WE HAVE A WINNER! Thank you to everyone who entered our little contest via Twitter and the blog comments. You made us laugh and shake our heads. Plastic frog? Folding pens? Who thinks of these things? But the prize goes to Amber who wrote:
"A 6" chunk of a wood 2x4. Yep, I got it in the mail too! Not only did they waste the wood, but they paid postage to send it to me. But, not to worry, I used it in a campfire! Looking forward to some practical business gifts from LE!"
Thanks for the entry, Amber! We're turning your piece of firewood into a $50 gift card.
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It's there on your desk. Quietly mocking you. The smiling fingertip puppet from the team offsite. Or maybe a glitter pen stuffed in your last conference registration bag. Some of you even have a drawer full of these things to be forgotten until you move cubes (or companies). Fess up: what’s the worst promo product (aka tchotchke) you’re still holding?
In early August, you'll have access to a host of more tasteful, professional and useful items perfect for employee or client giveaways from Lands' End. But in the meantime, that tacky one might just pay off for you.
Between now and Friday July 24, 2009, tell us about the worst giveaway product you've ever received and you'll be entered to win a $50 Lands' End gift card.
You can enter in a few simple ways:
- Follow us on Twitter and tweet your entry. You must include #lamegift in your tweet to be entered. Feeling crafty? Post a pic of the product on TwitPic.
- Post a comment below. Tell us your story in the comments section on this blog and you'll be entered as well. Feel free to post a link to your own blog or a link to a picture as well.
UPDATE: As this is all in fun, please do not include specific names of companies in your tweet or comment. Thanks!
Giveaway Terms & Conditions
This Lands' End Business Outfitters giveaway is open to U.S. residents only (excluding Puerto Rico), 18 years or older at the time of entry. Employees of Lands’ End, Inc. and Sears Holdings Corporation and each of their respective affiliated companies, subsidiaries, and advertising or promotional agencies, and the immediate family members of, and any persons domiciled with such employees, are not eligible. Dates of giveaway are from Tuesday July 21, 2009 through Friday July 24, 2009. Entries will be accepted until 11:59 p.m. C.D.T on July 24, 2009. Only one entry per person per day accepted. Winner will be drawn Monday July 27, 2009. No purchase necessary. Odds of winning are dependent on the number of eligible entries submitted. This giveaway has no cash value and is not redeemable for cash. Lands’ End reserves the right to terminate, suspend or modify the giveaway, in its sole discretion for any reason.
I don't know if I personally have ever received promotional giveaways worth greater than $50. Sometimes you wonder what the corporate sponsors are thinking with some of their giveaways. I think that you should provide something that will be useful, something that the receiver will use on a regular basis.
Posted by: Promotional Products | October 25, 2009 at 05:11 PM
When are you going to be the first to design womens pants that zip up the side like they used to.... Don't you realize that most women have "tummies" that need help... and putting all that bulk in the front (button, zipper and flap) just adds to the problem.. We've won the battle with Womens Lib... so let's get over it....
Posted by: Marilyn Straw | August 06, 2009 at 03:16 PM
In NOVEMBER 2007, I received a 2007 calendar at a teacher inservice. (printed with the school district's defunct logo!)
Posted by: Jill | July 28, 2009 at 12:10 PM
I work in the Dairy Ag Industry and I went to a Dairy Show and one of the giveaways was a cell phone cover for a flip phone well a cell phone cover is not bad but what if its a plush cow cell phone cover??? Did I mention it had a bell on it? Something like this... http://www.funfriends.com/productdetails.php?item_id=1263&category_id=2
Posted by: Susy Ceja | July 28, 2009 at 11:58 AM
My husband and I received a beautiful set of his and hers watches for test driving a car. Neither one of the watches ran for more than a week. I had to wonder if the car dealer was worried that people would think that his cars might be of the same kind of quality.
Posted by: Eileen Coleman | July 24, 2009 at 08:57 AM
At first I thought it was a pen. It was thick and silver, emblazoned with the company's logo on the side and the little silver clip so you could clip it in your shirt pocket. I tried to screw it sideways to make the pen come out..nothing. No clicker on the top. Finally I pulled it and out comes a metal stick. Magnetic on the end? Nope. It was just a pointer stick. WTH? I often pull it out of the drawer and point it at unruly coworkers when they're acting up..kind of like a pseudo librarian would.
Posted by: shel | July 24, 2009 at 01:10 AM
The worst giveaway gift I ever got was during my freshman year of college. I lived in a dorm on campus. At the beginning of each school year, each resident of the dorms on campus got a free goody bag filled with different little things donated by companies (like toothbrushes, coupons, finger nail files, etc). In that year's dorm goody bags, each girl in my dorm received a (feminine product) in the goody bag. We were all shocked and wondering what the women's dorm was trying to hint at...?
Amanda D.
macd82 at gmail dot com
Posted by: Amanda D. | July 23, 2009 at 11:58 PM
It was a promotional "snow globe" giveaway for a movie studio's new film which was about serial killers in a northern climate. Inside the snow globe was the main character sawing off the head of one of his victims...as the "snow" swirled around. (I'm not kidding about this)
Posted by: Leeanne Hay | July 23, 2009 at 12:26 PM
A heavy equipment manufacturer with a turtle in their logo gave me a small ceramic jewel box with a turtle decked out in a jeweled robe, holly garland, and two glittering doves on top as a holiday gift!! It goes well with the heavy mechanical stuff on my desk!!(not). Picture available.
Posted by: Woody | July 23, 2009 at 12:08 PM
At the beginning of this year a swag company sent me a little tent style calendar. Each month of the year has a photograph with my first name "magically" spelled out in the photograph.
I think the March page with my name spelled out by flamingos in oddly bent positions - has to be my favorite! But then again, the one with my name carved above a scary Jack-o-lantern's smile (no eyes - just my name) is awfully special too!
Yikes!
Posted by: Laura Taylor | July 23, 2009 at 11:27 AM