Cape Breton, Nova Scotia-based Ethical Swag (PPAI 451513, D2) was the “official swag partner” for Advertising Week New York 2023 last week, one of the biggest marketing events in the United States.

The Canadian distributor provided sustainable branded merchandise to the movers and shakers in the advertising, media and technology industries – more than 12,000 attendees were expected at the Manhattan-based extravaganza.

Tara Milburn, founder and CEO of Ethical Swag – a Certified B Corporation – credited Jennifer Bowman, senior marketing manager at AWNY, with initiating the partnership.

“We realized that we’re aligned with our focus on sustainability and desire to generate discussion around doing things differently,” Milburn says. “AWNY is committed to minimizing their impact on the planet while connecting thoughtful leaders in the marketing and advertising space, and they wanted to partner with us to make that happen.”

Sustainable Promo Products

“We chose a selection of ESG-friendly products to help attendees find peace and restoration during a busy trip to the city,” Milburn says.


AWNY attendees received an extensive selection of sustainable merchandise:

  • Attendees received sustainable yoga mats, water bottles, notebooks and utensil sets, all custom-branded with the AWNY logo.

 

  • AWNY also purchased slide-lid mint tins, pocket-size hand sanitizers, ballpoint pens and cotton tote bags.

 

  • Conference goers could also receive a seed-paper bookmark with a printed tree attached. A QR code on the bookmark directed attendees to a landing page with the option to submit their information for a tree to be planted through the Jane Goodall Institute, inspired by the "Plant a Tree with HP."


There was also an online pop quiz focusing on sustainability in which participants could win a gift pack that included a MiiR cross-body sling bag and a Corkcicle tumbler. A tree would also be planted in honor of each entry.

‘Highlight Of My Week’

Milburn also participated in a panel alongside Anna Rathmann, executive director of The Jane Goodall Institute, and Michele Malejki, global head of social impact at HP Inc. Moderated by Junmian Sun, managing director of the Shorty Awards, the panel discussion was titled “Planting Seeds: Stories and Partners Shape the Change We Make.”

Key takeaways from the session included:

  • The importance of shared values and innovative collaborations
  • Strategies and tactics for building organizations that equally prioritize people, profits and the planet


“My favorite part of doing business has always been engaging with great people to activate great projects,” Milburn says. “AWNY was no exception. My fellow panelists were incredible company. Thoughtful about the impact of their business, articulate about their aim and explorative in their approach to better business, these women were the highlight of my week.”