‘Tis the season for corporate gifting

Personal relationships lie at the core of Asia’s cultures and gift giving is often an integral part of building these relationships. Yet it is far from easy, especially in the Hong Kong landscape where western clients are a key part of the client and employee mix. It demands a deep understanding of culture and tradition. A gift chosen without this knowledge may be unlucky, it may go against local tradition, or it may have negative connotations the giver simply isn’t aware of. This culture runs deep in the veins of many Asian firms, from the largest multinational to the smallest family-run business, making the act of gift giving extremely difficult for the new arrivals in the region.

Often, the choice of corporate gifts falls to a company’s HR team, who must expend time and effort selecting or developing gifts that will be enjoyed by clients or employees. It is down to HR professionals to source gifts that are appropriate for a firm’s leading clients, or thousands of employees who vary in ages, interests and cultures.

HR professionals operating in the region have taken this mandate to heart, sinking significant resources into developing and producing corporate gifts. Unfortunately promotional gifts are often impersonal, uninspired and unmemorable—from pens and wallets branded with company logos to the welcome, but hardly exciting, desk clocks. A growing trend in Asia may be the answer to the corporate gifting dilemma: experiential gifting.

Experiential gifting is the gift of an experience rather than a material item. One of the fastest growing segments in the USD 253 billion-per-year global gifting industry, experience gifts can range from adventures such as bungee jumping, spa treatments, city tours and gourmet experiences at leading restaurants. The gift of an experience rather than a paperweight can be memorable without being radical, and personal without being inappropriate. As they are easy to purchase in large numbers and they bypass many of Asia’s gift giving taboos they are an obvious choice for corporate gifts.

One company in Hong Kong, quick to recognise the benefits of experiential gifting to Hong Kong’s time-poor consumers, is Red Packet who came up with over 20 themed packages—each offering different experiences for staff or clients. The fact that the packages are themed affords HR a more personal touch in selecting the most appropriate one for individual staff members and key clients. At the same time recipients are still provided with the freedom to choose an experience from within each package that most appeals to them.

Gerard Belicha, the company’s Managing Director, was confident this approach would be particularly relevant for corporate gifting. Belicha explained, “The beauty of experiential gifting is that it is a completely fresh approach to gifting, and we are literally enabling people to give their clients the gift of choice. A good gift is one that is meaningful and personal and by gifting an experience, which is chosen by your client, you can ensure that they will enjoy it and even better remember you for it.”

Packages can be customised to company specifications, including branding and logos. Companies can select the overall theme of their gifts such as wellness, gastronomy or fitness, and then under this umbrella theme recipients can select from a range of related experiences such as a spa journey at a five-star Hotel, bungee jumping or a personal dinner for eight of their friends. This customisation ensures that no matter who the recipient is, they will receive a gift that is memorable, enjoyable and personalised.