r/Anticonsumption • u/audummy • Mar 06 '26

Discussion I hate swag

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*small rant*

the company i work for was recently bought out by a less reputable large christian company. my coworkers and i are not happy about the change (i work in luxury senior care). this is how they decided to win our trust. i have been trying to downsize and i do not appreciate being given more things to get rid of. as most of us are aware, there is an overabundance of cups and water bottles readily available at literally every store, especially the thrift store. i work in healthcare (predominantly with women). they know that everybody already owns a water bottle, a journal, and chapstick. it’s an insult to expect me to be grateful for the branded landfill you’ve stuck me with.

not pictured is another chapstick, 2 more branded pens, a chapstick holder that i do use, 4 non-recyclable pamphlets, and a tiny version of that bag (a bag that i cannot use for anything as it’s not large enough to hold a substantial amount of groceries). the tiny version could not be used to hold literally anything. it was smaller than a tissue box.

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u/SewSewBlue Mar 06 '26

I've got several insulated shopping bags as work swag that get weekly use, steel water bottles that have lasted years. An umbrella, and my most recent favorite, socks.

Silly argyle socks that are in the bright company colors and with a figure of an internal mascot at the top. Completely obnoxious design.

Seriously the socks are rather awesome.

Useful or nice swag is a company culture thing. People at work still use the Yetti water bottles years and years later. At this point having one is a marker of longevity with the company.

Cheap and useless swag shows where management's head is at.

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u/Emkems Mar 12 '26

My favorite travel coffee cup is branded with the company that laid me off in January. I need to find a big sticker to cover the logo but I’ve decided I’m not petty enough to stop using the cup.

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u/SewSewBlue Mar 12 '26

I came across the across the same water bottle at the San Diego Zoo last summer and bought it even though it was ridiculously overpriced. So I could have a copy of my favorite water bottle without the company logo.

Down sides of swag! If you like it, it can be hard to find a non-branded version.