Top 15 Ideas for Branded Event Merchandise

The event might be over, but the buzz around your brand continues to grow. Attendees are sharing their moments online, proudly wearing your branded event merch, and keeping your company in the spotlight. That’s the impact of selecting effective event merchandise.

But, the truth is, not all merch is created equal. Hand out the wrong items, and they’ll end up forgotten in a drawer, taking your branding efforts with them. Event merchandise that offers the double benefit approach of resonating with your audience while also reinforcing your brand’s message long after the event is over is the ultimate goal.

At Sugarcoat, we specialize in transforming ordinary events into unforgettable brand experiences through carefully curated merchandise. When it comes to leaving a lasting impression, we have narrowed it down to our top 15 picks for inspiration and ideas for branded event merchandise that will be loved by every event attendee.

Our Top Picks for Event Merchandise

While there is a vast array of options when it comes to branded event merchandise or gift ideas for corporate events, there are some that often prove to be winners.

Custom Totes

Custom branded tote bags are a versatile item that is both practical and can be easily leveraged to promote a certain brand or message. An item that can be used outside the house, totes are great for improving brand awareness while having a wide appeal. Finally, totes are a low-cost option with prices typically starting at around €3/piece depending on quality and decoration technique. 

Branded T-shirts

Branded T-shirts are a go-to for event merch, and for good reason — they’re versatile and easy to style with any brand. The tees below keep things simple but bold with clean, standout logos, and that’s really all you need for a great event tee. Whether it’s minimal branding or something that reflects the brand’s event, these tees get the job done in a memorable way.

Branded Treats

Branded treats can be a good option for events that have high attendance numbers and a budget that may not be able to stretch to high-quality tech or fashion items for a large number of attendees. Treats provide a small token that communicates that a company cares, creating a positive experience that sticks in the memories of attendees.

Personal care products

Personal care products are branded merchandise that has the advantage of being universally useful. Even if a particular design doesn’t fit with the personal aesthetic preferences of an attendee, they still have a product they can use. From hand soap to shampoo and sunscreen, these are products that have a high use rate, helping a brand to maintain relevance in the mind of attendees.

Custom Beverages

When tailored to the right audience, branded beverages like cocktails and beer can make a real impact and help an event be immediately memorable. Take Samsøe Samsøe, who featured branded Aeris cocktails at their recent event. The sleek, square bottles with subtle Samsøe Samsøe branding perfectly matched the brand’s aesthetic, making the drinks feel like a natural extension of the brand and elevating the overall event experience.

Caps

Much like T-shirts and totes, the high usability of custom branded caps and the fact that they are often worn out of the house are both points in favor of this fashion accessory as branded event merchandise items. They’re especially popular at sporting or outdoor events, as seen with Envii at their Girls Club padel event. With plenty of design options, caps can easily align with an event’s theme and help reinforce the overall merchandising strategy.

To-go cups

To-go cups are highly practical and can promote the environmental ethos of an organization. Sugarcoat’s recycled tumblers take this messaging a step further; by incorporating recycled materials, it not only provides a branding opportunity but reinforces the pillars of environmental responsibility that has become highly important in the modern market. Major brands like Apple have also adopted this approach, including to-go cups in their WWDC23 merch bags as a way to promote sustainability while providing a useful, branded item.

Tech gadgets

Tech gadgets can be instant favorites as they are products that are often immediately useful and offer ongoing practicality moving forward. Branded tech merchandise like powerbanks and phone covers, can be of value to consumers, help increase brand recognition, and make consumers and event attendees feel valued by an organization.

Umbrellas

A branded umbrella is the perfect rainy-day accessory, and Klarna has nailed it with theirs. While the umbrella itself is a classic, universal black, the discreet pop of pink at the bottom of the handle adds a fun, signature touch without being flashy. Klarna created merch that people will actually use and remember, keeping the brand top of mind in a simple but effective way.

Keyrings

Perfectly customizable, keyrings offer an event merchandise option that can add a personalized touch. Whether it is brightly colored designs or a more minimalistic approach to fit with the sleek vibes of a big tech brand, keyrings are a highly versatile option in the world of event merch.

Enamel pins

Small enough to be carried home again and a popular memento, enamel pins can be a particularly good option for events that host an international audience. In the case of some well-known brands or recurring events, pins can even become collectable items that hold an even more valuable place for consumers and a unique marketing opportunity for organizations.

Water bottles

Custom water bottles are always a hit as event merch — whether people need them for the gym, the office, or outdoor adventures, they’re practical and appreciated. Workday, for example, uses branded water bottles at their events, giving attendees a practical item that promotes eco-friendly habits while being useful in everyday life.

Stickers

Stickers can be so popular that many companies even sell sticker ranges, which can be used to decorate everything from laptops and phones to instrument cases. From the quirky, to the artistic, to the simple, and as seen by the successful stickers from brands such as Beem and Figma, stickers can be used to spread a core message or idea, or simply become a walking advertisement helping to grow brand awareness.

Socks

Custom socks, offering both practicality and visibility, can form part of a well-executed event merchandise strategy. KVIFF has used this to great effect with their branded socks, which are not only fun and unique but also align with their events. These socks leave a lasting impression on attendees, and because they’re something people wear regularly, they help keep the brand front and center long after the event ends.

Toys

Toys are the ultimate option for a company that wants to inject some playfulness into its event merchandise. Built on a platform of fun, toys offer something different in the world of branded merchandise, making them immediately memorable for attendees. Toys can also be a key part in enhancing brand messaging or promoting brand events, such is the case with Klarna branded basket balls during its partnership with Invisible North in celebrating basketball history.

The Value of Event Merch

Branded event merchandise creates a unique opportunity for organizations. Customized merch can be useful in promoting a particular brand message, growing company recognition, or in creating a memorable event that shows that an organization cares about its consumers. With a wide array of branded products on offer, it is vital to opt for pieces that align with company visions and ethos and are items of use and value for consumers.

Key Benefits of Branded Merchandise

Increased Brand Recognition

Well placed branded merchandise turns a useful object into a walking advertisement for a company. It maintains relevance in the minds of consumers and increases the overall visibility of a brand name far beyond the confines of the event itself.
 

Creating a Memorable Experience

Offering branded event merch assists in differentiating the event in the minds of attendees. It creates a point of difference that assists in making an event stand out. By creating an item that attendees can keep and use, it keeps the event at the forefront of the minds of attendees.
 

Showcases Company Culture

Branded merchandise can be a powerful tool in showcasing what a company is all about. A reusable water bottle can send a message that a company has a strong sense of environmental responsibility and is actively working to make an impact in this area. Alternatively, a tech company that offers attended branded tech merchandise can underpin its core offerings of creating technology that pushes boundaries.

What to Include in Your Merchandise Strategy

 Understanding how best to strategize your merchandise to achieve the best results is vital in creating a successful merchandizing operation. There are some core strategies that can be implemented to create a successful plan when it comes to introducing branded merchandise.
 

Define Your Goals

This is all about understanding what specifically you are trying to achieve with your products. This can be particularly important with event merch, in which the specific goals of implementing branded merchandise can be aligned with the overall goal of the event. Some common goals can include:

• Increasing brand awareness
• Generating income
• Thanking attendees
• Creating connections
• Promoting a cause
   

Consider Your Audience

Different merchandise will appeal to different audiences and tailoring your merchandise offering to your target demographic can make a huge difference in the impact that it makes. Attendees at an environmental event, for example, will be more likely to appreciate eco-friendly items, whereas attendees at a technology conference may be more receptive to tech gadgets. Some ideas for products to appeal to different audiences could be:

• Employees: Pens, notebooks, power banks
• Customers: High-end tumblers, Bluetooth speakers
• Students: Beach towels, waterproof Bluetooth speakers
• Guests: Travel tumblers, plush toys
   

Scale and Budget

Adjusting merchandise choices to fit with the size and scale of the event can be an important factor. If the event is only projected to have a limited attendance, then scaling merchandise to fit this is vital. In comparison, a large event will require a larger merchandising budget and items that can be ordered in large quantities and that appeal to a wide audience.

Choosing the Right Merchandise

Merchandise that is poorly chosen and doesn’t fit the event, company, or audience can have the opposite impact to well-chosen merchandise. If the right merchandise is not chosen, it can greatly limit its potential impact and can become a budgetary strain that does not meet the company’s goals for increasing brand awareness and promotion. 
 

Take vs. Toss

If event merch ends up being tossed after the event, then it is unlikely to create a very positive impact for the organization or event. A key part of ensuring items are taken home and used comes down to the sort of products being offered. High-quality, useful products such as tech gadgets or branded water bottles are more likely to make the journey home than cheap, irrelevant swag that quickly breaks, can’t get through airport security, or offers limited usability.
 

Practicality and Functionality

Putting the emphasis on items that attendees can use and incorporate into their daily lives is one of the golden rules when it comes to creating branded merchandise. By opting for products that can be incorporated into daily life, branded merchandise is more likely to be used and seen frequently, increasing both the impact of potential brand awareness growth and increasing the relevance of a brand in the mind of the consumer.
 

Relevance to the Event Theme

Tailoring a product to a potential audience is of utmost importance when it comes to connecting with attendees and resonating with what is important to them. Furthermore, aligning items to the purpose of the event and branding can reinforce a message or idea.

Merchandise for Your Next Big Event

By taking inspiration from some of the best examples out there and aligning your event merchandise with your company, goals, and audience, you can create some incredible event merch that boosts your brand and is loved by event attendees.

From keyrings to toys, to go cups to tote bags, well thought-out customized event merchandise can be an important tool in telling the story of a company and in making an event one that attendees are sure to remember.

If you are considering branching into the world of event merch for your next big get-together, then the Sugarcoat team is always on hand to help make sure you get your merch right the first time.

FAQ for Ordering Branded Merch via Sugarcoat

Do you have gift ideas for corporate events?

Sugarcoat has worked with diverse brands to create merchandise that resonates with varied audiences at a wide array of events. From events ranging from the quirky to the corporate, Sugarcoat has the industry know-how to inspire gift ideas to delight attendees and achieve company merchandizing goals.

Are there minimum order amounts?

On each product page you can find the minimum order quantities. These typically range from 25 to 100 units.

Can I get a sample before placing a larger order?

At Sugarcoat, we are dedicated to creating products that are the right fit for you and your brand. We are, of course, always happy to send out an unprinted sample product so you can be sure that you will love your new merch.

How do you source your products?

Quality and sustainability are at the heart of Sugarcoat, so when it comes to sourcing products, these are some of the core criteria on which suppliers are chosen. Product selection is meticulously undertaken by our team of experts and chosen on the pillars of design, quality, and eco-friendliness.