Give what and receive what.
Give something and get something.
It was told by the ancient poet Epimachus, who is estimated to have lived in 530-440 BC.
This saying reflects the dynamic of giving and receiving gifts.
In this article we will not deal with the concept of gift giving in general but will focus very specifically on corporate gifts and follow their evolution with a historical review from the birth of the industry to the present day.
How the corporate gift started
H Launch of this custom dates back to the early 1900s when companies started giving their employees small items such as key chains and pens with the company name on them.
We would say that the purpose behind this move is a far cry from the motives that drive 21st century businessmen to give gifts.
The inherent difference then is that the goal of the earlier ones was marketing.
They wanted to use it to get the brand known and achieve free promotion through employees.
So in today’s terms, their goal was to increase the awareness and investing in branding. Today’s managers have a completely different goal which we will discuss below.
Moving forward in time, halfway through the last century, we see a greater variety in corporate gifts.
Wine, shirts, notebooks and coffee mugs are some examples of what was offered, always of course with the logo. of the company logo clearly placed on the item.
Corporate gift during the pandemic
Coming to today, we see a boom in corporate gifting.
The main cause is the advent of the pandemic.
Employees on a huge scale have been forced to leave their offices and work remotely.
As a result, industrial relations took a severe hit.
Employees lost contact with their colleagues, new employees started working from home without knowing their team and all meetings took place via online platforms.
The entrepreneurs were therefore faced with a challenge in which interpersonal relationships had been weakened and team cohesion had suffered.
The gifts are therefore reintroduced with a new and improved version.
Now companies are aiming for something more important than readability.
They are aiming at investing in the human factor and ensuring a good atmosphere between the parties.
Employees with gift giving cease to feel just a number in this digital work environment but a unique and irreplaceable personality.
Receiving a gift in the flesh introduces the face-to-face experience at work and offers an interpersonal approach.
Benefit from the process beyond the tightening of relationships is clearly an increase in productivity.
According to research, employees were asked how they feel when they receive corporate gifts from employers.
81% of employees said they felt appreciated and 45% said the act made them feel more connected and loyal to the company.
Consequently, this connection translates into caring about the company’s progress and ultimately an increase in productivity.
Financial data on the corporate gift
Because of all these positive effects, the corporate gifting market is booming worldwide.
The new study estimates that the corporate gift market will reach $242 billion this year and will continue to grow at a CAGR of 8.1% through 2024 while in comparison, personal gifts are expected to grow at only 6% by then.
About 60% of all corporate gifts will be spent on gifts to customers and partners outside the organization and 40% on internal recognition and employee awards.
It is therefore clear that such an investment pays off in all the areas where the company wants to grow. SummerChristmas, Easter or festive, corporate gifts are sure to bring great joy to the recipients.
The evolution of the corporate gift
The evolution of the corporate gift
Antiquity
Give what and receive what. Give something and get something. It was told by the ancient poet Epimachus, who is estimated to have lived in 530-440 BC. This saying reflects the dynamic of giving and receiving gifts. In this article we will not deal with the concept of gift giving in general but will focus very specifically on corporate gifts and follow their evolution with a historical review from the birth of the industry to the present day.
How the corporate gift started
H Launch of this custom dates back to the early 1900s when companies started giving their employees small items such as key chains and pens with the company name on them. We would say that the purpose behind this move is a far cry from the motives that drive 21st century businessmen to give gifts. The inherent difference then is that the goal of the earlier ones was marketing. They wanted to use it to get the brand known and achieve free promotion through employees. So in today’s terms, their goal was to increase the awareness and investing in branding . Today’s managers have a completely different goal which we will discuss below.
Moving forward in time, halfway through the last century, we see a greater variety in corporate gifts. Wine, shirts, notebooks and coffee mugs are some examples of what was offered, always of course with the logo. of the company logo clearly placed on the item.
Corporate gift during the pandemic
Coming to today, we see a boom in corporate gifting. The main cause is the advent of the pandemic. Employees on a huge scale have been forced to leave their offices and work remotely. As a result, industrial relations took a severe hit. Employees lost contact with their colleagues, new employees started working from home without knowing their team and all meetings took place via online platforms. The entrepreneurs were therefore faced with a challenge in which interpersonal relationships had been weakened and team cohesion had suffered.
The gifts are therefore reintroduced with a new and improved version. Now companies are aiming for something more important than readability. They are aiming at investing in the human factor and ensuring a good atmosphere between the parties. Employees with gift giving cease to feel just a number in this digital work environment but a unique and irreplaceable personality. Receiving a gift in the flesh introduces the face-to-face experience at work and offers an interpersonal approach. Benefit from the process beyond the tightening of relationships is clearly an increase in productivity. According to research , employees were asked how they feel when they receive corporate gifts from employers. 81% of employees said they felt appreciated and 45% said the act made them feel more connected and loyal to the company. Consequently, this connection translates into caring about the company’s progress and ultimately an increase in productivity.
Financial data on the corporate gift
Because of all these positive effects, the corporate gifting market is booming worldwide. The new study estimates that the corporate gift market will reach $242 billion this year and will continue to grow at a CAGR of 8.1% through 2024 while in comparison, personal gifts are expected to grow at only 6% by then. About 60% of all corporate gifts will be spent on gifts to customers and partners outside the organization and 40% on internal recognition and employee awards.
It is therefore clear that such an investment pays off in all the areas where the company wants to grow. Summer Christmas, Easter or festive, corporate gifts are sure to bring great joy to the recipients.