subject: Are Disposable Corporate Gifts Indicative Of A Disposable Marketing Campaign? [print this page] The end of the year is one of the few times where everyone stops to reflect on the months that have passed. Newspapers dedicate column inches to dissecting what has gone on over the last 12 months, while television shows highlight what they consider to be the highlights and the lowlights of the year.
This period of reflection is rare in the modern world, where everything has to be on demand and tailored to meet our requirements. Whether it's news, transport or food, everything is all about the now and those that don't keep up are left behind.
Whether we like it or not, the fast pace of the world has us all caught up in it, and from sandwiches on the train to 24hr news, the fast and disposable nature of all aspects of life are becoming a normal part of our days.
Food and information are both consumed in the same way, quickly and with little regard for quality content, and it seems that the time for taking in and appreciating what we are exposed to in everyday life is being restricted to the bare minimum.
It is becoming the same in marketing, with modern campaigns designed to launch themselves onto our televisions and a computer screens with witty ideas and catchy songs only to fade into the background once they are considered old or annoying after a matter of weeks.
This disposability of marketing content spreads throughout a campaign, with all of the peripherals being affected. Physical objects such as promotional gifts that are used to raise awareness of the campaign are soon jettisoned to the waste paper bin once the content becomes old fashioned or unfashionable. As well as the obvious environmental concerns attached with that it also raises the question of how sustainable a marketing campaign can be by using this method, and brings into doubt the longevity of any effect it may have.
So for those who are looking to the long term, what options are there for building a brand identity and securing your reputation of quality in the eyes of existing and potential customers?
For those that want to aim for the longer term and look beyond the disposable nature of some promotional products, executive corporate gifts can be the answer. They are like a fine steak compared to a cheeseburger or Newsnight compared to Live at Studio 5 (if you'll pardon the comparisons!), corporate executive gifts offer a more refined, meaningful and long standing item that will look beyond the instant and build your brand with the people that matter in the long term. Short term marketing certainly has its place, but establishing your brand in the eyes of your customers with premium corporate gifts will have a more meaningful impact than sending more disposable promotional gifts aimed to highlight your latest campaign.
Marketing to your best customers shouldn't be about blinding them with your latest flashy campaign, it should be about building a lasting relationship based on high quality principles, so sending them a disposable gift shouldn't even be considered for your very best trading partners.
Take your foot off the gas and build for the long term with your best customers in order to build a strong and lasting partnership that will benefit you both. If you are looking to increase your brand presence when marketing to new and potential customers, use corporate gifts to make a powerful impression that will set you above your competition, and make sure you are not using disposable marketing with your best clients.
