If you had asked me the question four weeks ago, I would not have hesitated. I would have been unequivocal.
Please no swag (which for those of you who didn’t know or forgot, is an acronym for “stuff we all get.”)
My son Ben and I are on the same page about this. When our kids were little, we created a family-giving circle. Eileen and I put $100 in the pot and we had a family discussion about issues we cared about. I took on identifying a few organizations for each issue and then we had a discussion. If they reached a consensus, we doubled the pot. Over the course of the year, I kept any mail (we got mail in those days) we received so we could learn for the following year.
The care of animals was high on the list of all three kids. So the World Wildlife Fund made the top of the list. A few months after our gift, a bulky package arrived containing a sweet pure white polar bear stuffed animal. Ben was a serious stuffed animal guy and I thought he’d jump for joy. But nope. “I don’t want the nonprofit to send me a polar bear; I want them to use the money to help polar bears!”
Fast forward to about five years ago and I was asked to speak to the National Organization for Rare Diseases. I love this organization—great people, great mission. Research for so many diseases is profoundly underfunded and so its work impacts millions, including myself. I have a rare lung disorder. So I have skin in the game when it comes to NORD’s work.
But, that does not mean I want to drink my coffee every morning out of a coffee mug that announces my affiliation with the National Organization for Rare Diseases. I’m not shy about my disease. Obviously, because told you about it in this blog post. And I have talked about on the podcast.
I don’t need the mug and I know that time and treasure was spent in the process of getting that mug to my doorstep.
These are two of many stories I could tell that have justified my anti-SWAG stance. And I’ll be honest. I never imagined that I could be persuaded to think differently.
THE SWAG THAT CHANGED MY MIND
And then the socks arrived.
One pair of socks has caused me to reconsider the advice I have been giving nonprofits for decades.
Here is why…
We have a 4-year-old cat named Rafa. He joined our family during the pandemic after the passing of my beloved cat Lou. Rafa came to us from Bideawee. I’ve known the organization for decades and was grateful for the opportunity to work with its CEO some years back, Leslie Granger.
I was bereft and lonely without Lou and our world needed healing. I shared my sadness on Facebook and Leslie Granger emailed me right away saying, “We will find you the perfect cat.”
This picture arrived by text shortly thereafter and Bideawee had landed yet another forever home for a lucky family. (Note: Rafa has since grown into his eyes and ears.)
We’ve watched Raf grow and we’ve watched Bideawee grow too—their new state-of-the-art, and innovative space in NYC is impressive (and the bar is high for me).
As a result of watching this growth, admiring the leadership and realizing that every pet our family has or has had was a rescue, we chose to honor each and every one of our family pets with a gift to their capital campaign.
About four weeks ago, in the depths of one of the coldest winters we have had in decades here in the northeast where we live, a package from Bideawee arrived in the mail. Given the timing of the package we knew it was neither a solicitation nor a gift acknowledgement.
Two pairs of fun, funny socks—SWAG!!! For seemingly no specific reason, SWAG had arrived. Then the note that acknowledged the bitter cold of winter and the role we play in keeping the dogs and cats in their care nice and warm.
It was a pair of well-designed crazy socks with the words “Rescued from the Dryer” on the bottom.
It was the absolute best SWAG.
Eileen put hers on right away and I believe both pairs are in her sock drawer. She loves everything about them. And she is an even tougher critic about these things than I am.
SO WHY DO WE LOVE THIS SWAG?
The answer to this question might offer you some guidance as you chat about holiday gifts for donors, general SWAG needs for community gatherings, and for a conversation about the use of SWAG for visibility.
The socks checked a number of important boxes. They were:
- JUST BECAUSE. Every time I have received SWAG in the past it is either because I did something or the organization wants me to do something. Transactional. In this case we felt like Bideawee was thinking about us. Relational.
- TIMELY. When these socks arrived, it was so bitterly cold outside. And not gonna lie. The world itself was feeling pretty cold too. Socks say warmth.
- ON BRAND. There is joy and a sense of humor in the Bideawee brand. The homepage has changed now but it was a single rotating image of adorable pets with three words in big bold letters “Be Their Hero.” I don’t think I can totally articulate why I think that is a brilliant tagline but there it is. Clever. Joyful. Check out their social media and Leslie Granger’s “Weekly Woofdate,” a short form casual video. You’ll find her plopped on the floor introducing you to the newest member of their community on the hunt for a hero. If the dog happens to slobber all over her, the video feels just right.
- FUNNY. Ok, so not all causes can do funny. Clearly, I get that. But go for it if you can. “Rescued from the dryer.” We thought it was hilarious.
- CRAZY SOCKS. Yes, crazy socks are in. There was no way Bideawee could know that Eileen has a collection of socks dripping with personality—a pair from each place we visited for sure but others as well. Personally, I am particularly fond of her socks from Dublin, Book of Kells socks. So Bideawee hit the jackpot for Eileen. Crazy socks are a thing and there is no doubt that anyone who received them is a degree or two of separation from someone who adds personality to their wardrobe with crazy socks. While it is possible that this was serendipitous, it felt like Bideawee was riding a trend wave. It sure was at our house.
- INEXPENSIVE. Great example of how you can totally hit the mark without spending much money at all. There is no question those socks cost less than one of the many SWAG coffee mugs, the ones getting a ton of brand visibility on that shelf inside your kitchen cabinet.
Far too often organizations believe the ideal holiday gift is some kind of organizational SWAG and far too often, the choice is made without creativity, intention, or some of the above criteria.
Thank you to Leslie Granger, Eric Muscatel, and all our friends (two-legged and four-legged) at Bideawee for making the case for SWAG. Thanks for illustrating that an old dog (pun intended) set in her ways with opinions about SWAG can see things in a new way.
Let me rephrase that: thanks to Bideawee for proving me wrong.
I’m not anti-WAG. I’m pro-great SWAG!
