The Class of 2020 has been robbed of a proper commencement ceremony due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Social distancing has prevented seniors from walking across the stage to cheers from their family, friends and classmates. Because of their massive student bodies, many colleges have already conducted virtual ceremonies, shipping out degrees at a later date. While many high schools will be following their lead, some have decided to give their graduates a taste of “Pomp and Circumstance” by any means necessary.

These alternative celebrations provide savvy distributors with new opportunities to target educational institutions – the largest market for promotional products for the fifth year in a row, according to Counselor’s upcoming State of the Industry report. If you’re looking for creative graduation gifts for both college and high seniors, check out our previous list.

Mobile Graduations
No, this isn’t a ceremony on your phone. We’re talking mobile, as in hop in the car and turn your tassel as you turn the key.

Several schools are hosting graduation ceremonies in their parking lots. Students and their families will stay in their cars during the speeches, and then the administration (cloaked in masks) will hand out diplomas. Distributors should contact these schools and offer a variety of car promos to go along with the diplomas, such as branded keychains, car chargers, ice scrapers, phone mounts and auto safety kits.

The Mini Auto Charger from Bullet (asi/42424).

The North Pocono School District in Pennsylvania has kicked it up a notch, holding its ceremony at Pocono Raceway, The Morning Call reported. As the principal calls the graduates’ names, their photos will be shown on the double-sided video boards and students will drive their own cars across the track’s start/finish line. Students and their loved ones are encouraged to decorate their vehicles to celebrate their achievements, revving up sales of branded car magnets, flags, bumper stickers and other accessories.

A car sign magnet from The Magnet Group (asi/68507).

How about a double feature: graduation and a movie? Drive-in theaters are experiencing a resurgence during the coronavirus pandemic, as Americans seek an escape from their homes while adhering to social distancing. School districts in several states have opted to hold their ceremonies at the local drive-in, followed by a family-friendly flick. In addition to car promos, perhaps distributors can offer delicious snack packs for the outing.

Door to Door
If students can’t come to graduation, many teachers and staff are bringing graduation to them. Throughout the United States, school officials wearing personal protective equipment (PPE) are going door to door to present each member of their 2020 class with diplomas. Decked out in cap and gown, the students receive a private ceremony.

The staff at West Craven High School visited every single 2020 senior — all 220 of them — to deliver personalized yard signs as schools remain closed due to COVID-19. @TabariWallace @cravencoschools https://t.co/QJp4Aaeblf pic.twitter.com/RHlOJZpvJO

— EducationNC (@EducationNC) April 30, 2020

Tracie Hansen, owner of International Minute Press of Flagstaff (asi/377980) in Arizona, is capitalizing on these home graduations by selling custom yard signs. Featuring graduates’ names and their school colors, these signs have become a huge hit, according to the Arizona Daily Sun. The company has even received orders from Washington state and Hawaii.

Omaha, NE-based FireSprint (asi/54322) has dedicated an entire section of its website to graduation, offering vibrant signage, vinyl decals and banners for home decoration. After all, door decoration is one of the hottest trends in the country, as families celebrate their seniors’ accomplishments. There’s ample opportunity for personalization – distributors can create kits filled with jerseys, uniforms, letterman jackets, trophies, awards, ribbons, balloons, graduation caps, etc. It can be a promo-filled time capsule of a student’s high school years. Here’s your centerpiece: a custom-laser engraved wood diploma plaque from Dacula, GA-based Forte Promotional Marketing.

Lacey Township School District in New Jersey planned a parade route that passed the homes of all 266 graduating seniors from Lacey Township High School, FOX 29 reported. A caravan of cars, including a decorated school bus, distributed “We Are Proud of You Class of 2020” lawn signs and gift bags filled with branded magnets and T-shirts to each student.

Sense of Community Living up to the unofficial slogan of the COVID-19 crisis – “We’re all in this together” – communities are uniting to honor their local graduates. Streets are plastered in motivational and congratulatory messages written in sidewalk chalk. Local businesses (that are still operating) are decorated with pennants, pom poms and balloons. In Michigan, the Caseville Public School district has hung up banners featuring every senior’s class photo on lampposts throughout the city.

Brooklyn Park, MN-based Halls & Company (asi/59080) has come up with an innovative way to promote both graduates’ achievements, as well as social distancing. The supplier offers personalized floor decals that can go in grocery stores and supermarkets, urging customers to stand 6 feet apart or walk in a certain direction down an aisle. Schools and other civic organizations can add grads’ names to the decals.

Adopt a Senior
This sounds like a wacky Shark Tank pitch, but it’s actually a wildly popular social media trend.

New Mexico resident Mary Storey created a Facebook group to help celebrate the high school seniors in her town of Ruidoso – “Adopt a High School Senior.” She encouraged members to create tribute posts for the seniors in their lives, and then members can “adopt” them in the comments section, sending gifts to congratulate them on graduating.

Thank You “Adopt A Rebel Senior” Stephen loved his gift basket. 💪🏼🏈🦍🎓👨🏼‍🎓 pic.twitter.com/HlsPgyTxyf

— Veronica Hughes (@vhughes1495) May 7, 2020

Storey’s group quickly grew to 50,000 members and inspired similar groups throughout the country, Vox reported. These groups operate in two ways: Either parents or students advertise a child’s accomplishments accompanied by an Amazon wish list, or a local business owner asks students if they want something customized sent to them. For example, Storey has shipped out care packages with cards, branded keychains and T-shirts.

Some of these groups are private, but if a distributor could join one, the possibilities are endless. Talk about a captive audience: There’s at least a hundred potential customers in each group, all interested in personalized merchandise!