While once it might have been sufficient to reward incentive qualifiers with a nice pillow gift bearing the company logo, incentive gifts are now much more likely to be customized for each individual and sometimes presented in a social setting.
Among examples is a recent high-end incentive program for Toyota Motor Sales USA organized by Minneapolis-based Aimia, an incentive marketing company. Titled “Elegant Escape,” the program was a recipient of a 2014 SITE Crystal Award (for memorable incentives).
Rather than offering predetermined gifts, winners were able to select special commemorative ones upon arrival at the destination. Aimia raised the bar even higher by not only offering gifts from top brands, but also offering unique gifts crafted by local artisans. All gifts were shipped directly to the winners’ homes with a personalized letter from Toyota Motor Sales.
On a variation of this concept, some programs are including “fitting” experiences where winners can choose personalized gifts in a social setting, according to Melissa Van Dyke, president of the Incentive Research Foundation.
“There’s a real strong uptick in organizations offering fittings and other merchandise experiences on-site,” she says. “For example, at a beach resort, there might be a pavilion set up where people can pick out designer sunglasses, while at a ranch resort it might be cowboy boots. It’s a concierge-style experience that is trumping the room gift itself.”
Fitting experiences have the added benefit of enabling winners to interact with each other and get feedback from each other as they try on various items, she adds.
“The fitting experience also ties into a new consumer trend where the personal brand trumps even the company brand,” Van Dyke says. “As much as we want logos, we also want to add our own special touch. To get the exact color and style you want.”
Just how creative the fitting concept can be was illustrated during a recent incentive program held at The Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain in Tucson, Ariz., organized by AlliedPRA Arizona. Along with live music and a Western-themed bar, the event featured a “pop-up” shop where the winners could try on and select Western wear, including cowboy boots that they could get branded with the company logo by an on-site blacksmith.
“Part of the fun was how interactive it was; people felt like they were out shopping with their friends,” says Angela Hofford, director of sales for AlliedPRA Arizona. “People want curated and bespoke experiences.”
