good or interesting corporate gifts

Kintarō Hattori

A few years back I was given a Mont Blanc pen which was a nice enough item to get. The only trouble is, my jobs over the years have all been computer based and I rarely ever use a pen. I still have it and think I've used it about 3 times in the last 7 years.

silliussoddius

A ham at Christmas from a company I worked for in Australia.

AndrewJRenko

I still use a Samsonite luggage trolley that I got in my FMCG multinational days. I have a nice leather folder from the same shower too.

Nigel Fairservice

I got a few dinners for 2 at a fine dining restaurant I worked at. Dinner for 2 would probably come to about $300 so not a bad one to get.

Pawwed Rig

I got a PC from my work in the early 2000s that was worth about €1,000. Everyone got one at the time and it was solely for our own use as opposed to having to do any work on it. They also used to give us heaps of vouchers for Blanchardstown Centre. Good times

downtheroad

I was on an audit of Luxottica who make most of the branded sunglasses for sale. We were each allowed to buy one paid for cost price (in hindsight that shouldn't have been allowed but the partner approved it and sure I was only the juniorest junior).

I got a pair of Oakleys for near nothing.

The mark up on those sunglasses is criminal.

magicbastarder

I used to work in the building luxottica were based in. They had a sale every six months or so, I assume ex demo or end of the line stuff. It was always mobbed.

banie01

One of my very 1st perks as an employee was a launch day PS2 back in 2000, I was working abroad and setting a stock control and EPOS system. Working long days getting everything done. My boss at the time knew it was my birthday and that I was pulling 80hr weeks getting the project over the line. As part of a nice bonus package he arranged for a PS2 to arrive on launch day.

I worked quite a while in tech roles and the mobile phone companies in particular were quite generous in the stuff that was gifted. A lot of phones and networking tech collected over the years.

corner of hells

I worked in Gateaux in Finglas when I was an apprentice, once a week you could buy a shopping bag full of cakes of all types , all slightly damaged,for 50 pence .

You could also eat as much as you wanted throughout the day but God help if you stole anything.

Not quite corporate gifts but nothing beats a fresh chocolate Swiss roll.

Grayson

I've gotten some good hoodies and some terrible ones. There's a few I still have 10 years later. they still look good and feel great.

I worked for a US company that gave everyone backpacks for work. But because the company was based in California, none of them were waterproof.

The thing I've probably gotten the most use out of is bottle openers. They never broke and just keep on going.

Grayson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120839816#Comment_120839816

I worked for M&S as a part time student job. At the end of the day after the shop closed they'd fill crates with the food that has a best before/use by of that day. Then everything would be sold for a euro or two per item to the staff. I'd stock up on stuff that could be frozen and manage to get a week of meals for a tenner. And it would be lobster and stuff like that. Probably the best I've ever eaten.

McGrath5

Worked in a MNC a few years back and a partner we worked with arranged an all expenses paid trip for 2 nights to Southampton for a day of sailing on those yachts similar to what is used in the Americas Cup. Had a blast. The company has really cut down now on that kind of stuff lately.

Ella_Watson

I have been in charge of finalizing the gifts for my entire company's staff for the past 4 years. The first year, I could only find the usual stuff like pens, mugs, random food/candy baskets, etc. and trust me, none of my colleagues were happy with what I picked up :D . So every year, I start getting worried when Christmas time approaches. Last year, I got them Beautiful Kitchen knife sets, and it got a mixed responses. Few loved it and few were ready to kill me with them. lol..

So this year, I am even more worried about what to pick. I found someone that is ready to give me any number of items custom printed with my company's logo within 3-4 business days but I have to quickly pick what I want to send out as the time is running by.

He has sent me a catalog and I am confused between two of these, please share which one you guys prefer.

Gregor Samsa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121482163#Comment_121482163

Our company gave us a branded blanket a couple of years ago. It's probably not the same one you have there, but everyone raved about it, it was so cozy. I manged to snag two, because my wife and eldest daughter were fighting over the first one. Velour on one side, wooly on the other. It also zips open, so you could fill it as a beanbag if you wanted.

Grayson

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120840611#Comment_120840611

Now I think about it, the most useless thing I ever got a a dell branded boomerang when I worked there. Have no idea why they gave those away.

RiderOnTheStorm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121482163#Comment_121482163

oh, the blanket .... 100 % !! I would def be happy to get that as a gift. So many uses ....

Allinall

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121491356#Comment_121491356

I presume they thought they'd get then straight back.

10-10-20

A man in Sligo once offered me one of his three fine daughters after I fixed his PC over the phone for him. 😂 Best offer ever.

L1011

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120840611#Comment_120840611

My Irish employers branded backpacks are very, very waterproof. I've been caught in a rain storm and the book I had inside was dry as a bone

Unbranded single unit retail price is about 90 quid though I suspect 3000 with minimal branding cost a lot less than 90 each

Bottle opener reminded me - football club I support sends you some stuff every year for paying for the account that lets you buy tickets. Surprisingly good stuff. Over the years theres been a bottle opener, a very good waterproof wash bag, a power bank and a coil up charger cable with micro, C and Lightning heads, slightly tacky but good quality socks, playing cards and probably other stuff I've forgotten.

Not really gifts cause I'm paying indirectly for them but shows someone has put care in to picking them. The account fee makes it dearer for scalpers and you get it back in branded kit

Padre_Pio

Off the top of my head I've gotten two laptop backpack, north face jackets, beany hats, power banks, towels and pens. Sometimes I walk around feeling like I'm sponsored by my company.

We spend plenty of money with a supplier who runs seasonal giveaways (spend €X and get a free coffee machine / tablet/ air pods, dyson hairdryer) so I've gotten plenty from them over the years.

Very handy at Christmas, I got a €200 Brown Thomas voucher that I regifted to Mam. She would have far more use for it than I.