The Worst Corporate Gifts & How to Gift Properly

Is there a wrong way to say ‘thank you’? Maybe not, but there are certainly weak ways to say it. Corporate gifting is a proven strategy to strengthen relationships, but many employees have been met with underwhelming or disappointing gifts that are poor quality, badly designed, distasteful, or an unfortunate combo of the three. In fact, a 2023 Annual Holiday Gifting Report by Snappy revealed that at least 70% of respondents reported receiving gifts they did not use or want. Let’s dive into the worst corporate gifts and how you can avoid giving them.

The Cost of Giving Bad Employee Gifts

Not only are bad gifts a disappointing reflection of your brand, they’re a complete waste of money and can have environmental repercussions.

Wasted budget

Impractical or poorly-made products will likely not be used or even kept. If you’re investing all that time and money into a corporate gifting campaign, go the extra mile to make sure your gifts are worthy of keeping.

Environmental impact

Unwanted gifts get discarded. It’s that simple. Cheap t-shirts and underwhelming plastic water bottles end up at the top of landfills, contributing to an increasing environmental crisis. Opting for thoughtful and durable gifts that people will find useful helps minimize your environmental impact.

Weakened brand image

When you don’t put much thought or energy into choosing meaningful, quality gifts, people notice. And when your employees are left feeling like an afterthought, it reflects negatively on your brand image.

What Makes a Corporate Gift Truly ‘The Worst’?

Low-quality

Cheap products that are made poorly will break or wear out quickly. Remember, your employees and clients make personal purchasing decisions often based on the quality of design, materials, and manufacturing. Don’t skimp just because it’s a gift!

Overly promotional

Your team may not mind wearing merch featuring your logo, but they don’t want to feel like a walking billboard. Overly promotional gifts may come across as self-serving rather than a genuine token of appreciation. Not every product needs to be directly tied to the brand, but if they are, make sure to design each one tastefully.

Impractical

Have you ever received a gift and wondered, What made this person think that I wanted this? Do they even know me? It gives the impression they didn’t put much thought into it at all — because they didn’t. Prioritize practicality and relevance when browsing products.

Corporate Gifts that Missed the Mark

Sometimes, no gift is better than the alternative. Here are just a few examples we found from Reddit users that were certainly memorable for all the wrong reasons. Watch our holiday “bad gift” roundup: The Naughty List of Corporate Gifting.

• “One year, we were all given single-serving bag of Doritos with a sticker on that said ‘You’re all that and a bag of chips!’ Unsurprisingly, this gift did not have the anticipated effect on employee morale.”

• “One time the CEO dressed up as Santa and handed out gifts that consisted of five year old convention swag. I got a plastic cup and a tiny notebook. All old junk found in a closet somewhere.”

• “3 sheets of company branded stickers. I cut one out to give to my 6 year old nephew, threw the rest in the trash.”

• “A single tube of chapstick with the company name on it. Merry Christmas to you too a**h***s.”

The Secret to Giving Employees Gifts They’ll Actually Use

At Imprint Engine, we guide our clients through four steps to effective corporate gifting so they get the very most out of their time and budget. Plus, we’re informed of the latest and greatest products and designs so every gift is on-brand and on-trend. Read our list of Corporate Gifting Trends from 2024.

1) Recognize the problem

You know that generic gifts aren’t exciting. We challenge you to recognize what “meh” looks like and think outside the box about innovative possibilities. This is a simple first step to making better gifting decisions.

2) Know your team

Take the time to understand what your employees actually like [to use, to wear, to consume, to do, etcetera]. It may be beneficial to gather preferences via survey so gifts can be tailored to individual interests.

3) Choose merchandise that matters

Once you know what people do and don’t like to receive, you can take a more informed approach to browsing. We’ll introduce you to vendors and brands that make stuff your employees or clients would genuinely want to wear and use, despite whether or not you’ve slapped your logo on it.

4) Execute flawlessly

Now that you’ve got the perfect, high-quality products picked out, we help you design them flawlessly, produce them quickly, and deliver them promptly. Curious about how our process works in-depth? Read more about how we work.

What Thoughtful Corporate Gifting Says About Your Company

Thoughtful gifts can be powerful tools for connection, motivation, and celebration. A Deloitte report shows that companies with well-planned recognition programs, including gifting, see a 32% improvement in company culture.

It shows that you value your team of employees

Choosing meaningful, useful gifts that are on-brand for your employees shows that you understand them. Proving that you are paying attention to their preferences will foster a greater sense of respect for your team.

It strengthens relationships

Like the Deloitte statistic suggests, corporate gifting reflects a strong and positive company culture. Giving thoughtful gifts shows employees you prioritize them and ultimately results in better retainment and engagement.

Sidestep the sh*tshow with Imprint Engine

Showing appreciation is never a bad idea, but showing appreciation via crappy products and badly designed merch is definitely a bad practice. By partnering with Imprint Engine, we’ll guide you through the latest trends and out-of-the-box ideas to create a gifting experience that leaves a lasting positive impression. Plus, we’ll do everything else from design and production to fulfillment and reconciliation without all the needless logistical headaches. Watch how we sidestep the sh*tshow.