ExpositionAugust 18, 2026](https://associationsnow.com/2026/08/18/terin-bates-mba-cae-cx-pro-shares-her-experience-at-the-2026-asae-annual-meeting-exposition/) - [VideoThe Adaptive Leader: Integrating Values and Strategy to Thrive Under New LeadershipDecember 15, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/12/15/the-adaptive-leader-integrating-values-and-strategy-to-thrive-under-new-leadership/) - [ArticleBack to Basics: Why Relationship Building Is the New Innovation for Future-Proofing Association MeetingsSeptember 15, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/09/15/back-to-basics-why-relationship-building-is-the-new-innovation-for-future-proofing-association-meetings/) - [VideoASAE DELP Reunion 2025 & Introduction of New ClassAugust 18, 2025](https://associationsnow.com/2025/08/18/asae-delp-reunion-2025-introduction-of-new-class/) ## Comments **Comments are for ASAE members.** [Learn more about comments on this site.](https://associationsnow.com/comments/) [Log in](https://associationsnow.com/login?redirect_to=https%3A%2F%2Fassociationsnow.com%2F2018%2F02%2F21%2Fwednesday-buzz-stop-giving-lame-swag%2F%23comments) to your member account or [join ASAE](https://my.asaecenter.org/select-a-membership-type/) !