ASI Says Corporate Gift Giving Trending
More Nice Than Naughty

Companies budgeting the same on holiday gifts to employees and clients,
but spending more per gift

Gift givers told ASI they considered an item’s attractiveness, durability and usefulness when selecting what to give. Items that are eco-friendly or made in the U.S. were the least important factors this year.

According to ASI’s Advantages magazine annual “Gift Guide,” companies should pay strict attention to packaging. While gifts like Swiss chocolate towers will disappear fast, food and drinks presented in an attractive basket, bowl or wine carrier will remind recipients of the giver all year long. And don’t forget branding. This year, 68% of corporate gifts will sport a company logo.

Advantages also suggests companies be unique, whether in thoughtfulness, coolness or functionality. One client raved about receiving a custom pink superhero cape imprinted with her company logo as a thank you, which made her feel like Wonder Woman. Another company gave employees a custom skateboard designed by the agency’s own creative team to symbolize their company’s “ride into the future.”

ASI conducted a nationwide survey of respondents from a cross-section of industries who were screened to have a personal role in decisions about procuring corporate gifts for either employees or clients/prospects.

For more information about ASI’s survey, contact Nate Kucsma, ASI’s market research director, at nkucsma@asicentral.com.

About ASI
The Advertising Specialty Institute (ASI) is the largest media, marketing and education organization serving the promotional products industry, with a network of over 25,000 distributors and suppliers throughout North America. ASI leads the industry in technology solutions, providing cloud-based e-commerce, enterprise resource planning software (ERP) and customer relationship management software (CRM). ESP Web^® is the industry’s leading tool for sourcing hundreds of thousands of products. A family-owned business since 1962, ASI also provides online research, marketing, advertising opportunities, trade shows, education, award-winning magazines, newsletters, custom websites and catalogs to help members sell, market and promote their brands. Visit ASI at www.asicentral.com and on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, YouTube and the CEO’s blog.

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