What Makes an Event Gift Memorable

September 19, 2024

Event gifts can be a great way to express appreciation and create memories and connections that live on long after the event — but not all event gifts are equally effective.

Meeting and event organizers have been providing event gifts for as long as there have been events. But those logo’d pens and baseball caps may not create the memorable connections they once did — even worse, they may end up tossed in a landfill.

Shannon-Ashley Fallon, Senior Events Operations Manager with Fidelity Investments recently reached out to her LinkedIn connections to gauge whether the time-honored tradition of event gifting is still relevant to today’s event participants and, if so, what types of gifts still make an impact. Prevue also asked a few other high-profile event professionals for their thoughts on the topic.

The upshot? According to Edward Perotti, CMP, CMM, EP Events & Experiences, “Gifting continues to be a part of events, but its role has changed. The days of giving generic or extravagant ‘big box’ gifts are fading.” Added Jeniffer Bello, CMP, DES, Creative Executive Producer/President, JB Experiences, “For incentives and even corporate programs, attendees want to feel seen and even a little spoiled. With too much dopamine and activations and insta moments, I found out that gifting is still an effective way to express appreciation, create memorable experiences and foster connections with participants at meetings.”

Here’s more of what these event professionals had to say about the current and future state of event gifts.

Yes, event gifts are still a good way to show appreciation and reinforce the event experience long after the event is over. “For a while, clients were not too into corporate gifting but I am seeing a shift on that… but with a twist,” said Bello.
But not just any gift. One commenter said, “Like any gift, if you cut corners or do it only out of a sense of obligation than you risk it backfiring and becoming a negative symbol.” Another added, “Don’t waste money going cheap — it will end up in a landfill.” Bello added, “Gifting must now represent quality, care, status. Water bottles and chapsticks are out. No more branded tote bags. Attendees are looking for uniqueness in a world where the perception is that access to the best items is easy. The shift is gifting concept as it becomes an experience. This is a revival of the gifting suite.” As one commenter on the LinkedIn post said, “I’d rather have one high quality thing, then a bunch of throwaways that take up space. It’s all about the impact.”
Go light — or not at all — when it comes to branding. As one commenter said, “I have learned over my career, the more subtle the logo the better, too often marketing makes the logo like a billboard on a shirt or gift like NASCAR.” Another added, “. Companies are starting to realize recipients don’t want that. They want a fun phrase, cool image, great message on a product. They need to connect emotionally. The brand is secondary.” Perotti added that unbranded gifts also can be effective — “if the gift is meaningful enough, they’ll remember who gave it; a logo just cheapens it.”
Event gifts that mean the most are sustainable and reusable. No one really needs another magnet or chip clip, as one commenter said. Some event gifts that stand the test of time are blankets, totes and high-quality reusable water bottles.
Consider gifts that are locally made, one-of-a-kind luxury items. Jeanette Alston-Watkins, Regional Meeting & Events Manager, SOPREMA, provided an example of one gift that keeps on giving. “One of my favorite gifts after I did an event in Mexico was a handmade authentic beaded Mexican tequila decanter with shot glasses. I know the work that went into it as we saw someone making it there during our visit to Cabo last year. Whenever I see it, I think back to that wonderful trip.” That’s the impact you’re looking for.
Match the event gift to the activity. Alston-Watkins told of a recent event in Tucson, Ariz., where her organization gave out gifts each day that reflected in some way on what they were doing that day, from blankets and binoculars for stargazing to handmade Kokopelli mugs. “But the final gift everyone loved, loved, loved was the hat-making experience, where they took home their own designed and fitted hats. Everyone said that was icing on the cake of the entire event of experiences.” This is what Bello refers to as the “gifting suite concept.” She said, “You can focus on wellness and mix the gifting with some breathing or stretching exercises. Add some relaxing scent and background sounds to complete the environment. Disposable hand towels or infused water are also great complements.” While wellness is an increasingly popular theme, it could be connection, teamwork, unity or growth, Bello said. “For a better experience, tie up the concept to the gifting itself creating a ‘moment.’ The point is to make it more than just gifting.”She added, “If possible, let the attendees touch and test the item(s). If budget is tight, an image of the product(s) with a QR code with more information is a great alternative.”
Personalized gifts, especially those that attendees can choose for themselves, are the most impactful. Perotti pointed out that on-site or online marketplaces and stores don’t just provide gifts — they also “provide the opportunity for each attendee to select what truly resonates with them. This marks the start of a ‘personalized’ event experience, where each person feels special and appreciated (which is a much larger conversation).”