TALKING TALENT - Merch Review Live from IHR In-House Recruitment Manchester 2026

Recorded live from IHR Manchester, Nitin and the team took on one of the most important challenges facing the recruitment industry today... reviewing conference merch.After spending half an hour collecting giveaways from exhibitors across the event, they put every item through a brutally honest RecTalk rating system. From Stanley-style cups and branded hats to blue-light glasses, AI-powered gadgets, custom playing cards, plush toys, seed pencils and more, nothing escaped scrutiny.The verdict? Water bottles and notepads may finally have reached the end of their conference lifecycle, while a handful of suppliers showed exactly how creative merch can leave a lasting impression.Highlights include:• The best and worst conference giveaways at IHR Manchester• Why standard bottles and notebooks are losing their appeal• The exhibitors who stood out with genuinely memorable merch• Marketing lessons for recruitment and HR vendors• What conference attendees actually want to take home• The surprise winner of the dayWho This Episode Is For:• Recruitment business leaders• HR technology vendors• Employer branding professionals• Marketing teams attending industry events• Conference organisers• Anyone who loves judging conference swagTop Rated Merch:🥇 Screenloop – 5/5🥈 Crew – 4.5/5🥉 First Advantage & Canditech – 4/5Biggest Takeaway:If you're exhibiting at recruitment and HR events in 2025 and beyond, stop ordering generic water bottles and basic notebooks. Creativity, practicality and a little bit of fun win every time.#RecTalk #IHRManchester #recruitmenttechnology #hrtech #recruitmentmarketing #employerbranding #ConferenceMarketing #RecruitmentIndustry #HRCommunity #EventMarketing