The RecFest UK Merch Review – What Recruitment Event Swag Actually Works?

Nitin Sharma and Sean Kennedy are joined by Harry Portch and Dominic Joyce at RecFest UK 2026 for a brutally honest review of recruitment industry event merchandise. The team rates swag from leading companies including Metaview, Pinpoint, Teamtailor and Screenloop, assessing what works and what doesn't across items from jerseys to water bottles.

The conversation explores what makes event merch memorable, from creative and niche designs to practical items people will actually use. The panel discusses the importance of strong design, subtle branding and quality over quantity, whilst questioning whether generic giveaways deliver value. They examine how personalised items, nostalgia, humour and novelty can help brands stand out, and why useful, event-appropriate products score higher than branded notebooks and toys.

The episode offers insights for recruitment leaders, marketers and event organisers spending budget on merchandise. It challenges the assumption that expensive, generic giveaways are the answer, instead exploring how thoughtful design and genuine usefulness can create lasting brand impressions at industry events.