We admit there is a love-hate relationship with conference swag. You could look at it as just another container ship of Chinese products heading for over-used US dumps. But come on, man*, these little guys are too cute to throw out. Maybe you know a tiny person that would like to slobber all over them? A little bit of cloth and stuffing is way better acquisition than crap like lithium battery packs and things with blinking LEDS with "disposable" batteries containing mercury. And you could argue that cloth is biodegradable and does not add to our plastic waste problem.
* use Biden's voice
Learn how stuffy swag is produced in the video below. Note the special emphasis on making sure no one gets a toy that has a broken needle inside, so you don't get a nasty surprise!
Dong Guam Gain Charm Toys production video
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We are DELIGHTED to report that as of IMS 2024 we have finally adoped a Wolfspeed Wolf - isn't he adorable? |
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Here's the 2023 version of the SamTec tiger. Like his (her?) older iterations, he's soft and cuddly. This year, however, there's an added benefit! The QR code on the tag goes to a website where you can register your tiger by entering a name and location (we went with Blake and Moby). For every registered tiger, Samtec is making a donation to the World Wildlife Foundation for Tiger conservation. |
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This charming goat made his debut in Atlanta (IMS 2021). He/she is the official mascot of IMS 2022. Will we see his more of them in Denver in 2022?? |
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This little guy is also a finger puppet!! We picked him up in Atlanta at IMS 2021, thanks to Samtec. We like him way better than William Blake's Tyger, tyger, burning bright, as he won't kill you for food while you ponder your belief system. |
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The Microwaves101 Lobster, from Boston IMS (2019). There were actually three different colors of lobster - red,blue, and orange. Don't let it be said we aren't colorful! |
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Silvaco Bear is another stuffie acquired in 2019 (in Boston). This bear is rocking the red T-shirt with the company logo. Did you know that Silvaco's name comes from "silicon valley company?" |
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Top Dog Test Hound is the granddaddy of IMS stuffies (at least in our collection), making an appearance at multiple events over several years. Our doggie "adoption" might have been at IMS 2015 (in Phoenix). |
Here we reveal the identities of the "Stuffies of IMS" which were mentioned on this Unknown Editor page.
Clockwise from top middle... Top Dog Test Hound, Silvaco Bear, Samtec Tiger, Microwaves101 Lobster, IMS2022 Goat.
Here's a list of IMS venues past, present and future. See you in Denver!