Why not use biodegradable bags? With soy-based ink for the imprint. Or drawstring or messenger bags?

Contents should include paper (preferably bound as suggested by Chris Heuer) that has come from at least 80% recycled material.

Also, promotional products are the answer to a lot of these problems. In the interest of full disclosure to those who have not read my blog, I am a promotional products supplier. Instead of a glossy 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper, how about inserting a stadium cup with name, message, and website? Other great options in addition to the pen you mentioned: highlighters, yo-yos, recycled or biodegradable products, coasters, frizbees, koozies, hats, water bottles, stuffed animals, picture frames, crayons, jotter pads, silly puddy, tattoos, post-its, magnets, clips, mini tool kits, you get the point.

Obviously without knowing the advertiser, their market, and their needs, I can only give general suggestions, but not too many people who get a yo-yo or jotter pad will toss it.

FWIW, even at promotional products supplier tradeshows, we have to lug heavy bags full of stuff around. They usually bring random samples instead of specially made items just for the show. So you can get samples and then you take a catalog.

Chris – first, it was a pleasure meeting you at SXSW. Second, in the spirit of full disclosure, Wiley did have an ad in the conference program. I’m never sure how those are going to play out – they range from right on message and well seen to a total waste of time. This time, I felt like we scored. The ad, managed by our rock star marketer Kelly Trent, looked awesome. And, it was in the program, which if I lost it would have had to fork over $40 to get a new one, so you know it’s worth something. I’d definitely rather be in there, the MAG if you will, than the BAG at this show. That’s not to say that we have not done bag stuffers before. Sometimes, they’ve been a big hit, like at BlogHer last year where we did notebooks with blogging tips promoting our books in the front. I think that was a valuable thing for attendees. But after seeing THE BIG BAG, I think we all have to work harder to make sure what we are doing is right, for our message, the sponsor and the person getting the item.

SXSW is evolving, thanks to the attendees, so this hopefully will too.

Oh, and MR IT? The bags (I got the music and Interactive ones) came home, but the contents stayed in Austin.

Leah

Of course, the SxSW web site needs a complete makeover, witness the tons of independent scheduling guides that cropped up to help people make sense of it all – this is simply due to the fact that the organizers have not solved this problem at all. With all the great thinkers and designers we have in attendance, this should not be that hard to do…