Jump to content

Trade show swag = commercial?


Recommended Posts

I made a quick search of the forums, but didn't find this specifically addressed.

 

If I have an item that I got at a trade show that simply has the name of a company stamped on it, is it "commercial?" Some of those items would make nice little trade items.

 

For example: I have a plane that is made of stress ball material. It says Boeing on the tail. I have a ruler with a slide puzzle on it. "Gibco" is stamped on it.

 

To me it would be no different putting those things into a cache than putting in a keychain compass that has "Coleman" on it. The only difference I guess is that I bought one at Target and picked the other one up at a trade show.

 

I guess I wouldn't expect anyone to feel pressured to buy a 747 or BoneMarrow Medium by seeing or taking those items out of a cache.

 

Any thoughts?

 

Insert pretentious quote or saying here.

Link to comment

I dont see a problem with it at all. If you think about it, everything is commercial in some form or another. There are few exceptions ,such as military memorabilia. Everything was manufactured by someone and has their name or logo on it somewhere.

 

Some of these items that you have may be just as great to find as something you go buy at the dollar store. Maybe even better.

 

My time, your time is limited, but time itself is unlimited.

Link to comment

quote:
Originally posted by Bull Moose:

 

Any thoughts?

 


Tracy and I have no problem with trade show toys. We have a cache specifically for such swag- Corporate Giveaway Cache. I always attend the student career fairs and started picking up stuff. At first it was just pens and sticky note pads, (a good 3M rep will quickly spot a pad not made by them), then it grew to other things. Rubbermaid was here last fall and had these little rubbermaid tote keychains. The guys working the booth were HAPPY to let me relieve them of a hundred or so.

Link to comment

Don't see anything wrong with it all. Like said, everything normally has a logo of some sort on it. If someone doesn't like it, they can leave it there and not look at the logo. icon_biggrin.gif

 

Everything makes a buck some way or another. Just don't get all tied up into whether it's commercial or not. I'm hoping that a Dunkin Donuts employee is a cacher and will start leaving coupons for free donuts. icon_razz.gif

 

People have no problem taking a buck out of a cache, but some of them may say "that shouldn't be there, it's commercial" or "it's advertisement"...get real! icon_confused.gif

 

After reading what I wrote i wanted to point out that it was not intended for anyone, was just a random statement.

 

Brian Wood

Woodsters Outdoors

http://www.woodsters.com

Link to comment

Not a problem at all. I often times end up with medication promotional items from work, job fairs, and pharmacy-related conferences. I've found that people outside of the healthcare field get a big kick out of that sort of thing, so I'll sometimes leave pens, stress relievers, and other trinkets with drug, drug company, or hospital names on them (people get real excited over Viagra pens...)

 

----

When in doubt, poke it with a stick.

Link to comment

No problems. I once read that we are bombarded with over 9000 marketing messages a day. What's the harm in one or two more? icon_wink.gif

As to logo item caches there is also one here in Raleigh, NC: Trade Show Cache as well as one in PA with the same name. I often get items at food shows and leave them in caches too (no NOT the food samples! icon_rolleyes.gif)

 

These changes in latitudes, changes in attitudes;

Nothing remains quite the same.

Through all of the islands and all of the highlands,

If we couldn't laugh we would all go insane

Link to comment

quote:
Originally posted by sbell111:

Those trinks sound fine.

 

Commercial would be if you printed swag that said 'Bull Moose' Pool and Spa Depot' and then hid them in a box just outside your showroom door.


 

Unless, of course, there is no such company called 'Bull Moose Pool and Spa Depot' and by 'showroom' you mean 'bathroom'.

 

Although that would be a pretty weird cache.

 

------

An it harm none, do what ye will

soapbox.gif

Link to comment

I just found this topic. I'm not fond of trade show items. If it's something cool or useful, fine, but the squeezy toys are marginal. Your Boeing plane sounds cool, but I've seen things like apples, globes and lightbulbs with some generic firm name like "ITsolutions.com" on them that are pretty garbagey in my opinion because they don't really serve any purpose other than advertising. Squeezy toys from trade shows, strangely, are usually too stiff to squeeze.

 

Other people might like that stuff, though - just the same way that some people like McToys and little plastic soldiers. I like finding tissues and handi-wipes, other people consider them junk. Bottom line: I wouldn't rule out leaving trade show swag in a cache, but I would never trade for it either.

Link to comment

I think it's fine. My wife's company has a lot of great swag, from desktop compasses (not sure what the point of that is), to binoculars with their logo. I eagerly await her company's swag to put in caches. Another local geocacher works for a company that uses credit card sized calculators as a swag item. They find their way into many local caches and I have several. They are useful to have around.

 

I think what TPTB mean about commercial, is a cache that is placed expressly to promote a business.

 

"Au pays des aveugles, les borgnes sont rois"

Link to comment

Even a cache to promote a business would be ok in my eyes. As long as it's a findable cache that gives me the thrill of searching it out. If McDonalds wants to put a cache out there to promote the McRib, so be it. Just make sure there's ample supply of free McRib coupons in it along with some Happy Meal toys still in the plastic. Just like some of the caches we find, that are left to be desired, you can easily log a TNLNSL and put another cache under your belt. Sure as heck beats finding old used and worn stuff.

 

Brian Wood

Woodsters Outdoors

http://www.woodsters.com

Link to comment

i just put a bunch of stuff out there that under your definition would qualify as commercial.. i got a bunch of business-card-sized gift certificates to local businesses that i like. bakeries, ski areas, blah,blah. you know, like "one day use pass", or "good for a hot chocolate and a cinnamon bun". these are all things that i use and love. if people don't want 'em, they don't have to take 'em.

 

it doesn't matter if you get to camp at one or at six. dinner is still at six.

Link to comment

funny.

 

but you will notice that i didn't specify if i put them all in one cache or not. come on over and see.

 

actually, if they go over well, i'm getting more. one of the businesses made the cards special for me. let's just say i'm a special customer.

 

it doesn't matter if you get to camp at one or at six. dinner is still at six.

Link to comment

I hope there's no rule against branded tchotchkes. I am a partner at a media buying agency, so I literally have CRATES of cool stuff from the media (magazines, newspapers, Internet sites, etc.) Usually, media sales reps bring this stuff by the office when they come to visit us, and if I don't get rid of it, it piles up in the office. I've left some of this stuff in caches and I hope no one minds.

 

In my very first cache, I left a 2-AA Maglite flashlight that says "San Jose Mercury News" on it. I've also left swag from GQ Magazine, a light-up Google pen, and a multi-tool from the NY Times.

Link to comment

quote:
Originally posted by BrianSnat:

My wife's company has a lot of great swag, from desktop compasses (not sure what the point of that is


 

Brian-

 

We use a desktop compass here at work to figure out which way a co-workers head is pointing after they pass out on their keyboard from boredom.

 

"Oh, Paul just hit his keyboard... He's pointing NNW... Last week it was due south..."

 

icon_biggrin.gif

 

Hard work pays off in the future, laziness pays off now.

Link to comment

I've done one cache entirely filled with schwag. There is an annual bike festival/race/demo/event in Monterey, CA. Every bike bike company gives away schwag, key chains, patch kits, coozies, beach balls, thumb wrestlers, water bottles. I just collected a cache load and placed it out on the rec area for people to find.

 

george

 

Wanna go for a ride?

Link to comment

quote:
Originally posted by Woodsters Outdoors:

Even a cache to promote a business would be ok in my eyes. As long as it's a findable cache that gives me the thrill of searching it out. If McDonalds wants to put a cache out there to promote the McRib, so be it.


 

Unfortunately, that would not be allowed.

I asked Jeremy if I could get the local Cabelas to sponsor a cache (i.e. provide the goodies and hide it several hundred yards away from the building, not next to the store) would it be allowed.

He said no.

 

DustyJacket

Not all those that wander are lost. But in my case... icon_biggrin.gif

Link to comment

Well I wouldn't expect it to be next or near the business.

 

Think about it though, once a business would do that, then they would have to continue to resupply the cache would get costly. Because people would be going to it and returning to it, telling their friends, mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, cousins and etc. Once the word got out. The cache would be stolen or it would go without anything new in it.

 

But it would be a good gimmick for a company to do. Doesn't have to be on the Geocaching.com website, they could easily post it on their website or on a flyer in store.

 

Brian Wood

Woodsters Outdoors

http://www.woodsters.com

Link to comment

quote:
Originally posted by Woodsters Outdoors:

Doesn't have to be on the Geocaching.com website, they could easily post it on their website or on a flyer in store.

 


 

Great idea - that would be the perfect place for a promotional cache. It could also be a limited time only cache to eliminate the problem of having to keep restocking it.

 

Personally I love the fact that GC.com is noncommercial and I really want it to stay that way. But nothing says that businesses, charities, political candidates etc. can't sponsor their own caches.

Link to comment

i strongly encourage people to leave items with logos on them..

magellan

garmin

duracell

energizer

us mint

cartier

etc.

 

on the real side.. my kids really like the key fobs and pencils they find. lots of that kind of stuff here. if i start seeing corpoate questionaires in caches i'll be PO'd. lol.

 

robbie

 

wings_flag.gif

A family that Geocaches together... eventually gets wet.

 

required reading

My first bible

Great Orienteering Site!

Link to comment

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...