Reunion Souvenirs

Choosing Reunion Souvenirs
Reunion souvenirs come in many different varieties, from the elegant silk scarf to the water bottle emblazoned with the class logo.   Here are a few things to keep in mind when making your choices:

• Quality vs. quantity – one nice piece of clothing or an item for the house is better than a bagful of tchotchkes.
• Variation from past souvenirs – consult your staff person, your class officers, or former reunion chairs if you do not know what has been given out in at prior reunions
• Packability/portability – make sure your souvenir can fit in a suitcase and won’t cause problems at the airport
• Utility – try to include something that people will want to use both during reunion & after
• Sustainable/green – some vendors offer products and goods that are easy on the planet
• Logistics – although clothing items are popular they also involve sizes; sometimes post-reunion orders are possible, but not always

One option to consider: In addition to whatever souvenir items you were give out, you can contract with a vendor to offer custom items for purchase in advance of your reunion. The vendor will be responsible for all order-taking, payment and fulfillment.

Yale Licensing
Yale Licensing, under the leadership of the Office of the Secretary, is responsible for marketing and expanding the reach and visibility of the Yale brand; for managing its use and presentation in such a way as to preserve its value; for securing licensees who must adhere to guidelines set by Yale, including creative guidelines, code of conduct for their manufacturers, quality of product, etc.; for supporting University constituencies for their insignia needs (alumni, staff, students, faculty); and for regulating the use of the Yale name on behalf of the Secretary’s Office.

What does this mean for reunion chairs?   By purchasing from Yale Licensed vendors, you can be assured of high quality items, excellent service, advantageous pricing, and the assurance that manufacturing standards are met.

How does this benefit the University?  First and foremost, Yale can be certain that vendors are buying goods from manufacturers that are meeting industry standards.  In other words, no sweatshops.  Secondly, these vendors are supporting the University community through discounts and preferred service.

For more information about Yale Licensing, and to see a list of current licensed vendors, go to http://www.yale.edu/licensing/.