| Personalization and practicality are driving corporate | | | | highlighted the following goals as the most important |
| gift giving, according to researchers; and the | | | | for corporate gift givers:o Expression of warmth and |
| popularity of corporate food gifts is growing as | | | | appreciationo Invoking a positive feeling in the |
| companies seek to gain the greatest benefits from | | | | recipiento Creating a reminder of the company |
| year-end client and customer gifting campaigns. | | | | Food gifts from a corporate office can create a |
| A survey done in 2006 by American Express | | | | positive association with the company brand. Experts |
| revealed that almost half of corporate gift selections | | | | say that the newest trend in corporate gifting is |
| are now food-related, replacing the flowers and gift | | | | personalization, and many companies are turning to |
| cards that have dominated in previous years. | | | | baked goods for gifts that can easily be customized. |
| Flexibility, selection, and the near-universal appeal of | | | | Marketing expert Terry Keating notes that gifts |
| indulgent foods allow businesses to easily find a | | | | personalized with the recipient's name are now |
| customized solution that invokes a positive feeling | | | | outselling the logo items that dominated past holiday |
| and a sense of bonding in recipients. | | | | seasons. |
| Companies looking for personalized, high-impact | | | | Another important factor contributing to food being a |
| business gifts have a new array of choices thanks to | | | | popular gift option is staying within a budget, but as |
| the growing number of bakeries online that offer | | | | Senior Producer Derek Gerry explains, value is just as |
| nationwide delivery and one-stop shopping for | | | | important. "If you're looking to stand out, or if you're |
| multiple corporate gift needs. | | | | looking for a higher response rate from recipients, |
| "There's something personal about food that flowers | | | | you need to consider the power of food. You're |
| and gift cards can't deliver," notes Stephen Pazyra, | | | | giving your clients something they can immediately |
| CEO of 1-800-Bakery.com, whose hand-selected, | | | | enjoy, something that extends the value of your |
| award-winning bakeries have helped clients such as | | | | brand," he said. |
| Domino's Pizza and Blue Cross/Blue Shield of California | | | | Companies such as also offer faster turnaround and |
| with thank- you and promotional product programs. | | | | delivery times, with corporate gift orders processed |
| "The response we hear from our clients is always, | | | | and delivered in weeks rather than months. Custom |
| 'The recipients were amazed. We got a terrific | | | | messages can be adapted to cookie shapes or to |
| response.' I think a big part of the appeal is the | | | | cake tops, and gift-wrapping and additional messaging |
| thoughtfulness that these corporate gifts convey." | | | | can be included in the delivery, providing a complete |
| It is no surprise then that baked goods are a good | | | | turnkey solution for corporate giving. Expertise in |
| match to what is currently expected from gift | | | | shipping and discounts from major shipping partners |
| recipients. The trend report from the Motivation | | | | allows them to provide the best possible shipping |
| Show held last September in Chicago, Illinois, | | | | rates. |