Corporate gifting firm presents major global goals on back of key client wins

A firm specialising in corporate gifts, which started out with less than £200 in 2019, expects to turn over an eight-figure sum in 2023, also planning to increase its global foothold and its workforce, after signing up major clients including tech giants Amazon and Spotify.

Go Swag, which is based in Glasgow’s Springburn, was conceived by friends and product designers Ben Greenock, who previously secured investment on Dragons’ Den, and Conor McKenna, who saw a gap in the market in what they believed was a “disjointed and slow-moving” promotional product industry.

They say they are now helping firms take a different approach to staff incentives, team-building and boosting morale in the face of more remote workforces in the wake of the Covid-19 pandemic, and they handle design, production and worldwide delivery, offering bespoke gifting services with a focus on sustainability, quality and utility.

The firm’s clients also include sports betting firm Draft Kings, plus Hello Fresh, Deliveroo and Virgin Money, while premium suppliers include outdoor equipment companies Arcteryx and North Face; Glasgow-based bag designer Trakke; reusable water bottle company Ocean Bottle; and eco-friendly food and drink container firm Black+Blum.

Go Swag says its 13-strong team will soon grow to 33, with plans to open satellite offices in America, Europe and Asia, which will rely on local suppliers to offset the company's carbon footprint.

It also says it is on target to generate sales amounting to £10 million in 2023, after starting out with an investment of £180, and gaining momentum when it moved its focus from start-ups with small orders to high-growth tech companies in need of gift packs for existing clients, new starts, anniversaries and holidays.

Its first client after launching on tech product sharing-site Product Hunt was Alaska’s Anchorage Museum. Mr Greenock said: “That's when things really took off. We started only accepting minimum orders of 50 and targeting bigger companies.”

Go Swag founders Conor McKenna and Ben Greenock, who saw potential in the 'disjointed and slow-moving' promotional product industry. Picture: contributed.

The pair then focused on big tech companies with a minimum order of 100, and it landed a contract with payment firm GoCardless in August 2019, which also proved a key growth driver. Go Swag is also currently working on software that will integrate into the digital platforms of businesses.

“We don’t just put stuff into the world – we try to create experiences rather than just a gift,” says Mr Greenock.