Breaking through the noise at events takes more than a logo on a PowerPoint slide or a branded pen. You need to show up in a way that’s memorable and useful.
At conferences, it is easy to get lost in a sea of logos, lanyards, and polite-but-forgettable small talk. The usual “Who are you with?” opener gets old fast. Breaking through the noise at events takes more than a logo on a PowerPoint slide or a branded pen.
So, at the recent Navigating Delaware Pathways and Delaware Teacher Pathways conferences, we sponsored the one thing people actually care about at 8 am: the coffee.
We served up our brand in a way that people would actually remember. Custom cups with our logo, a punchy slogan, and a QR code linking to a customized landing page for each event.
The Strategy: Why Coffee?
What’s the one thing every attendee touches at an event? It’s the one thing you beeline to after check-in. It’s the item that they hold, sip from, and keep with them all morning long. Coffee cups are a high-visibility brand placement without feeling like advertising. It’s useful. It’s warm.
And in terms of cost? The ROI per cup was delicious. For our sponsorship fee, we got conference-wide exposure and a relatable and casual shoutout from the host.
The Impact: Easy, Warm Intros
Here’s where it got really fun: every time someone asked, “So who are you with?” all we had to do was hold up our cup and say, “First Ascent, we’re the coffee sponsors!” Boom. A smile. A laugh. And suddenly, we’re not strangers, we’re the people who brought the coffee.
That instant warmth helped us skip the awkward small talk and dive straight into meaningful conversations about who we are and how we help. It gave us the kind of brand association you want. Approachable, thoughtful, energizing.
The Execution: Sips Into Clicks
Every cup featured a QR code linking to a custom landing page, so people could take the next step while they sipped. It turned a branding moment into a conversion opportunity. No hard sell. No pushy pitch. Just, “Hey, if you’re curious, here’s where to learn more.”
And people did click.
The QR code leads to:
👉 firstascentdesign.com/qr/coffeecups
This URL functions as a redirect, allowing us to update the destination for each event. For the first activation, scans directed visitors to:
👉 firstascentdesign.com/coffee-education/
As new events roll out, we simply swap the landing page behind the redirect, keeping the user journey clear and relevant without reprinting the code.
To track engagement, we added UTM parameters to the link. These snippets help us monitor where traffic is coming from by identifying the source (e.g., cups), medium (e.g., print), and campaign (e.g., event).
We then monitor performance in Google Analytics 4 (GA4), where we can see metrics like:
- Number of users and sessions
- Session duration
- Engagement rates
The landing page also includes a form, giving us a direct way to measure conversions, tracking not just who clicked, but who followed through.
The Results
So, what did we get out of our branded coffee cups?
- We got noticed. Our brand was in attendees’ hands, not just once, but over and over again throughout the day.
- We got clicks. People didn’t just see our name. They scanned our QR code, scrolled our page, and explored what we’re all about.
- We got connections. No need for small talk. A quick point to the cup and “That’s us!” was all it took to start a real conversation.
- And we got data. From QR scans to page visits to form submissions, we know exactly how our coffee strategy performed.
Our coffee cup sponsorship was a little caffeine-fueled delight that helped us turn attention into action. And that’s the kind of ROI we’ll drink to.
Want to turn your next sponsorship into something that turns into leads?
First Ascent Design can help you craft moments that spark curiosity, build connection, and actually drive results. Let’s talk!