Corporate Gifts Blog

Most people are accustomed to receiving chocolates, pens with the company’s name, mugs, or gift baskets as a corporate gift. However, in a survey released by The Creative Group, some of the corporate gifts received this year, can only be described as “weird”.

For example, people received gifts such as rocks, torn umbrellas, candles that smelt like burnt rubber, a can of bees, and even live snakes. (It is interesting to wonder what the people who sent these gifts were thinking!)

Other strange gifts received include pigeons, lab coats, sledge hammers, pillows, and my personal favorite – toy outhouses!

The nicer gifts included $2,000 shopping sprees, free golf lessons, and free flights.

Gift baskets have always been a corporate gift tradition, but an interesting article by Ellie Brash, appearing on Scotsman.com, showed how the contents of these baskets have changed over the years. Surprisingly, ox tongue and turtle soup were the contents of a gift basket.

During the 1930-1940’s, especially during wartime, these gift baskets were called “provision parcels”. During this period, they contained items such as cigarettes, turtle soup, apples, and figs or plums.

However, this is in contrast to the later part of the 1940’s when alcohol such as claret, champagne, or port was included in the gift baskets along with a bottle of squash.

It was not unti after this time that turkey became part of the Christmas tradition.

In you are debating what to give as a corporate gift this, consider donating to a charity in someone’s name.

Even though it might be common for you to previously have sent a gift basket, a donation to a charity will go over well with the people who receive it. It will show thatm that you instead want “to make a difference”.

According to Wendy Ward, author of  “Stumped for corporate gift? Give back to community”:

“A gift to charity can be extremely meaningful and will stand out among others. There are numerous charities to choose from, and it can be an important way to show that you listen to your client. Has he or she mentioned a particular charity that they are involved in? Has he or she had a family member of friend who could benefit from the services provided by a charity? A donation to one of these organizations can be extremely heartfelt and sincere.”

However, Ms Ward cautioned about donating to controversial charities in someone else’s name.

According to the results of a survey appearing on the Salt Lake City (sltrib.com) website, almost half of the workers surveyed hated what they received as a corporate gift.

Statistics from the survey showed that:

1. 48% of the workers did not like the gift given
2. 32% of the workers felt the gift was not useful
3. 24% felt the gift was cheap
4. 59% said they did not keep the gift
5. 41% said they threw the gift away
6. 22% said they gave the gift to someone else

According to the article, topping the list of horrid corporate gifts included, “Paper weights and calendars… with coffee mugs, stuffed animals, pens, hams and fruitcakes.”

PrimaVista Records who founded by the composer Misha Segal, stated that they will be releasing a CD entitled “Female”.

According to spokesperson, Patricia Caron, “Misha’s music, particularly an improvised piano solo CD collection called ‘Female’ lends itself to the employee gift market. This soothing cross between jazz and classical has been lauded by people across the world. Some say it makes their problems seem to disappear. Others say it’s the perfect remedy for the end of a long work day. Truly, I feel there is no better holiday gift than something that can relax a stressed employee all year ‘round. The ‘Female’ CD does just that.”

The CD has been well received and is said to contain the music that the composer would play for his mother while she was sick with cancer.

Even though it is not openly talked about, an article appearing on corpwatch.org by Floyd Norris, discussed how some companies are finding it necessary to report any corporate gifts given to political parties.

The few companies that will reveal with political parties are recipient of their gifts include big names such as Coca-Cola, Eli Lilly, and Pepsico. However, Walmart is opposed to this idea: “"Because parties with interests adverse to Wal-Mart also participate in the political process to their business advantage, any unilateral expanded disclosure requirements could benefit these parties while harming the interests of Wal-Mart and its shareholders."

However Mr. Norris went wrote that only a handful of companies would state which politicians or political parties they have given “gifts” to. Norris questioned whether the gifts might actually be bribes.

Not too many businesses that specialize in manufacturing corporate gifts can boast about turning customers away. However, according to the New Zealand Herald, Theng Gan started her gift basket company in the garage of her house, and not it has grown to the point of even after hiring new employees, she has to stop answering the phone or block website orders.

These in-demand baskets are usually bought by companies wanting to give away something nice as their corporate gifts. However, the success of this company has mostly been through “word of mouth” advertising, “The company spends little on marketing. "Customers think they are doing us a favor by telling their friends about us. But come Christmas we are turning people away. The fact is we simply can't contain the growth. We really can't go another year near maximum capacity. We must go to the next phase,” stated Gan.

In an article written by Liliana Molina appearing on the Courier-Mail website, Brisbane businesses are prepared to sell out large sums of money for corporate gifts this season. Gifts being purchased are expected to cost between $50-$100 AU dollars.

According to Karen Milne, spokesperson for the Shingle Inn Bakery stated that they “had been making thousands of mince pies and cakes as individual gifts as well as for Christmas hampers”

Ms. Milne went on to say that many businesses were looking for personalized gifts to hand out this year.

Josephine Church, managing director of Logoers, agreed with Milne. Church stated: “You spend all year promoting your brand to customers – Christmas is the time to say 'thank you', not to be shoving your brand at them . . . it's not blanket advertising."

Beyond the usual mince pies and cakes, other businesses are expected to give electronic gifts or leathered covered bottles of wine.

According to Biren Jasani of Select Marketing, “Hotel corporate gifts represent the taste of the hotel and its management. The gift…[should be] useful to the guest during their trip. [But] later, it should work as an ambassador for the hotel”, he stated, as more hotels increase their efforts to promote their business.

The article written by Laura Barnes, and appearing in the online ITP Business magazine, went on to offer tips that hotel chains can adopt to use as a corporate gift and market their service at the same time.

Potential corporate gifts by Select Marketing include a USB cup warmer and a Card Tool Kit.

To read what other gifts businesses are giving away, browse this article.

According to Michelle Nichols of SavySelling International, a corporate gift can strengthen or weaken a business relationship.

Nichols writes on PRWeb.com, that the best gift that a business can give is something that reflects how the company feels about their customers.

The article goes on to provide tips for corporate gifts. These tips include handing out gifts that are creative, yet reminds the person of the company. Other ideas listed include charity donations, flowers, or chocolates.