Inspire Series

08/19/2025 08:00 AM

Title: Promotional Director, Gym Rat, Beach Strategist, and Anti-Stress-Ball Activist
Fun Fact: Kyle’s been to more countries than U.S. states — and once helped brand the bottom of a hotel pool for a rooftop ice cream launch. (Yes, really.)

Employee Spotlight: Kyle Drake

The Guy Who Makes Swag Cool Again

There are some people you just click with right away. Kyle Drake is one of them.

He’s fun to talk to. He’s interesting. He’s sharp as hell. And somehow, he makes the world of promotional materials feel less like ordering swag — and more like crafting an experience people will remember.

He’s the kind of person you want on your team — smart, hardworking, reliable, creative, and genuinely enjoyable to be around. Customers feel it. Coworkers feel it. You don’t even have to know what you need yet — Kyle will make the process feel exciting and effortless anyway.

So, who is this guy?

From Beach Town to Brand Guru

Kyle grew up in Union Beach, New Jersey, a tiny shore town where summer never really ends and the boardwalk is just part of life. These days, he lives near Asbury Park, and if it’s the weekend, you’ll find him there — CrossFit in the morning, scooter ride to the beach, coffee in hand, surrounded by husband and friends.

“The beach resets me,” he says. “It’s my happy place.”

He started his professional path in high school, oddly enough — Red Bank Regional, a vocational school where you had to pick a major. He tried cooking. Then writing. Then architecture. Eventually, he found his way into graphic communications, and something clicked. From there, it was all-in. That’s just who Kyle is. Once he finds a passion, he’s not dipping a toe in. He’s going full cannonball.

The Work Doesn’t Feel Like Work

Kyle is DG3’s Promotional Director, which is technically accurate but wildly undersells what he brings to the role.

Ask any customer who’s worked with him. Or better yet, sit in on one of his pitches. He doesn’t just present options — he paints possibilities.

“Every project should start from scratch,” he says. “I want to know everything — who it’s for, what the vibe is, what they’ll actually use. A good promo product doesn’t get tossed. It gets kept. Talked about. Remembered.”

That’s not just theory. It’s why clients come back. It’s why his team brings him in to close big deals. And it’s why projects like a rooftop pool takeover for Daily Harvest, or custom etched beer flights for a software rollout, turn out to be home runs.

Even with huge clients — think Taylor Swift, Elton John, Goldman Sachs, GAF— Kyle brings the same focus: make it personal, make it strategic, make it fun.

And please, don’t ask him for stress balls.

“Stress balls are the worst,” he says, laughing. “Nobody uses them, they’re bad for the environment, and they don’t work. Just… don’t.”

Cool, Yes — But Also Clear

Kyle’s also honest — in the way that builds long-term trust.

He’s the guy who’ll tell you if a promo item isn’t going to land well — even if it costs him the order. He’ll walk away from a product that doesn’t meet his quality standards, because he knows how this works: if something goes wrong, the client doesn’t blame the manufacturer — they blame us.

And he takes that seriously.

“I always tell my team — if we lose a job because we were honest, that’s okay,” Kyle says. “But don’t win one by pretending something is better than it is. We’re the name on the box. We’re responsible for how it turns out.”

And When He’s Off the Clock?

He’s traveling (he’s been to nearly 30 countries), relaxing at the beach, or sweating it out at the gym. He’s been doing CrossFit for over a decade — and while he won’t quite admit it, it definitely smells like he’s training for a HYROX competition.

He’s also the first name on the workout leaderboard, the guy handing out brand advice at brunch, and the one whose wardrobe is 30% product samples — “only the ones that pass the real-world test.”

And yes, he watches Love Island and The Challenge. Proudly.

Bottom line?

Kyle Drake makes everything better — the projects, the results, and the process itself. He brings out the best in campaigns and people. If you’re working with him, you’re in for something smart, creative, and surprisingly fun.

And if you ask him for stress balls… well, we warned you.

Why We Spotlight Our People

At DG3, we believe the best part of our company isn’t our equipment, our processes, or even our decades of experience — it’s our people. We spotlight employees like Kyle Drake because behind every standout campaign is someone with ideas, instincts, and integrity that make it happen.

Kyle brings energy, creativity, and honesty to every project — and he makes it look effortless. He’s the kind of person who makes work feel fun, who pushes for better ideas, and who shows up for his team and clients alike.

We don’t spotlight people just because they’re great at what they do (though Kyle definitely is). We spotlight them because they make DG3 a better place to work — and a better company to work with.