A flat-screen television, a fine watch, or a pair of designer sunglasses will bring people years of enjoyment. But studies have found that making the process of receiving that merchandise incentive award into an experience may provide an even more enduring memory -- and so-called "merchandise bars" can provide a richer and more satisfying experience for attendees than a gift alone.
As a result, incentive planners are embracing customized, interactive gifting experiences in a big way. According to the Incentive Research Foundation (IRF), almost 70 percent of events are now incorporating some sort of brand-name merchandise experience.
"Providing a unique gift and distributing it in a unique way creates excitement and memories that are talked about for years amongst colleagues," says Bret Williams, director of event services at Links Unlimited, a loyalty, incentive, and corporate gifting company based in Cincinnati, OH. "This disseminates throughout the company, and that ideally incentivizes the next person."
Hot merchandise gifting options, according to Williams, include RayBan and Oakley sunglasses, Beats by Dre headphones, Michael Kors watches, Fitbit exercise bands, Amazon Echo, Amazon tablets, and Sonos wireless speakers and home audio systems.
In general, merchandise bars involve setting up an array of products, and attendees at the event choose their favorite. This can be a number of items from a single brand -- such as different styles of sunglasses or watches -- that are generally in the same price range. Another way is to offer a wider selection of item categories -- companies like Links Unlimited can offer some or all of the items Williams mentioned.
It is also important that the awards have a high perceived value, and that means a brand name. A Bulova watch -- a piece of jewelry that tells time -- fits this bill. For its Gift in Time watch experience, Bulova representatives set up a branded display from which recipients can choose their own watch and then get it fitted. Recipients try on different watches and mingle with each other as they compare different colors and styles, offering suggestions and bonding over the experience.
"It combines an element of entertainment with getting a personal choice," says Adrienne Forrest, vice president, corporate sales for New York City-based Bulova Corporation. "We have enough of a variety so everybody will find something they will like. We can also arrange to have a jeweler on site, who will fit the watchband. It offers instant gratification as the recipient can wear their new watch on site."
Connect With the Destination
"Personalized and custom gifts, trunk shows, and pop-up boutiques have been a trend in many of our events," says Tina Gaccetta, vice president of client services for Minneapolis-based Aimia, a leading loyalty and incentive company. The company has arranged for silk-scarf boutiques in France, leather-glove fittings in Italy, and customized perfumes in Monaco. "A combination of offerings is even better. Something from the destination, the latest tech thing, and a gift in which they choose," adds Gaccetta. Havaianas Sandals, Wallaroo Hats, Western belts, Toms shoes and handbags, and a "pick-a-gift" station where Kate Spade handbags were a hit, were all part of events Aimia has facilitated this spring.
For a Mexican program, Aimia created a gifting experience that took on the appearance of a local market. There was a mix of local vendors along with a Maui Jim fitting for the group to take part in. The market was not only interactive but became part of the décor.
She stresses that these experiences are not replacing pillow gifts, just supplementing them. "It's still a delight to get to your room and find a gift waiting. Technology items -- like Bluetooth speakers, headsets, and GoPro video cameras with accessories -- work well," she adds. "These are always fun to give on-site, as people start to use them immediately."
Global Gifting, a full-service event experience company based in Southern California, provides the best brands available in electronics, sunglasses, watches, bicycles, fashion, jewelry, and fragrances, and ties into a custom gifting experience that will enhance the event.
"We really looked at the marketplace and saw that the high-end gift industry was a growing category and really wanted to bring a different spin on it with some fresh and new products and brands," say John Crisci, cofounder and president, and Jim McGory, cofounder and chairman of Global Gifting.
The future is bright for customized gift events. "More and more people aspire to see their own personalized thumbprint on things they acquire," says Melissa Van Dyke, president of the Incentive Research Foundation. "Creating the 'wow' gifting experience of the future will require deep understanding of the options people would like to customize and of the process they're willing to engage in to make those customizations happen."
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This article appears in the July/August 2016 issue of Incentive.
Go Big and Go Home
Bose noise-cancelling headphones hit the sweet spot for incentive awards, particularly for salespeople and executives who are frequently on the road. Highly coveted but a little pricey to buy yourself without serious thought, the over-ear, on-ear, and in-ear Bose QuietComfort line is a perennial top redeemer in incentive merchandise programs of all types. But there are plenty of other Bose products, from small but powerful portable Bluetooth speakers to large, home surround-sound packages.
All of them can be incorporated into an on-site Bose Event Experience, says Patrick Corley, vice president of event experiences for Incentive Concepts, a St. Louis-based supplier of incentive merchandise. But while smaller items like headphones can be picked up on the spot, larger awards are best shipped directly to the recipients' homes.
At a recent convention, the Bose Event Experience team created several "man caves" in a ballroom, complete with leather couches and flat-screen TVs. "Everyone congregated here whenever they had free time," says Corley. "The last day, we asked each attendee which setup they liked the best, and where they would like it shipped."
Incentive Concepts will bring staff and customize these experiences to match the event, attendees, and budget. Another option is to give out Bose Event Cards, which allow recipients to go to a custom YourEventCard.com website on their return and choose an award from the array they saw during the incentive trip. Nor is this offering limited to Bose items.
Incentive Concepts has done this with other items such as bicycles in partnership with Zane's Cycles for the new Trek Event Experience featuring mountain bikes, beach cruisers, fitness, or commuter bikes.
Attendees view and choose a bike by style and color, and are measured for the right frame size and setup. Then the bikes are shipped to their homes all assembled and sized, with just the handlebar and peddles to attach.
Another popular option is Signature Events' Custom Nike Design program. "It's a truly interactive experience, says Dan Walker, president of Signature Events. "Attendees are fitted properly with tennis shoes that they then get to design and customize" -- everything from the color of the uppers to the Nike Swoosh.
Selection and Service
This service element is another important feature of a merchandise bar, both in making it memorable and differentiating it from the traditional pillow gift.
The merchandise bar concept started in 2000 with Maui Jim, and service was an integral part of the offering, says Peoria, IL-based Brett Hatch, senior director of global corporate gifts for the sunglasses company. He can service groups as small as 25 to more than 5,000.
"I was working with a large financial company and I offered to come out and do a fitting during their event at the Ritz-Carlton in Cancun. They wanted us to do a pillow gift/room drop and I said that we could offer a fitting experience for the group," says Hatch. Maui Jim recipients have the chance to try on different styles and colors, assisted by a trained staffer who can advise on what best suits their face and also custom-fit the sunglasses.
The company adds further value to the fitting experience by offering customized cases, cleaning cloths, and pouches with the name of the event or customer. "These items can be left in each guest room as a pillow gift with a note that says 'come down to our meeting room tomorrow and pick out a pair of sunglasses,'" says Hatch.
"It sends a message that we care and we want to give you something that is going to be useful," says John Marzuki, an account executive at Chicago-based BCD Meetings & Incentives, who has used the Maui Jim experience with clients.
"We take care of all shipping details, duties and taxes, and our flights," Hatch says, noting that this makes it a seamless experience for both the recipients and the planners.