Best in Swag: These Employers Wow Their Employees with Branded Merchandise

Key Findings

• Samsara, TCC, and NIKE have the most bragged-about swag.
• Raymond James Financial, MathWorks, and Analog Devices have the least braggable swag.
• NIKE, In-N-Out Burger, and Lululemon are the most recognizable brands with the most bragged-about swag.
• Nearly half (45%) of the most recognizable brands have great or epic swag braggability.
• The specific swag mentioned most often in positive reviews are t-shirts, hats, and bags.

Leading Employers with the Most Impressive Swag

Ranked by percentage of swag mentions in Glassdoor reviews

Company	Keyword Frequency Index	Total Reviews	Swag Braggability Rating
Samsara	10	509	Epic
TCC Verizon Authorized Retailer	7.96	1,089	Epic
NIKE	7.87	4,942	Epic
In-N-Out Burger	7.82	2,561	Epic
Houston Methodist	7.8	1,412	Epic
HealthEquity Inc.	7.48	483	Epic
2020 Companies	7.24	705	Epic
Burns & McDonnell	7.11	841	Epic
Toast Inc.	6.92	656	Epic
ServiceNow	6.72	1,256	Epic
Baker Tilly	6.69	747	Epic
EPAM Systems	6.58	682	Epic
Synchrony	6.46	856	Epic
lululemon	6.38	3,217	Epic
Deltek	6.19	435	Epic
LinkedIn	6.16	2,364	Epic
Crew Carwash	6.16	444	Epic
Universal Orlando Resort	6.14	1,201	Epic
Calix	6.12	304	Epic
Trader Joe’s	6.1	5,387	Epic
CrowdStrike	6.06	316	Great
Insperity	6.04	799	Great
Genentech	6.03	1,926	Great
QuikTrip	6	2,134	Great
GALLO	5.89	1,063	Great
H-E-B	5.87	7,521	Great
Power Home Remodeling	5.84	4,032	Great
Apple	5.83	16,418	Great
Capital One	5.82	9,300	Great
Yardi Systems	5.77	961	Great
NVIDIA	5.73	1,583	Great
SAP	5.65	3,549	Great
Huron Consulting Group	5.64	842	Great
Procore Technologies	5.57	663	Great
Wegmans Food Markets	5.53	3,411	Great
eXp Realty	5.52	1,606	Great
SAS	5.47	952	Great
ASML	5.42	745	Great
Autodesk	5.4	1,256	Great
Mars Inc.	5.35	1,046	Good
Cox Communications	5.26	2,512	Good
Cengage Group	5.16	1,209	Good
Boston Consulting Group	5.13	1,860	Good
Cisco	5.12	10,304	Good
Expedia Group	5.12	2,189	Good
MD Anderson Cancer Center	5.12	1,878	Good
Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory	5.1	637	Good
Zeigler Auto Group	5.02	339	Good
Hilti North America	4.95	721	Good
Microsoft	4.93	17,189	Good
Google	4.8	12,751	Good
AMD	4.78	1,256	Good
Boston Scientific	4.74	1,730	Good
Lenovo	4.73	870	Good
Gartner	4.71	2,672	Good
Amgen	4.7	1,785	Good
VMware	4.67	3,228	Good
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory	4.63	951	Good
Avanade	4.63	957	Good
Penske Automotive Group	4.61	486	OK
Mastercard	4.61	1,459	OK
Protiviti	4.61	1,462	OK
Crowe LLP	4.6	985	OK
Fortinet	4.59	496	OK
Marriott International	4.53	7,360	OK
Visa Inc.	4.52	2,114	OK
Lockheed Martin	4.49	8,139	OK
Barclays	4.45	2,252	OK
Keller Williams Realty	4.45	3,407	OK
Moog Inc.	4.41	586	OK
Deloitte	4.4	17,845	OK
NIH	4.38	1,211	OK
Experian	4.37	1,225	OK
Delta Air Lines	4.35	4,380	OK
Bain & Company	4.34	1,897	OK
Texas Instruments	4.28	2,015	OK
Texas Children’s Hospital	4.2	727	OK
Eli Lilly and Company	4.13	1,560	OK
Adobe	4.1	2,414	Meh
Booz Allen Hamilton	4.1	5,659	Meh
JPMorgan Chase & Co	4.08	18,174	Meh
McKinsey & Company	4.07	2,507	Meh
RE/MAX	3.95	949	Meh
Grant Thornton	3.95	1,913	Meh
Fidelity Investments	3.83	7,619	Meh
Cummins	3.73	2,475	Meh
Bloomberg	3.7	2,568	Meh
SLB	3.6	2,890	Meh
Fannie Mae	3.6	1,447	Meh
Applied Materials	3.54	1,569	Meh
Grainger	3.27	2,272	Meh
Merck	3.13	2,802	Meh
Siemens Energy	1	254	Meh
Turner Construction	1	1,055	Meh
Cardinal Group Companies	1	386	Meh
Analog Devices	1	666	Meh
MathWorks	1	914	Meh
Raymond James Financial, Inc.	1	1,108	Meh

On the top shelf of the swag rack, we find Samsara, an enterprise software and network solutions company. Samsara helps organizations dependent upon physical operations to utilize Internet of Things (IoT) data to improve safety, efficiency and sustainability in large-scale operations such as construction, transportation, warehousing and manufacturing.

Employees at Samsara frequently talk about the swag Samsara hands out, such as socks, hats, shirts and water bottles. In fact, Samsara is such a proponent of branded merchandise that Glassdoor reviewers frequently address the overwhelming volume of swag, saying things like, “I’ve never had so much swag in my life.” With such a high proportion of reviews mentioning swag keywords, Samsara not only earns an epic swag braggability rating in our analysis, but they’re also the #1 leading employer with the most braggable swag.

However, while giving employees swag can enhance their experience at a company, it is far from the sole determinant of employee satisfaction. Many reviews at Samsara that positively mention branded gear also address complaints at the organization. One reviewer, in particular, seems to sum up the sentiment of many employees at the company: “DROWN in SWAG and STRESS.”

Next up on the top shelf of swag are two more companies earning epic swag braggability badges from our analysis: TCC (Verizon Authorized Retailer) and NIKE. These employers also set a high standard for company gifts. With so many direct mentions of swag keywords in Glassdoor reviews, they land #2 and #3, respectively, for the leading employers with the most impressive employee gifts. NIKE, in particular, stands out for its branded employee giveaways, which include shoes and shirts, in addition to discounts on most apparel.

On the other hand, some very renowned companies like Raymond James Financial, MathWorks and Siemens Energy are lagging in the swag department. Only six companies, including these three, had zero mentions of swag keywords in their Glassdoor reviews, thereby earning a “meh” swag braggability rating in our analysis. This lack of swag mentions is noteworthy, considering that 40% of companies in our analysis have great or epic swag braggability ratings.

Frequently Reviewed Companies with Standout Swag

Ranked by percentage of swag mentions in Glassdoor reviews

Company	Keyword Frequency Index	Total Reviews	Swag Braggability Rating
TCC Verizon Authorized Retailer	7.96	1,089	Epic
NIKE	7.87	4,942	Epic
In-N-Out Burger	7.82	2,561	Epic
Houston Methodist	7.8	1,412	Epic
ServiceNow	6.72	1,256	Epic
lululemon	6.38	3,217	Epic
LinkedIn	6.16	2,364	Epic
Universal Orlando Resort	6.14	1,201	Epic
Trader Joe’s	6.1	5,387	Epic
Genentech	6.03	1,926	Great
QuikTrip	6	2,134	Great
GALLO	5.89	1,063	Great
H-E-B	5.87	7,521	Great
Power Home Remodeling	5.84	4,032	Great
Apple	5.83	16,418	Great
Capital One	5.82	9,300	Great
NVIDIA	5.73	1,583	Great
SAP	5.65	3,549	Great
Wegmans Food Markets	5.53	3,411	Great
eXp Realty	5.52	1,606	Great
Autodesk	5.4	1,256	Great
Mars Inc.	5.35	1,046	Good
Cox Communications	5.26	2,512	Good
Cengage Group	5.16	1,209	Good
Boston Consulting Group	5.13	1,860	Good
Cisco	5.12	10,304	Good
Expedia Group	5.12	2,189	Good
MD Anderson Cancer Center	5.12	1,878	Good
Microsoft	4.93	17,189	Good
Google	4.8	12,751	Good
AMD	4.78	1,256	Good
Boston Scientific	4.74	1,730	Good
Gartner	4.71	2,672	Good
Amgen	4.7	1,785	Good
VMware	4.67	3,228	Good
Mastercard	4.61	1,459	OK
Protiviti	4.61	1,462	OK
Marriott International	4.53	7,360	OK
Visa Inc.	4.52	2,114	OK
Lockheed Martin	4.49	8,139	OK
Barclays	4.45	2,252	OK
Keller Williams Realty	4.45	3,407	OK
Deloitte	4.4	17,845	OK
NIH	4.38	1,211	OK
Experian	4.37	1,225	OK
Delta Air Lines	4.35	4,380	OK
Bain & Company	4.34	1,897	OK
Texas Instruments	4.28	2,015	OK
Eli Lilly and Company	4.13	1,560	OK
Adobe	4.1	2,414	Meh
Booz Allen Hamilton	4.1	5,659	Meh
JPMorgan Chase & Co	4.08	18,174	Meh
McKinsey & Company	4.07	2,507	Meh
Grant Thornton	3.95	1,913	Meh
Fidelity Investments	3.83	7,619	Meh
Cummins	3.73	2,475	Meh
Bloomberg	3.7	2,568	Meh
SLB	3.6	2,890	Meh
Fannie Mae	3.6	1,447	Meh
Applied Materials	3.54	1,569	Meh
Grainger	3.27	2,272	Meh
Merck	3.13	2,802	Meh
Raymond James Financial, Inc.	1	1,108	Meh
Turner Construction	1	1,055	Meh

We drew our study upon multiple sub-analysis of Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work list. The first sub-analysis was of frequently reviewed companies, which we define as those with over 1,000 reviews on Glassdoor. The top two spots on this shelf are TCC and NIKE once again; Samsara drops off due to their lower review count.

Taking the #3 spot is a newcomer to the study: In-N-Out Burger. This California drive-thru chain stands out for its “awesome” and “amazing” swaggy gifts, according to employee reviews. In-N-Out Burger also stands out by opting for some unconventional promotional giveaways such as In-N-Out branded chess sets and sleeping bags, plus they frequently award smaller gifts for hitting targets. The company lands in the top 20th percentile for mentions of swag keywords in Glassdoor reviews, earning itself the epic swag braggability badge.

Overall, only 33% of the companies in our frequently reviewed sub-analysis had great or epic swag braggability. Fifteen companies in this category landed in the bottom 20th percentile for mentions of swag keywords in Glassdoor reviews, earning themselves a “meh” swag braggability rating. Among these frequently reviewed companies with the least braggable swag are Turner Construction and Merck.

Well-Known Brands Offering Impressive Swag

Company	Keyword Frequency Index	Total Reviews	Swag Braggability Rating
	7.87	4,942
	7.82	2,561
	6.38	3,217
	6.16	2,364
	6.14	1,201
	6.10	5,387
	5.83	16,418
	5.82	9,300
	5.73	1,583
	5.35	1,046
	5.12	2,189
	4.93	17,189
	4.80	12,751
	4.61	1,459
	4.53	7,360
	4.52	2,114
	4.35	4,380
	4.10	2,414
	4.08	18,174
	3.70	2,568

Our next sub-analysis was of highly recognizable, well-known brands that are utilizing their brand prominence as employee perks in the form of free swag. Yet again, NIKE surfaces among the leaders. However, instead of taking #3 or #2, NIKE lands #1 as the most well-known brand, handing out the most impressive gear to employees.

In-N-Out Burger works its way up to #2 for the most well-known brand, offering the most impressive employee gifts. They should receive a small gift for hitting that target! Potential employees wanting to maximize their In-N-Out swag should join just before the winter holidays. Employees frequently mention holiday promotional gifts in their reviews.

However, these two companies can’t take up all the spotlight — Lululemon, the technical athletic apparel brand, nudges in at #3 for the most well-known brand, offering impressive swag. Certain companies like NIKE and Lululemon have an edge in the swag game purely because the company product is simultaneously readily available as branded employee giveaways.

So it comes as no surprise that Lululemon snags #3 for many mentions of free athletic gear and other apparel. Not only does Lululemon give away free yoga gear, but they also offer free yoga classes to put that swag to use. With such an intentional employee perk earning many direct mentions in Glassdoor reviews, Lululemon also lands in the top 20th percentile for mentions of swag keywords, earning an epic swag braggability rating.

Nearly half (45%) of the most recognizable brands in our sub-analysis have a great or epic swag braggability rating. However, three highly recognizable brands — Adobe, JPMorgan Chase and Bloomberg — are in the bottom 20th percentile for the whole study, thereby earning a “meh” swag braggability rating. These companies could better benefit from utilizing their high-profile brand recognition to increase engagement and community feeling among their employees.

Most Popular Mentions for Brag-Worthy Swag

• Gifts
  • Rank 1
  • Count 466
  • Keyword Gifts
• Gear
  • Rank 2
  • Count 114
  • Keyword Gear
• T-shirts
  • Rank 3
  • Count 96
  • Keyword T-shirts
• Hats
  • Rank 4
  • Count 89
  • Keyword Hats
• Bag
  • Rank 5
  • Count 86
  • Keyword Bag
• Apparel
  • Rank 6
  • Count 70
  • Keyword Apparel
• Giveaways
  • Rank 7
  • Count 50
  • Keyword Giveaways
• Brand items
  • Rank 8
  • Count 32
  • Keyword Brand items
• Headphones
  • Rank 9
  • Count 22
  • Keyword Headphones
• Swag
  • Rank 10
  • Count 11
  • Keyword Swag
• Journal
  • Rank 11
  • Count 10
  • Keyword Journal
• Water bottles
  • Rank 12
  • Count 8
  • Keyword Water bottles
• Jackets
  • Rank 12
  • Count 8
  • Keyword Jackets
• Fitbit
  • Rank 14
  • Count 7
  • Keyword Fitbit
• Pen
  • Rank 15
  • Count 6
  • Keyword Pen
• Sweatshirts
  • Rank 15
  • Count 6
  • Keyword Sweatshirts
• Mug
  • Rank 15
  • Count 6
  • Keyword Mug
• Hoodies
  • Rank 18
  • Count 4
  • Keyword Hoodies
• Stickers
  • Rank 19
  • Count 3
  • Keyword Stickers
• Tumblers
  • Rank 20
  • Count 2
  • Keyword Tumblers
• Promotional items
  • Rank 20
  • Count 2
  • Keyword Promotional items
• Welcome package
  • Rank 22
  • Count 1
  • Keyword Welcome package
• Lanyards
  • Rank 22
  • Count 1
  • Keyword Lanyards
• Company freebies
  • Rank 22
  • Count 1
  • Keyword Company freebies

Mouse hover/tap a Keyword for Rank and Count

Following a thorough review of the top companies offering the best swag, the next question to naturally arise (if it has not already) is, “What kinds of branded merchandise are employees bragging about the most directly in Glassdoor reviews?” Realistically, promotional products might not be in the top five things to discuss when leaving a review on Glassdoor for a former or current employer. So when employees actually mention branded merch in their reviews, it’s worth paying attention to.

Out of the 100 companies in our analysis, the specific swag items mentioned most often are t-shirts, hats and bags. Each of these items earned 96, 89 and 86 mentions, respectively and placed #3, #4 and #5, respectively, for the swag keywords mentioned the most. In fact, each of these items was mentioned 8 to 9 times more in reviews than the word “swag” itself.

Interestingly, the word “swag” does not appear to be the chosen phrase employees use when referencing branded freebies. Instead, the generic terms “gifts,” “gear” and “giveaways” are far more common. “Gifts” and “gear” land #1 and #2, respectively, for the individual keywords mentioned most often in the study. The next generic term, “giveaways,” lands at #7, followed by “brand items” at #8. It’s not until #10 that we see the word “swag.”

At the bottom of the list, the specific branded giveaways mentioned the least are stickers, tumblers and lanyards. However, this does not mean employees dislike them as company freebies; many common promotional items had zero mentions in our analysis. Common items like “phone cases,” “laptop sleeves,” and “koozies” were not mentioned once by reviewers in our study of Glassdoor’s 100 Best Places to Work. It would appear that when it comes to protecting their stuff, employees have got that covered. Instead, covering your employees with branded apparel like shirts and hats is the way to go!

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Methodology

In July 2024, we conducted an analytical assessment of employee reviews for the 100 companies listed on Glassdoor’s Best Places to Work 2024 list to identify organizations distributing notable branded merchandise (swag) that employees actively discuss. Our objective was to quantify and rank these companies based on the prevalence of positive swag-related commentary.

Keyword Identification and Contextual Relevance
We curated a comprehensive list of over 100 keywords indicative of swag mentions within employee reviews on Glassdoor. To ensure that the context of these mentions was positive, we restricted our analysis to the “pros” section of Glassdoor reviews. This approach, while not infallible, provides a robust framework for macro-level analysis.

Data Collection and Quantification
For each company, we quantified the number of reviews that included at least one of our identified swag-related keywords in the “pros” section. We then calculated the percentage of such reviews relative to the total number of reviews for each company. To maintain the integrity and reliability of our analysis, we included only companies with a minimum of 250 total reviews, resulting in the exclusion of two companies from the original dataset.

Index Development and Rating Schema
The calculated percentages were subsequently normalized and transformed into a 10-point Keyword Frequency (FRQ) index, which serves as the primary metric for our swag-related ratings. Our Swag Braggability ratings were derived from the FRQ Index, utilizing performance quintiles segmented by 20th percentile intervals. Companies falling within the top 20th percentile were categorized under “Epic” Swag Braggability, while those in the bottom 20th percentile were designated as having “Meh” Swag Braggability. This stratified rating system allows for a nuanced understanding of the distribution and employee perception of company swag across the analyzed organizations.