Incentive - August 2008 - (Page 71)

AWARDS In of the Search Greatest Gift Brookstone’s Always Perfect Chef’s Fork (above), available through Giftback.com, has a built-in digital thermometer, settings for nine different types of food like steak, chicken and fish, and a backlit display for nighttime use Giftback.com will donate 10 percent of every purchase on products like this Citrus Spa basket (below) to charity Professionals in the industry say corporate gift-giving is bigger—and more important—than ever. But there are a few rules to follow when deciding how to reward a client or coworker By Nathan Adkisson and Shayna Jacobs F orget the tired old bottle of wine. Forget the click-clacking balls-onwire desk toy. A corporate gift is a marketing opportunity with the potential to build a lasting and profitable relationship, but deciding what to send requires a good memory and significantly more thoughtful consideration than some professionals are used to exercising. A gifter must take into account factors like the recipient’s age, heritage and dietary preferences. Christi Gibson, executive incentivemag.com director of Recognition Professionals International, says it is not unusual for a company in 2008 to have employees representing four generations, which makes it more difficult to choose the right gift. “You may have traditionalists, baby boomers, Generation Xers, and Millennials,” she says. “A traditionalist may want a gift involving the move toward retirement. Baby boomers want items that will pamper them, like spa treatments.” Gibson suggests frequent polling of | August 2008 | Incentive | 71 http://Giftback.com http://incentivemag.com

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of Incentive - August 2008

Incentive - August 2008
Contents
Editor's Note
In the News
Cover Story: Amgen and Avnet, a Pair of Fortune 200 companies, are taking two very Different Approaches to Rolling out a Global Recognition Program
Incentive Interview: Author, Speaker, Professor, Refugee; Steve L. Robbins’ many hats have led him to ask, “What if ... The World isn’t as We Think It Is?”
Case Study: Rudi’s Organic Bakery Found that an incentive trip with a Strong Social Responsibility Component Works Wonders
Gift Card IQ
Banking on Relationships
Corporate Comics Make Serious Points
Incentive Primer: Tom Miller
Gas Incentives Rev Up
Legal Ease: Pitfalls Beyond Taxes
My Turn: Airline Frequent Flier Programs
Travel News: Where To Go and What To Do
Amalfi Coast: A Classic Italian Destination
Hong Kong: The Original Chinese Incentive
Ireland: South, East, West, and Now North
potentials Here and Now
Electronics: Top Tech Trends
Luxury Goods: Exceptional Awards
Corporate Gifting: Rules and Ideas
Excite and Incent: Spot Rewards
Advertiser Index
Off the Cuff: Hollis H. Malone

Incentive - August 2008