Festive season and corporate gifting

Around the world, the act of gift-giving gains more significance during festive seasons. Festive seasons are all about extravagance, indulging, and exchange of love and goodwill. Experts say that gift-giving fosters stronger relationships and this applies to business relationships as well. Corporate gifts have now become a trend followed by all leading brands and companies, especially during the festive seasons.

Corporate gifting is much more complex when compared to personal gifting. Several stakeholders such as employees, customers, business associates, and other benefactors have to be reviewed year after year. Names on the gifting list and levels of priority may keep changing too. Also, corporate gifts are expected to leave a lasting impression on the receiver’s mind.

 Corporate executives tend to find this otherwise simple task a bit daunting because corporate gifts have to be appreciated by a wide variety of people with very different mindsets. Practical aspects such as gifting budgets, the timeline of deliveries, etc also come into play.

Festivals are times of togetherness, occasions to spread joy and happiness and put a smile on each other’s face. Times have changed and most companies have shifted from giving traditional gifts to customizing gifts to advertise their brand or particularly suit the taste of the receiver. Trends reveal that the business of selling corporate gifts is a booming one, especially during festival times.

Festivals like Diwali(In India), Lunar New Year(Singapore, Taiwan, Vietnam, China, etc), Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year(Western countries and other parts of the world), Id and Ramadan(countries like UAE with a significant Muslim population) are the times when most companies choose to give corporate gifts. The fact that popular online shopping websites like Amazon have introduced the corporate gifts store is a sign that clearly the trend is gaining popularity in India as well with every passing year. This

Also, companies have started getting a bit more innovative in their choice of gifts. Instead of giving away the same old boring coffee mugs and photo frames, they are now looking at home essentials, gold and silver coins, gift cards, customised gift hampers, chocolates, sweetmeats, care packages, wearables, speakers and even headphones are some of the items that are chosen as corporate gifts.

Like they say, ultimately it’s the thought that counts. You might be tired of being faced with the task of picking gifts for 100+ employees whom you don’t even know personally. Just think about the fuzzy feeling you felt the last time you got a surprise gift. Enough inspiration to make those gifts less boring and more meaningful.