We always try to have the best swag at conference. What's the most creative, useful, fun swag you've ever gotten at a conference? Also interested in fun events you've attended. Always looking for ideas.
I got an umbrella from Condé Nast that's honestly nicer than the $15 one I got from Target. Not "cool" but super useful (especially considering the weather during the conference was pretty unpredictable).
I still use a bottle opener I got from a corporate recruiter years ago. It's sleek and fits on my keychain.
artistic t-shirt without big name on it. helps that they had a cool logo. I wear it and no one knows it's a tech t shirt .
With the keyword being artistic. I have never touched the Microsoft branded shirts as they are horrendous. If I get a shirt and it looks like it was designed by a color blind toddler with a set of corporate stamps, made from the worst materials, printed by the cheapest bidder then I am curious as to what exactly the motive was. Gaming companies do a better job with shirts in my opinion.
Edit: I didn't mean to call out Microsoft, I just happen to have more than just a few Microsoft shirts handed out over the years that matches the description. I'm sure there have been better ones that I might not have received as well as other companies who have handed out horrendously ugly shirts.
Mophie charger with their logo
Mug
Same here. I have a few mugs that I've collected over the years
Socks from CoreOSFest
I used to attend a bunch of career fairs at my alma mater and the umbrella, Dropbox space, and 3 months of free spotify stand out in my mind
IPad mini
I got a $15 iTunes card from Adobe at Dreamforce.
I was just at a conference and a couple booths had fidget spinners.