Versatile. Trendy. Mass-appealing: Gif t sets are the new universal giveaway

BY LINDSAY HOYLMAN

While in pursuit of the perfect gift or giveaway, the same conundrum prevails: how to please everyone? Unisex, guaranteed to fit, easy to purchase – in the past, the answer has invariably been gift cards. According to the 2006 Holiday Consumer Report Survey, 54 percent of respondents had received gift cards. And although gift cards seem like an obvious crowd-pleaser, ironically, 23.3 million Americans have unused cards, leading many to question their “universal appeal.”

Grappling for the illusive “perfect-fit” gift and departing from the lackluster-performing gift card, shoppers are left in a lurch. Distributors use standard searching procedure when filling the cookie-cutter order of last year’s T-shirt with this year’s date for a walkathon, or another royal-colored tote for this year’s trade show. But what about the baffling challenge of finding an item under $50 or a gift that appeals to 1,000 recipients?

The answer to this demand – in retail and the promotional product industry – is gift sets. Personal while still mainstream, sets are generally based on popular pastimes or common needs, and can be given to diverse groups of individuals in the same manner as gift cards. Wildly successful, gift sets have expanded to multiple-product-category proportions throughout the years. Gift sets have gained popularity as the easy answer for distributors recommending multiple gifts to end users. Plus, they bypass the logistical hassle of special-order fulfillment and are a natural fit with suppliers’ order-processing systems. Gift sets have evolved as not just the simple solution, but also the fits-all, pleases-all, perfect gift solution.

Sets are particularly sizzling because they are the ultimate more-for-less choice. Buyers are impressed by the ROI of gift sets and the potential of several decorating locations, so distributors look like heroes and buyers come out shining. The recipients are excited to receive a gift containing multiple components with impressive packaging. And suppliers? By bundling items together, suppliers can play a game of give and take between items within a set to obtain the overall quality/ price-point balance. Everyone wins.

So what exactly is a gift set? It is more than just several standalone items thrown into packaging with molded foam. The composition of a successful set includes an anchor item – the piece that “makes” the set — packaged with related accessories. The anchor is a great gift by itself, but combining it with related products provides greater impact. A wine bottle opener with a seal cutter and drip ring in a carrying case is more impressive than just a wine opener. A watch coupled with a high-end writing instrument and travel wallet transforms into a gift worthy of presenting to company executives. For a golf event, why only give a shoe bag or try to construct a grab bag when there are pre-packaged sets of golf-themed items?

For suppliers, this presents a completely fresh opportunity. By creating scenarios of use and then catering to these scenarios, a gift set develops an entirely new customer need. A wine set, for example, creates a wine-drinking event with all of the supplies needed. Distributors can envision this scenario and have a better chance of selling “the experience” to a customer than if a standalone item is pitched. Not only are there endless opportunities for when and why to give sets, but there are also a plethora of ways how to give a set. Aside from the conventional presentation of giving an entire set, the collection of goodies can also be separated into individual components to be used in a tiered program or as an incentive for repeat business. Due to the experiential aspect of a gift set, another idea is to use it at an event where attendants receive a complementary set.

If you’ve found the perfect individual item and are wishing it was part of a set, there’s good news on the horizon. The new product-development buzzword is “cross merchandising.” Multi-category suppliers match items within a category and/or items in complementary categories. This allows promotional consultants to take charge and create their own sets.

Trends, applications and customer desires dictate the creation of gift sets, so the ever-evolving options are sure to impress. Once you’ve determined that a gift set is a good fit for your client, it’s time to select the right one.

One of the overall characteristics of gift sets is that they focus on popular lifestyle activities. According to the National Golf Foundation, 27 million adults in the United States play golf, and only about one-third of those are managers and professionals. Given these statistics, golf sets are sure to please a large number, even at non-golf events. Annual shareholder meetings, executive conferences, benefit events and any number of other applications are all appropriate occasions to give the gift of golf. If it seems disjointed to give a golf item at an off-the-green affair, add a tagline that conveys your message in golf terms. Whether you say, “You’re a stroke of genius,” or, “With you on my team, we are sure to be under par,” a tie-in has been established and a great gift with a statement is sure to stay top-of-mind longer than a gift alone.

At a golfing event, golf sets can be used during the round or as part of an invitation for a foursome. Or you can deviate and give a gift set that is not directly related to the game. Although tees, golf balls, shoe bags and golf paraphernalia are useful on the course, most golfers probably arrive with all of the gear they need already. The key is to think of what else is necessary or novel that can be used during the game. Golfers need to stay hydrated and fend off hunger, so a drinkware or cooler set can be a big hit. To commemorate the event, give a digital camera to capture the winning shot. Along those lines, a photogram, award or desk accessory gift set can be right on the money.

Gift sets – particularly golf-related ones – are sure to please the masses. More than a quarter of a million people enjoy the sport, and by giving a golf set or holding a golf event, your company is aligning itself with a great American pastime.

Lindsay Hoylman has worked at New Kensington, Pa.-based Leed’s for more than two years. As a marketing specialist, she focuses on public relations efforts, developing overall marketing messages and e-mail marketing, and marketing research and reporting. For more information, visit www.leedsworld.com or lhoylman@leedsworld.com. Footnotes have been omitted.