Must Read | Gifting Survey What’s On Consumers’ Wishlists? Peter Hawk, MAS, president of ASAP Promotions, a distributorship based in Cranberry Township, Pennsylvania, knows that a “onesize-fits-all” solution doesn’t exist for holiday gifts. “So many questions have to be answered before you give gift suggestions to your client,” Hawk, a 41-year industry veteran, says. “Most importantly, your client has to know what their employee wants.” According to the survey, more than half (53.7%) of consumers favor apparel and fashion accessories as holiday gifts (see Fig. 1), followed by food and beverages (49.9%), wellness and self-care products (44.2%), tech gadgets (41.4%) and home décor (40.4%). Despite consumers’ fondness for physical gifts, only a little more than half (53.5%) expect to receive a company-logoed holiday present from their employer. Meanwhile, 58% anticipate receiving a gift card from the company they work for (see Fig. 2). “We’ve had clients consider going with gift cards, but if you build a gift program with thoughtfulness in curating gifts, recipients anticipate them much more each year and your program becomes iconic,” says Tom Hanchette, president and founder of Identity Works, a distributor based in West Salem, Wisconsin. “We’ve had clients’ team members talk about gifts they received years ago,” he says. “They know much thoughtfulness and appreciation for them went into selecting those gifts. There’s no way you get that result with cash or gift cards.” It’s The Thought That Counts Holiday gifting done right will make recipients feel valued, help build relationships and cultivate loyalty to your brand. However, that doesn’t necessarily mean your clients have to break the bank. Nearly half (46.7%) of consumers say the cost of a gift doesn’t affect their satisfaction (see Fig. 3), and 36% say they’re more likely to appreciate practical gifts rather than luxurious ones, according to the survey. Peter Hawk, MAS Tom Hanchette 53.7% 49.9% 44.2% 41.4% 40.4% 4.4% Fig. 1: Favorite Holiday Gift Categories Apparel and fashion accessories Food and beverages Wellness and self-care products Tech gadgets Home décor (including holiday ornaments) Other Fig. 2: What Holiday Gift Do You Anticipate Receiving From Your Employer? Gift cards Other Company-branded merchandise Tech gadgets Personalized office supplies 58.2% 14.6% 10.9% 9.2% 7.0% Value or cost does not affect satisfaction 46.7% Higher value or cost increases satisfaction 31.0% Lower value or cost increases satisfaction 12.0% Unsure/no opinion 10.4% Fig. 3: Does The Value Or Cost Of A Holiday Gift Influence Your Satisfaction? 46.7% 31.0% 12.0% 10.4% 52% of consumers generally desire exclusive discounts or coupons and limited edition products as holiday gifts from brands they support. 60 • SEPTEMBER 2023 • PPAI
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NzU4OQ==