Swag vs. Schwag. Let’s Settle This.
June 12th, 2008
I noticed today that Mashable’s SummerMash LA event is sponsored by a company called The Schwaggin’ Wagon. Their website says they launched the business after a conversation “about how much swag goes to waste after tech conferences. [It was] noted that, in addition to children, there were plenty of adults who could use some extra t-shirts and hats for free!”
I’ve bolded the above for emphasis, but no doubt you already noticed the discrepancy in the spelling of the company’s name, Schwaggin’, and the spelling of the noun in their description, swag.
It’s an all too common mistake to use the word schwag when you mean to say swag. Even Wired Magazine isn’t immune to the trappings of what amounts to dialect diligence. The two words are not interchangeable and it’s unforgivable for a sophisticated, altruistic company like The Schwaggin’ Wagon to perpetuate this misnomer. It’s time to set the record straight.
Swag means promotional items, tchotchkes, or giveaways
Schwag means low-grad marijuana.
When schwag is misused in an attempt to mean swag the detriment to society is immeasurable. Hollywood publicity flackeries, technology convention organizers and penny-pinching stoners all suffer from this egregious indiscretion because it confuses the market-at-large.
I left word with the consumer service reps at Schwaggin’ Wagon to ask them about the discrepancy. Apparently they’re busy hording green pairs of Crocs at The Hulk premiere and will get back to me ASAP.
What’s the connection between this rant and web video economics?
The confusion caused by the improper interchangeability of swag and schwag is analogous to the obfuscation of a sustainable market for original web video caused by a lack of standardized, dynamic and ROI friendly advertising metrics for social media.
Duh.
Either that or folks should just stay off the schwag.
Tags: chronic, corcs, flackery, Fun, herb, mary louise parker, schwag, showtime, stoner, swag, the schwaggin wagon, weeds, wired
Posted by: jake Posted in FunYou can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.
June 12th, 2008 at 7:56 pm
Jake,
Glad you noticed. I’ll explain:
(Yes I know you were joking in your post but I’m going to respond as if you were serious)
We were aware when we created the Wagon that SWAG was the acronym most commonly used for promotional items and that Schwag was slang for marijuana. We just didn’t take ourselves too seriously and chose to play with the name a bit. And not one pot head in the group!
I see that you’re a purist about language and you want each thing in its place for tagging and taxonomic purposes. Ok. Fair ’nuff.
But, consider the name of our wagon the evolution of the term! Let’s use the word SWAG to talk about the promotional items we all DO want and that we WILL use, and let’s use the word SCHWAG to talk about the items that are excessive and should either be passed along to gift packs for the troops or should never have been created in the first place. That’s the stuff we give away, and that’s in our name.
(btw, we’re not at the Hulk premiere! Should we be?)
I noticed what your company does. You may want to attend this gathering:
http://upcoming.yahoo.com/event/696010/?ps=6
Cheers,
Michael
June 16th, 2008 at 8:53 pm
My take: SWAG usually means “super wild ass guess” as in “I’ll take a SWAG at it”. Even though that’s a pretty lame expression that tends to piss me off, there is indisputable logic in the acronym.
Schwag, on the other hand, denotes something of low quality, so I think is much more appropriate for the baskets of junk that pervade conference halls and college career day auditoriums.
Perhaps we can move this forward and agree to describe valuable, useful or cool promo items as “the kind” and leave “schwag” to describe the worthless stuff. That would complete our hero’s journey.
June 17th, 2008 at 1:49 pm
SWAG stands for “Stuff We All Get”
Schwag is the SWAG that you never wanted in the first place.
June 17th, 2008 at 6:51 pm
Touche’
June 18th, 2008 at 4:37 pm
Hi Jake -
I have to ask you who is the hot babe on your homepage? Is this a girl you are swagging?