Logoed, Branded Merchandise and Gift Cards Lead Reward Preferences
An Incentive Research Foundation and Incentive Marketing Association study, “Industry Outlook for 2019, Merchandise, Gift Card, and Event Gifting,” demonstrates the potential growth for brands and gift cards in traditional business gift and in imprinted products programs.
Logoed brand-name merchandise tops the list of merchandise rewards and gifts in the latest IRF and IMA “Industry Outlook” study, with consumer electronics the clear favorite, followed by clothing/apparel, sunglasses, sporting/golf items, food gifts, watches/jewelry, and plaques/trophies. Runners up are office accessories, luggage, local handmade goods and crafts, housewares, and flowers. Average value of the reward or gift was $160.
The study, based on a survey of nearly 500 end-users and resellers, found similar trends in gift cards: 73% are brand specific; 76% open loop; 30% have restricted use; and 24% of respondents use vouchers. Surprisingly, over two thirds of buyers say they source gift cards at retail. The most popular merchant types in the survey are coffee, dining, exclusively online retailers, general big-box stores, electronics, music/movies, department stores, home improvement, sporting goods, sunglasses, and gas. Other popular categories are clothing/apparel, travel, beauty, bookstores, accessories and jewelry, grocery, and drugstore.
The study found a generally favorable climate for increased budgets in all categories, notably overall budgets, technology spend, communications, and the number of participants earning a reward. It identified the following factors that affect award selection:
• The company’s financial forecast
• Programs used by competitors
• Perception of the public
• Perception of other internal stakeholders.
Click here for the complete study.
Master the Principles of Enterprise Engagement to Achieve Organizational Goals and Enhance Your Career
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Live Education: Enterprise Engagement in Action Conference at Engagement World, April 3, 2019, in San Francisco, in conjunction with the Selling Power Sales 3.0 Conference. Learn about the economics, framework, and implementation process for an ISO certifiable approach to achieving organizational objectives by strategically fostering the proactive involvement of all stakeholders. Learn more and register now. 
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Plus: 10-minute short course: click here for a 10-minute introduction to Enterprise Engagement and ISO standards on Coggno.com.
Services: The International Center for Enterprise Engagement at TheICEE.org, offering: ISO 10018 certification for employers, solution providers, and Enterprise Engagement technology platforms; Human Resources and Human Capital audits for organizations seeking to benchmark their practices and related Advisory services for the hospitality field.
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Speakers Bureau—Select the right speaker on any aspect of engagement for your next event.
Mergers and Acquisitions. The Engagement Agency’s Mergers and Acquisition group is aware of multiple companies seeking to purchase firms in the engagement field. Contact Michael Mazer in confidence if your company is potentially for sale at 303-320-3777.
Mergers and Acquisitions. The Engagement Agency’s Mergers and Acquisition group is aware of multiple companies seeking to purchase firms in the engagement field. Contact Michael Mazer in confidence if your company is potentially for sale at 303-320-3777.
Enterprise Engagement Benchmark Tools: The Enterprise Engagement Alliance offers three tools to help organizations profit from Engagement. Click here to access the tools.
• ROI of Engagement Calculator. Use this tool to determine the potential return-on-investment of an engagement strategy.
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• Gauge Your Personal Level of Engagement. This survey, donated by Horsepower, enables individuals to gauge their own personal levels of engagement.
For more information, contact Bruce Bolger at Bolger@TheEEA.org, 914-591-7600, ext. 230.
