At most conferences, the branded giveaway is an afterthought. Attendees pick it up, drop it in their bag, and forget about it by the time they get home. It fills a table and checks a box, but it doesn't do much else.
Greater Purpose had a different idea.
Who Is Greater Purpose?
Greater Purpose is a movement of Canadian businesses that see themselves as a force for good. They convene these purpose-driven businesses through a growing national network of events, awards, and peer circles, helping Canadian companies move beyond good intentions toward measurable, collective action. Their Impact Circle events are designed around one core belief: that meaningful change happens when the right people are in the same room.
So when it came time to choose a giveaway for one of their Impact Circle events, a standard branded item wasn't going to cut it. They needed something that would actually serve the event's mission.
The Idea: A Puzzle That Required People to Connect
Instead of handing out a traditional giveaway, Greater Purpose distributed plantable seed paper puzzle pieces. Each attendee received one piece of a four-piece puzzle. To complete it, they had to find the three other people holding the matching pieces.
That's it. That was the activation.
Simple in concept, but the effect was immediate. As soon as Brad Offman, Founder and CEO of Greater Purpose, explained the activity, people were already up and moving around the room. The energy shifted fast. Conversations that might never have started were suddenly happening everywhere.
The product had a job to do, and it did it.
Why It Worked
It made networking feel natural
Approaching a stranger at a networking event is uncomfortable for most people. The puzzle pieces removed that friction entirely. Attendees had a ready-made reason to walk up to someone new, and the shared task gave them an easy way to start talking.
No forced icebreaker. No awkward silence. Just a natural reason to connect.
It reinforced the event's message
Greater Purpose events are rooted in the idea that each person plays a role in something larger than themselves. The puzzle made that idea tangible. Every attendee held one piece, and completing the experience required collaboration. The metaphor wasn't just clever, it was accurate.
It created value without creating waste
The puzzle pieces were made from plantable seed paper, which meant the product had a life well beyond the event. Once the pieces were assembled, they could be planted and grow into wildflowers. Two moments of impact: one in the room, and one at home.
As Louise Kent, Chief Impact Officer at Mightyhum, put it: "The puzzle created easy, authentic connections in the room. Planting it afterward with my daughter gave the experience a second life that truly reflected the event's purpose."
The Lesson for Event Planners and Brand Teams
What made this activation work wasn't the product itself. It was the thinking behind it.
Rather than starting with "what should we hand out?", Greater Purpose started with a better question: "what do we want attendees to do?" The answer shaped everything. The purpose came first, and the product supported it.
That shift in thinking is available to any brand planning a conference, networking event, or community gathering. A well-designed event giveaway can:
Make conversation easier
Create shared participation
Reinforce the message of the event
Reduce waste
Leave attendees with a stronger memory of the experience
When the giveaway has a job to do, it becomes more than a takeaway.
Catherine Lash, Owner of Lead With Purpose Inc., summed it up directly: "I met people I never would have at the Greater Purpose event with the Ethical Swag sustainable networking tool, the Custom Seed Paper Puzzle!"
What This Looks Like in Practice
The Greater Purpose activation is a strong example of what intentional swag planning actually produces. It wasn't expensive or complicated. It was thoughtful. The team identified what the event was trying to accomplish, chose a product that supported that goal, and sourced it in a way that aligned with their values.
The result was branded merchandise that shaped what happened in the room, not just something that filled a bag on the way out.
As Brad Offman put it: "Swag can actually help advance some of your strategic objectives if you are creative and thoughtful. Most typically don't think of swag in those terms."
He's right. And the brands that do think that way are getting a lot more out of their swag budgets.
Ready to Make Your Event Swag Work Harder?
Read the full case study and learn how a simple idea turned a branded giveaway into a genuine networking experience.
At Ethical Swag, we help brands move past the default giveaway and design merchandise experiences that support real goals: connection, brand alignment, sustainability, and lasting impact.
Book a Free Swag Project Intro Call or email info@ethicalswag.com to get started.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are sustainable event giveaways?
Sustainable event giveaways are branded promotional products made from eco-friendly, recycled, or biodegradable materials that are designed for long-term use or minimal environmental impact. Plantable seed paper, reusable drinkware, and organic apparel are common examples.
How can event swag improve networking at conferences?
Event swag improves networking when it is designed with a specific social function in mind, such as an activity or shared experience that gives attendees a natural reason to interact. The Greater Purpose seed paper puzzle activation is a strong example of swag that was built to create connection rather than just fill a bag.
What is plantable seed paper?
Plantable seed paper is a biodegradable material embedded with seeds that can be planted in soil after use and grown into flowers, herbs, or other plants. It is a popular sustainable alternative to traditional paper products for event giveaways and branded merchandise.
How do I choose the right giveaway for a networking event?
Start by identifying what you want attendees to do, feel, or remember. The right giveaway supports that goal directly. Functional, sustainable products with a clear connection to the event's theme or values consistently outperform generic branded items on both engagement and retention.
Can Ethical Swag help design a custom activation like the Greater Purpose puzzle?
Yes, Ethical Swag works with event teams to develop intentional merchandise experiences that support specific goals, whether that is encouraging connection, reinforcing a theme, or reducing waste. Reach out at info@ethicalswag.com or book a Free Swag Project Intro Call to start the conversation.