Whether it’s thanks to no-deal Brexit fears, climate change disasters or cleverly constructed viral campaigns, everyone’s talking about emergency grab bags. But what is a grab bag? Why do we suddenly need one? And, most importantly, what would the WebBox team pack in theirs? Here’s what you need to know…
Launched by the British Police to tie in with the #30days30waysUK campaign (which runs throughout September’s as part of ‘Preparedness Month’), the grab bag campaign aims to provide us with ideas to stay prepared for any emergency situations.
Though it’s been accused of scaremongering (many Twitter users naturally leapt to worst-case conclusions), the campaign simply encourages us to take small steps to become personally more aware of – and prepared to deal with – any hazards we could encounter.
Seeing the campaign unfold got us thinking – what would we pack in a grab bag in case of an emergency? As we circulated the question at WebBox HQ, we got some sensible, some not so sensible, and a few what-were-you-thinking? replies. What couldn’t we survive without? Here’s what the team said…
Our MD Will is known for thinking big. After all, he has grown WebBox from a solo desk into a thriving digital agency. But how he’ll fit a full-size guitar into his bag remains to be seen…
Will’s grab bag
- Phone
- Laptop
- Water
- Nibbles and BBQ sauce!
- Clothes
- Guitar (I'll squeeze it in the bag somehow!)
Not one to one-up MD Will’s guitar, Senior Digital Designer Graham’s list is part sensible, part how-do-you-fit-a-cat-in-the-bag? Maybe, like his Sex Panther aftershave '60% of the time, it works every time'…
Graham’s grab bag
- Sex Panther aftershave
- Sketchbook and Rotring pens
- Pac a mac
- Swiss army knife
- A good book, such as 'Neville Southall : The Binman Chronicles'
- An MP3 player loaded with Armin van Buuren 'A State of Trance' shows
- Mobile phone
- My cat, Tigger.
Clearly feeling threatened by Graham’s emergency Sex Panther stash, our Head Of Digital, Rhod, created his list and then decided to throw in some Dior Sauvage eau de toilette at the last minute. Let the battle of the scents begin.
Rhod’s grab bag
- Phone and portable charger
- Macbook and charger
- Head Phones and charger
- Notepad and pen
- Water or any suitable soft drink
- A four-pack of lager and/or bottle of Whiskey (after October)
- The book 'Think and Grow Rich' by Napoleon Hill (in case my phone and portable lose battery)
- Business cards
- A pack of Pork Pies
- Yorkie and/or Malteasers
- A Hoodie (if I'm not wearing one)
- A cap
- Sunglasses.
Front End Developer and keen footballer, Craig, has is priorities right when it comes to packing for an emergency. Beer, snacks and a mini football table means he can party under any circumstances.
Craig’s grab bag
- Mobile phone and a solar-powered charger
- Earphones and plenty of podcasts downloaded
- Lots of snacks
- Beers
- Clothes
- Mini football table.
Less partying and more pampering, Marketing Manager Tom W will be completely prepared if he ever gets trapped… In a bathroom.
Tom W’s grab bag
- Phone
- Laptop
- Oat milk
- Reusable coffee cup
- Houmous, pita bread & vegan cheese (for nibbles)
- Multivitamins
- Antibacterial hand gel
- My Instax (to take photos of our experience for the memory book)
- Toilet roll
- Bubble bath
- ·Aftershave
- A Sharpie
- Jumper (if it fits).
Perhaps the most sensible grab bag of them all, make a note to self to always stick with Digital Marketing Manager Tom R in any emergency situation.
Tom R’s grab bag
- Universal plug adaptor
- Phone and charger
- Wallet
- Right Guard Antiperspirant (the big bottle)
- Toothbrush & Toothpaste
- Google Maps (downloaded).
Just like our own WebBox HQ grab bags revealed the #GrabBag hashtag has also proven that everyone’s emergency stashes are unique. What would you pack? Have your say over on Twitter using the hashtag.
