4 Incentive Gifts That Help Attendees Tell Their Story (slideshow)

Some of the most well received corporate incentive gifts tell a story. Scratch that. Some of the most well received incentive gifts help attendees tell their story. This can mean many things to many people—from donning the perfect shades for a day on the course to choosing a timepiece, a potential family heirloom, that withstands the test of time. Whatever the goal may be, here are a few exciting gift experiences for starting the narrative.

A sun glasses fitting at the Great Wall of China? No problem.

Or how about a golf outing or pro-am event where attendees are professionally fitted with a world-class pair of sunglasses they get to choose themselves. Brett Hatch, global manager for Maui Jim, and his team have arranged both of these in the past, but he also says as one of the industry’s most turnkey and seamless operations with 15 years of experience, Maui Jim is highly scalable. “From an intimate gathering of just 25 to groups of 5,000+, we have the resources to accommodate any-sized group while still delivering a quality brand experience.”

Maui Jim can deliver a lens for every lifestyle to anywhere in the world. The technology behind the sunglasses—over 125 styles in all, seven using the cutting edge PolarizedPlus2® lens—essentially makes your attendees look good while also offering “shades” of protection from UVA and UVB rays. The company manufactures their own products in Maui, which grants them an edge in customization and service, whether customized cases and cloths or pouches with the name of the event or attendee. The beautiful Hawaii setting also bestows a sense of mahalo, we’re sure.

“If you wisely invest in beauty, it will remain with you all the days of your life.”

It’s a quote by famed architect Frank Lloyd Wright that also resonates with the Bulova Corporation, a manufacturer of watches and clocks since the late 19th century, including a Frank Lloyd Wright collection. Like Wright, whose sense of harmony between nature and man rendered America’s first organic architect, Bulova strives to help attendees choose watches that are in sync with them.

With Bulova’s “Gift In Time” program—which spans all four of the company’s major brands—planners just pick the plan and product and a dedicated team creates a customized and highly memorable experience for attendees—from shipping and box presentations to displays, signage, tablecloths or shopping bags. On-site sizing is also available—and with watches being a top heirloom item, choosing a watch is bound to be a meaningful for attendees.

“The beauty of the Bulova Gift In Time watch experience,” says Adrienne Forrest, VP of corporate sales, “is that it offers the recipient the opportunity to select their own gift from a variety of styles—the experience is fun for attendees, it’s part of the entertainment of the event.”

Fun and engaging incentive experiences where the price is always right.

At a recent Rymax event, attendees were randomly given a card with a combination on it upon check-in. Later in the event, they were brought into a room full of safes, where they used their combinations to claim whatever was locked inside. Gifts ranged from high-end sunglasses and electronics to $5,000 in cash.

Rymax’s “pick a gift” incentive experience, held for a major telecom provider’s annual summit, is another case in point. Employees were brought into a ballroom where they were each allowed to pick a gift valued between $200 and $500 from brands such as Apple, LG, Kate Spade, Ray-Ban and Denon. Due to the success of these events the provider’s employees have given Rymax the highest score ever received by a vendor on their post event satisfaction survey.

“We are also about to execute an employee scavenger hunt as part of major Pharmaceutical client’s yearly summit,” says John Mangini, marketing manager for Rymax. “Employees will form teams and race around the venue and city looking for clues and solving puzzles. Based on where each team finishes they will receive a preset number of points that they can then use to ‘shop’ for merchandise from a catalog Rymax designed specifically for the event.”

Luggage, in particular, is no longer a black box on wheels. It’s part of your wardrobe.

The folks at Tumi believe that luggage, like fashion accessory, is an extension of who you are. A satchel bag or a business case is worn on one’s body, after all, and is as much an expression of personality as a watch, a jewelry, sunglasses or shoes.

Somewhere along the path of fulfilling a practical need luggage became a personal statement. Many of the high-end fashion brands featured luggage with their runway models last year, and a two-story Rolex shop opened up in Hong Kong airport last year. Airports are another matter altogether, as they have evolved over past years to include a vast array of active lifestyle commodities such as upscale restaurants, yoga studios and spas even as the TSA tightens up on what is allowed during air travel.

“The only way to stay ahead of the airline’s ever changing requirements is by updating what one travels with,” says Mike Landry, VP of special markets for Tumi. Landry adds that it’s really more about “perfecting the journey.”

Tumi continues to be in the business of high style, durability and function. For attendees, it’s a fun way to tell the world who they really are without saying a word. Tumi offers decorating services such as logo embroidery, designs and personalization on ballistic or leather products.