SYDNEY, N.S. — If the day before your virtual conference you received a bamboo coffee mug and certified organic, hand-roasted, fair-trade coffee to put in it, your conference may have partnered with Ethical Swag.
If that package delivery includes a seed card that can be planted into the ground after you have read it and eventually grows into a field of wildflowers, then your company has most definitely taken advantage of the Cape Breton company’s unique services.
Despite a pandemic, companies around the continent made these and other uniquely crafted ‘swag packs’ crafted from sustainable goods part of their virtual conferencing world.
Recognizing the market for such a product led to a 30 per cent rise in revenues for Ethical Swag in 2020.
“COVID really sucked the air out of the events industry and a lot of organizations but honestly it made what we do almost even more relevant because people just couldn’t meet and couldn’t see people and we are tangible in a virtual world,” said Tara Milburn, the company founder and CEO.
“What we send is a tangible reflection of your brand and so it is even more important that reflects their true values. And so, organizations are putting a very high regard on sourcing products that align with who they are and their corporate culture.”
Prior to the pandemic, such swag packs were handed out at conferences to employees and participants. Milburn could only laugh when asked if making the pivot to a service that delivers the packs to multiple locations simultaneously was difficult to set up.
“It is very complicated because it is multiple items that are decorated in a myriad of ways, all packaged together in one nice sustainable box and shipped to individual addresses — hundreds,” she said.
“It is quite complicated but we spent time and we are solving the problem for our clients and they are very happy with that.”
The look of a swag pack has varied and is dependent on the culture and brand of any particular company or corporation. Apparel and coffee mugs remain popular, though, as they have recycled blankets to make employees working from home feel comfortable.
Each pack, no matter what it contains, includes a note from Ethical Swag, reinforcing the client’s corporate culture and assuring swag recipients that sustainability has been considered all through the process.
While much has been accomplished this year and in the company’s three years of existence, Milburn said there are more ways for it to grow.
“I’ve always had the vision of what I wanted to do but it was really, really important for me to make sure it was on a foundation of trust and authenticity. So, it has taken the last three years to make sure I had all the pieces in place so that we could prove that we do as we say.”
The company currently has five full-time employees and has been utilizing a team of contract employees during and due to the pandemic.
Staff growth will depend on what 2021 brings, particularly in its first half.
“I’m just being very conscious around how we grow. When we talk about sustainability of Ethical Swag it is just not about the products, it’s not just about the supply chain, it is very much all aspects. How do we make a sustainable business, how do we make sure we grow sustainably, that sort of thing.”
One thing that will grow in the year ahead is the company’s marketing plan. Up until now, they have made a name for themselves through "the power of getting our products in people’s hands," Milburn said.
“We haven’t done any advertising so far but we are ramping our whole marketing engine right now for 2021. This is the year, for the first time, we are going to actually try and increase some awareness around us. Right now, our customers find us organically.”
Greg McNeil is a business reporter at the Cape Breton Post.
