The “Forgotten Drawer” Effect: Where Most Corporate Gifts End Up

 

The modern business world has a lot of corporate giving. From initial hiring to holiday gift baskets through tradeshow giveaways to giving gifts to customers. Corporate gifts are everywhere! Even with the dedication of time, effort and funding for these types of products, many still suffer at the company level where they are stacked in closets or lost on a shelf forever. 

The "Forgotten Drawer Effect" is a term that describes the situation where professional gifting results in products that are never recalled, valued or utilized for future use. Companies that want to make an impact with corporate gifts and not just create an excess of unused gifts will want to understand why this occurs and how to prevent the situation from happening.

What Is the “Forgotten Drawer” Effect?

The "Forgotten Drawer" Effect is the natural course followed by numerous types of corporate gifts over time. They are as follows:

  • At first they were pleasantly received. 
  • Next they are either used once or not used at all. 
  • After that they are stored away and forgotten about. 

While many of these items may have a high perceived value, a premium price point, or come in an attractive box, because they do not work their way into becoming a regular part of the recipient's lifestyle, the corporate gift does not translate into increased brand awareness or loyalty, nor does it create goodwill for that company's brand. 

This isn't an issue of budget; it is an issue of relevance.

Why Do Corporate Gifts Lose Their Value So Quickly?

1. Lack of Intentionality

A large portion of corporate giving relies on what is on trend, the discounted prices, or the items that are available, as opposed to what the gift actually means. When a corporation selects a gift purely based on filling out a checklist, they are choosing items with no emotional or functional connection to the recipient and will likely result in a predictable outcome; generic gifts.

Recipients immediately know and feel when a gift is given to them without any intent.

2. Overbranding

Promotional clutter can occur when excessive logos and branding overwhelm corporate gift items. If the focus of the gift seems to be more of an advertisement than a kind gesture, then the recipient will likely not use it either in public or on a regular basis.

Branded items that approach branding more subtly typically have a longer lifespan than highly branded items that attempt to draw attention through loud visibility.

3. One-Size-Fits-All Thinking

Different teams, roles, cultures, and ages all require different gifts, but most companies use a "one-size-fits-all" approach to corporate gifting. A gift that is appropriate for one individual may not even be recognized by another.

Using a uniform gift will typically result in a lack of interest in the gift.

The Hidden Cost of Forgotten Corporate Gifts

When company tokens do not meet expectations or go unused, it creates a loss for the business that goes beyond an unused product:

  • Budget loss
  • Branding opportunity loss
  • Employee or client engagement loss
  • Environmental impact from unused items

This is especially true in a time when consumers are more conscious of their spending and concerned about sustainability. Forgotten customized corporate gifts can damage your company’s brand perception. Recipients today are more concerned with the usefulness, quality, and meaning of the gift as opposed to its quantity.

Why Customized Corporate Gifts Perform Better

The “Forgotten Drawer” Effect and its reverse are the opposing directions of use and integration of gifts into everyday life. The major advantage of customizing corporate gifts over generic corporate gifts is the ability to "integrate" a gift into a recipient’s life.

Customized gifts can help businesses:

  • Match the gift to the recipient’s role or lifestyle
  • Help a recipient’s position or brand be represented
  • Create a greater emotional connection
  • Create ongoing use for extended periods of time

For example, an employee uses a customized notebook, has an ergonomic desk accessory that works with their existing office furniture, or uses a premium item each day (the longer it is visible, the more likely it will be remembered).

Functional Value: The Key to Longevity

The most effective business gifts have a common characteristic: they address someone's small issue.

Examples include:

When a gift provides Extra convenience, comfort &/or efficient service, the recipient will not hide or forget it in a drawer. The useful function of the corporate gift increases the frequency of use, which in turn creates memory of the company and its brand.

Emotional Value Matters as Much as Practicality

Business gifting is more empowered by emotions than function. The reason why someone is getting a certain gift can change the way they see that gift's value dramatically—one short message explaining why someone got a gift, or how the gift represents their values, can have a tremendous impact on how that person views that gift. We're not only gonna remember the gifts that we received; we're gonna remember the way that gift made us feel.

The best way that corporate gifting creates meaning is by communicating:

  • Appreciation
  • Respect
  • Inclusion
  • Thoughtfulness

Otherwise, even the very best gift from a corporation will have absolutely no meaning or value.

Sustainability and the Modern Corporate Gift

In recent times, another key reason more and more people do not keep those gifts they received is the heightened public awareness concerning environmental waste. Today's gift recipients will generally ask themselves these two questions before receiving or keeping any gifts. "Will I really use this item?" and "Is this item environmentally sound?". Gifts that are environmentally responsible and sustainable will have the focus on durability and recyclability along with long-term usages. 

Therefore, these types of gifts are supportive of modern values and prevent unnecessary waste and excess consumption. An ideal sustainable gift will remain on a recipient's desk as opposed to being discarded into a drawer.

Rethinking Corporate Gifting Strategy

To prevent the “Forgotten Drawer” effect, businesses must move from transactional gifting to strategic gift-giving.

Companies need to answer these questions when selecting their professional offerings:

  • Who are we sending gifts to?
  • What issue do these gifts address?
  • Will these gifts be used every week, or will they be stored in a drawer?
  • Will these gifts reinforce our company values?

Corporate gifting should not simply be used during special events, instead they should help build relationships.

Where Dausto Makes the Difference

Providing meaningful gifts to clients and employees is often daunting at best, but by using the right platform, the complexities of scale can be broken down into manageable pieces.

Through our platform, Dausto, companies have access to buy their corporate gifting needs in volume; select from a wide array of premium and utilitarian corporate gift products; and design and create their own custom branded products that reflect their company's style and image.

Companies can make informed decisions about quality, price, and scalability when selecting their corporate gifts. Dausto supports all types of corporate gifting programs, including employee gifts, client gifts, and holiday gifts, making it easy to select gifts for any occasion that will be appreciated and used rather than put away in the back of a drawer.

Final Thoughts

A corporate gift should be assessed by how well it remains in the recipient’s life weeks after the company gave it to them and not just its aesthetics on day one (i.e., when it was given). Fortunately, when corporate gifts are created with intention, customized, and provide value to the recipient, the gifts remain high-profile reminders of the company’s trust in the recipient, the establishment of a bond, and the professionalism of their approach to their business. 

Depending on your environment, the quietest gift you can give that creates an impact may actually be the most highly rated one.

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