NEWS & NUGGETS: A DASH OF INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

 🇺🇸 Labor Day Appreciation: Are you planning anything to show your employees a little extra love on September 1st? Built-in holidays like this are perfect opportunities to boost morale and reinforce appreciation. Don’t have anything lined up? Book a strategy session here and we’ll set up a custom gifting page for you in time for the holiday.

📰 Job Market Cooling: July’s labor report came in weaker than expected: the U.S. added only 73,000 jobs for the month (vs. ~110k forecast). The unemployment rate ticked up to 4.2%, the highest in over a year. Read more here.

📅 HR Tech Conference: The HR Technology Conference (billed as the world’s largest HR tech expo) is around the corner, running Sept 16–18 in Las Vegas. Respond to this email with “HR” if you’re attending so we can connect for a coffee.

🧠 Swag Sticks in the Mind: Promotional products create lasting impressions in a way digital ads often can’t. Studies show 9 in 10 people who receive a promo item remember the branding, and 8 in 10 recall the messaging.

 🎉 Giveaway Winner Alert: Shout-out to Roya Brake from Mark Thomas on winning the drone we raffled last week! Don’t worry if you missed out, we’ve got another fun prize below, and this week, we have a surprise for everyone who enters.

WEEKLY POLL + GIVEAWAY

🔊 Giveaway Alert: RUPT Jounix

This week, one lucky winner will score the Jounix 50W Portable Speaker, branded as you see fit.

It’s built for booming bass, crisp highs, and up to 10 hours of nonstop playtime. With Bluetooth 5.3, USB, AUX, and even a guitar input, it’s more than a speaker…it’s a party, a jam session, and a statement piece all in one.

To enter, answer the poll below.👇 P.S. There’s a special surprise for everyone who participates, no losers this week!

BEHIND THE SCENES OF SWAG

Swag, Corporate Gifting, and Employee Recognition by the Numbers

Branded swag isn’t just a nice-to-have; it’s fueling a global corporate gifting market valued around $840 billion in 2024 and on track to surpass $1.1 trillion by 2028.

These 5 insights explain why swag and recognition programs are on the rise (and here to stay):

• Swag leads the way: Branded merchandise like apparel, drinkware, and tech gadgets makes up 31% of all corporate gifts.

• Personalization matters: 62% of companies now prioritize personalized gifts, aligning with HR’s push for individualized employee experiences.

• Automation is on the rise: Nearly 48% of companies still manage gifting internally and cite challenges with vendors, sizes, and shipping. Platforms like Brand Sauce eliminate that pain.

• Sustainability is the future: 70% of businesses plan to shift primarily to eco-friendly merchandise within five years.

• Recognition pays off: Companies with strong recognition and gifting programs see 31% lower voluntary turnover and higher employee engagement.

❓What other trends do you see shaping the future of swag and recognition?

CLIENT SPOTLIGHT

 🤝 Meet Forgen

Founded in 2008, Forgen has grown into one of the safest self-performing environmental, geotechnical, and heavy civil contractors in North America. With more than 500 employees supporting projects across the U.S. and Canada, they’re known for tackling complex challenges with innovative solutions and a deep commitment to safety.

📣 Our Collaboration

It never ceases to amaze us how creatively clients put the Brand Sauce platform to work. Forgen recently launched a safety recognition program for their field teams that gamified performance: employees earned poker chips for meeting safety goals, then cashed them in for real rewards through their custom Brand Sauce store. It’s a brilliant blend of recognition and gamification, turning safety into a culture-building game with prizes that truly motivate.

🤝 Connect With Forgen

Shoot me a note at [email protected] to get connected with the team at Forgen.

WEEKEND UPDATE

Around the Water Cooler With Ross AKA The P.O.D. Guy

A Sunday I’ll Remember Forever

Some days slip away without much notice.
And then there are the days that stay with you, the ones that etch themselves into your memory, not because they were perfect in every way, but because they made you feel something deep down.

Last Sunday was one of those days.

Our dear friends from Miami were visiting, and I decided it was time to take Bo and Max to their very first Padres game. It just so happened to be Kidsfest Sunday, though at the time, I had no idea how much that would mean.

From the moment we walked into the stadium, the world seemed to tilt in our favor. There was the big playground tucked inside the ballpark, the mini baseball field where kids could take a swing, the bounce houses, face painting, balloon animals, all wrapped in Padres pride. The air was filled with the sound of kids laughing and parents smiling in a way that said, This is what it’s all about.

But the magic came after the final out. They opened the gates and let the kids run the bases on the actual field. I stood there watching Bo and Max sprint across the same dirt the pros play on, their faces lit up with a joy that can’t be bought, only felt. In that moment, I wasn’t thinking about baseball. I was thinking about how fast they’re growing, how these years are flying by, and how lucky I am to share moments like this with them.

It’s rare to feel such genuine pride for your city, but that day the Padres gave it to me. My only wish? A few players on the field afterward, signing autographs, would have been the perfect closing chapter.

A heartfelt thank you to Josh Stein for making it possible, and to the Padres organization for creating a day that made me grateful to call San Diego home.

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