December 5, 2008

Construct Canada

Swag helps gets the marketing message across, exhibitors find

VINCE VERSACE

staff writer

Have you gone on your Construct Canada swag safari today?

Swag, chachka, trinkets, tradeshow giveaways — however you refer to them, there are plenty to hunt around for on the tradeshow floor. With over 1,100 exhibits competing for the attention of the anticipated 23,000 attendees to the show, the strength of swag cannot be underestimated.

Tradeshow and booth souvenirs can vary in size and complexity. Some chachkas are simple, such as ball point pens or pop-top tins with mints.

Others are custom-shaped, such as rubber stress relievers shaped as hard hats and USB keys shaped as dump trucks. What makes a good trinket for a tradeshow like Construct Canada?

“With an industry like construction a hard hat is a natural,” explains Lucy Roberts, manager, public relations and member services, Electrical Contractors Association of Ontario (ECAO).

“We have used the (stress relief) hard hat for three or four years now, they are quite popular.”

ECAO also has a smaller version of the yellow hard hat, but shaped as a keychain to give away at career fairs.

Leading marketers say that repetition and remaining front-of-mind is important to success and this is where swag comes into play. A magnet, drink cozy, business card holder, coaster or pen with an LED light can go a long way to delivering a lasting product and company message, experts say.

What is the key to capturing the interest and attention of a crowd with backgrounds in construction? Practicality could be the answer. Buckets, rulers, gloves, notepads, pens, pens and more pens are all available at Construct Canada if you are willing to hunt for them.

Does a show like Construct Canada dictate a different swag strategy or is all chachka good chachka?

Balanced Buildings decided to move away from swag for this year’s show and had Jonathan Seglins, the “One Man Circus Show,” performing at their booth. The theme of balance, between the services Balanced Buildings helps provide and Seglins balancing on a unicycle holding a building, is a natural to link, said David Modlin, director of business development, Eastern Canada, Balanced Buildings.

“We wanted to play with the balance theme and we have never done this before,” said Modlin. “We wanted to do something different and move away from giveaways but still draw attention.”

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