Corporate gifts, any suggestions?

Corporate gifts, any suggestions?

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Discussion

Ari

Original Poster:

19,328 posts

214 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2023
quotequote all
We're trying to find something nice that we can give to our best clients as a gift. For example, I have a really nice pen, feels substantial and it has a stitched leather wrap around where you hold it. It's the only pen on my desk and I use it all the time and that is a gift from a company that I was involved in some while ago.

What makes it particularly difficult is that our company logo is circular, so what I'd really like is a high quality pen that has our logo on the end of it, not the side (since pens are round, it seems the obvious place and it's a bit less obvious that having it written on the side of the pen). Absolutely cannot find anyone who does this though, although years ago I had a pen from a company that had this.

Any suggestions? Either for pens or indeed for any other useful gift we could give. Most of our clients (at least the people we actually deal with) are management types, which is why I figured we can't go too far wrong with pens but am open to other suggestions.

Many thanks in advance.

StevieBee

12,795 posts

254 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2023
quotequote all
Sat on my desk right now is a gift I received from a printing company around 25 years ago. It's called a linen tester - a small magnifying glass on a metal stand so the glass is always at the right distance. It was more a marketing device that I really liked - came with a little card that you could only really read with the linen tester. It said 'our prices are often quite small as well'. I really liked that and the fact that I still have it shows that the item itself has had some use.


Ari

Original Poster:

19,328 posts

214 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2023
quotequote all
Just Googled it as I couldn't quite work it out, it looks neat.

Probably not quite the thing for us, but great suggestion, thanks.

Eric Mc

121,782 posts

264 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2023
quotequote all
Be careful regarding the giving of gifts to customers/suppliers and how this interacts with the Proceeds of Crime Act and Money Laundering Regulations.

Ari

Original Poster:

19,328 posts

214 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2023
quotequote all
Good advice, but I think with pens worth about a tenner each, we will hopefully duck beneath the FBI's radar. smile

nikaiyo2

4,672 posts

194 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2023
quotequote all
We did some mouse mats printed with logo and some very useful technical info on it. So whenever the person is looking for this bit of tech info, they have it on their desk with our logo on it!

Eric Mc

121,782 posts

264 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2023
quotequote all
Ari said:
Good advice, but I think with pens worth about a tenner each, we will hopefully duck beneath the FBI's radar. smile
The type of Corporate Gift that nobody wants to get smile

Simpo Two

85,149 posts

264 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2023
quotequote all
Eric Mc said:
Be careful regarding the giving of gifts to customers/suppliers and how this interacts with the Proceeds of Crime Act and Money Laundering Regulations.
I suppose a Brinks Mat drinks mat is out then hehe

Voldemort

6,089 posts

277 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2023
quotequote all
Most memorable freebie I received was a wax sealing kit with the seal of a rose in a branded box that held the wax, pan, candles and seal.

Obviously it's absolutely useless but did get played with and I won't name and shame the provider but I still remember their name 20 years later.

Austin_Metro

1,196 posts

47 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2023
quotequote all
Ari said:
We're trying to find something nice that we can give to our best clients as a gift. For example, I have a really nice pen, feels substantial and it has a stitched leather wrap around where you hold it. It's the only pen on my desk and I use it all the time and that is a gift from a company that I was involved in some while ago.

What makes it particularly difficult is that our company logo is circular, so what I'd really like is a high quality pen that has our logo on the end of it, not the side (since pens are round, it seems the obvious place and it's a bit less obvious that having it written on the side of the pen). Absolutely cannot find anyone who does this though, although years ago I had a pen from a company that had this.

Any suggestions? Either for pens or indeed for any other useful gift we could give. Most of our clients (at least the people we actually deal with) are management types, which is why I figured we can't go too far wrong with pens but am open to other suggestions.

Many thanks in advance.
https://www.montblanc.com/en-gb/rollerball-pens_cod34480784411792215.html?gclid=CjwKCAjwzuqgBhAcEiwAdj5dRjeQiMJLEiS-VJeE2ApWnFTKWqyIDfeapvn22vhzl3rV7HPs9NhKwRoC80IQAvD_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Ask Mont Blanc to replace their little badge with yours. E.g pic 4.

pacenotes

274 posts

143 months

Wednesday 22nd March 2023
quotequote all
All the tat should just stay in the ground.

I have convinced marketing to make less but better things. All those cheap pens end up in the bin!

We're looking at getting backpacks, Metal coffee cups and good bags for life.


StevieBee

12,795 posts

254 months

Thursday 23rd March 2023
quotequote all
Simpo Two said:
Eric Mc said:
Be careful regarding the giving of gifts to customers/suppliers and how this interacts with the Proceeds of Crime Act and Money Laundering Regulations.
I suppose a Brinks Mat drinks mat is out then hehe
Say that again when you've had a drink smile

mmm-five

11,227 posts

283 months

Thursday 23rd March 2023
quotequote all
After a company rebranding, we were offered a selection of corporate gifts with the new branding.

They sounded quite decent (golf umbrella, canvas poncho, Cross pen, re-usable steel travel mug, etc.)...but 6 months down the line we all got an email apologising for the delay and to expect our chosen gift within the week.

Instead of the original items we ended up getting alternatives such as a cheap pocket-size umbrella, a bin-plastic poncho, a cheap ballpoint pen, plastic travel mug, branded t-shirt that we were told to only use at corporate events, etc..

My 'golf umbrella' went straight in the bin frown

sinbaddio

2,357 posts

175 months

Thursday 23rd March 2023
quotequote all
I like stuff that’s useful but not run of the mill. For example one of those credit card sized multi tools that you can brand and the customer can use.

adamfawsitt

523 posts

212 months

Thursday 23rd March 2023
quotequote all
We did Camelbak water bottles with a high quality logo print - very well received (and frequently used) by staff and customers alike.

Ari

Original Poster:

19,328 posts

214 months

Thursday 23rd March 2023
quotequote all
sinbaddio said:
I like stuff that’s useful but not run of the mill. For example one of those credit card sized multi tools that you can brand and the customer can use.
That's not a bad idea. smile

Ari

Original Poster:

19,328 posts

214 months

Thursday 23rd March 2023
quotequote all
adamfawsitt said:
We did Camelbak water bottles with a high quality logo print - very well received (and frequently used) by staff and customers alike.
Good one, but we need something small.

Ari

Original Poster:

19,328 posts

214 months

Thursday 23rd March 2023
quotequote all
Eric Mc said:
Ari said:
Good advice, but I think with pens worth about a tenner each, we will hopefully duck beneath the FBI's radar. smile
The type of Corporate Gift that nobody wants to get smile
I suspect the pen I referred to in my OP probably cost about a tenner and I love it. smile

But I forget this is Pistonheads, where powerfully built directors throw anything less than a Montblanc straight in the bin. biggrin

Louis Balfour

26,271 posts

221 months

Thursday 23rd March 2023
quotequote all
Ari said:
We're trying to find something nice that we can give to our best clients as a gift. For example, I have a really nice pen, feels substantial and it has a stitched leather wrap around where you hold it. It's the only pen on my desk and I use it all the time and that is a gift from a company that I was involved in some while ago.

What makes it particularly difficult is that our company logo is circular, so what I'd really like is a high quality pen that has our logo on the end of it, not the side (since pens are round, it seems the obvious place and it's a bit less obvious that having it written on the side of the pen). Absolutely cannot find anyone who does this though, although years ago I had a pen from a company that had this.

Any suggestions? Either for pens or indeed for any other useful gift we could give. Most of our clients (at least the people we actually deal with) are management types, which is why I figured we can't go too far wrong with pens but am open to other suggestions.

Many thanks in advance.
Yes. A paper knife.

I have had this for around twenty years and use it daily. It’s the only corporate gift, out of thousands probably, that I still own.

It’s had so much use the name has worn off the handle, but I still remember who gave it to me.



Simpo Two

85,149 posts

264 months

Thursday 23rd March 2023
quotequote all
I regarded freebies as an opportunity to get my logo in front of prospects (and to keep it in front of clients) so I chose blockpads and coffee mugs. Most other gifts either get passed down to the office cat or shut in a drawer all day so nobody sees them. So it was aA useful item for them and some prime desk space rented for me smile