9 Creative Gifts for Corporate Events
Looking for gift ideas and inspiration for your next corporate event? Check out these creative conference gifts, business retreat gifts, employee welcome gifts and more!
Gifting alongside corporate events is a surefire way to build anticipation, boost engagement and tell attendees just how excited you are that they’re joining you — whether virtually or in person!
We know you probably have a full schedule of company events lined up this year, from holidays to workdays. That’s why we’re sharing fun, creative corporate event gift ideas that’ll get your wheels turning.
We also know you’ll find ways you can work gifting into your next event — no matter the occasion!
Corporate Event Gift Ideas: Conferences
Conferences are the perfect opportunity to wow attendees and amplify engagement with a thoughtful gift.
For extra impact, we love tying the gift to the conference’s theme or highlighting the city where the event takes place. Personalized gifts provide countless fun and creative opportunities to create an experience attendees won’t soon forget!
Check out these fun gifts for corporate events. In fact, some of our favorite cities inspired them!
Idea #1: For That Conference in Miami…
Listen closely. Did you hear that? We’re pretty sure that’s Will Smith's iconic song “Welcome to Miami” playing in the distance!
So, you're hosting a conference in Miami... We’re not not jealous.
Let’s see here:
- Beachside hotel reserved? Check!
- Dazzling speakers booked? Check!
- Swoon-worthy conference swag your attendees will talk about until next year’s soiree rolls around? We’ve got your back!
Surprise conference-goers with a curated gift box including all the essentials for a Miami-style good time!
Here’s what you’ll find in this swanky gift set:
- A floating flamingo to hold a beverage at the hotel pool
- A disposable camera to capture team selfies
- Bright bracelets to glow on the dance floor all night
- Liquid IV packets for the morning after lots of … “networking”
- A colorful sticker of Miami's iconic lifeguard stand
- An Art Deco-inspired candle that attendees can keep long after the trip ends
Customize the gift by adding a logo to the gift box sleeve. Then, add a branded card insert with a special note to welcome attendees to the party (err, we mean “conference”). 😉
Pro tip: Include the conference schedule in the gift box to make attendees’ stay easy! Just add a printed version on the insert or provide a QR code for a digital agenda — they’ll always know what’s (or who’s) coming up next.
Standard conference swag? We think not!
Idea #2: Or That Convention in New Orleans…
Setting up a booth at a convention down in N’awlins? Mmm … we can smell the Cafe du Monde beignets from here!
Get ahead of the game before the convention begins. It’s simple — hype your prospects with curated, French Quarter-inspired gift boxes!
Take it from Paycor. That's exactly what its team did with our sweet-and-spicy gifts for the SHRM 2022 Conference this past June!
We filled these gift boxes with treats from local businesses and lots of Louisiana vibes:
- Mardi Gras king cake praline cookies via the New Orleans Famous Praline Company
- Beignet-flavored popcorn via Cajun Pop
- A Cajun spice blend via Nourished Roots Spice Co.
- A bottle of TABASCO original hot sauce
- A New Orleans-scented candle that the city’s bold flavors inspired
We helped our friends at Paycor get these gifts in their prospects’ hands before the conference began. Frankly, it’s a brilliant way to stand out from competitors and entice customers to drop by your booth!
And rest assured — you can leave all the shipping logistics to us. That goes for whether you want to send gifts to attendees before a conference to thank them for registering or hand-deliver when they arrive.
We know you have a million other tasks on your preconference to-do list. Let us make the gifting part stress-free!
But let’s be real. We won’t all necessarily hit South Beach or Bourbon Street for a business conference.
Hey, don’t let that stop you from getting creative with your next big event! Great gifts for corporate events give you the opportunity to tell a story!
That means no matter where your conference takes place or what theme you go for, you’ll always have fantastic opportunities to gift uniquely!
Corporate Event Gift Ideas: Off-Site and Corporate Retreats
Shaking things up with an off-site business retreat? We love to see it!
Getting out of the traditional office setting is a great opportunity to boost team-building and strengthen client relationships.
Level up your next corporate retreat with curated, perfect gifts that increase attendance and create an unforgettable experience for clients and employees!
Idea #3: For That Annual Golf Outing…
Who’s ready to hit the links?
Whether you’re hosting a team-building activity, VIP outing or annual fundraiser, tee up the perfect round. How so, you ask? Treat your attendees to a golf-themed gift box they can use on the course!
For a gift that amateur and scratch golfers alike are sure to love, include must-have items:
- Something that’ll enhance their game
- A snack or beverage to keep them fueled
- A set of golf balls (bonus points if they’re branded!)
Ship the gifts to your golfers well before they reach the front nine, and they can definitely put them all to good use. Of course, you could present the gifts at the event as a thoughtful and memorable way to thank participants for attending!
Either way, there are no (sand) traps here. A recent study of corporate gift-buyers noted 80% said gifts improve relationships with employees and clients! And honestly, client gifts can be a struggle to nail.
Idea #4: Or That Corporate Wellness Retreat...
Corporate wellness retreats are becoming increasingly common. And that’s no surprise!
As companies make more changes to embrace a better work-life balance and boost employee wellness, they’ve introduced corporate wellness retreats as a way of disconnecting from the daily hustle of a stressful life. Offering specialized programs designed to promote health and well-being is on the rise.
Sign us up!
We're seeing a similar trend in the gifting world right now. One of the most popular trends in gifting involves self-care and mindfulness!
That’s why we crafted gifts like The Retreat and The Self-Care Gift, two simple variations of this trend. They’re ready for you to shop and send out today!
Go ahead and lean into this trend for your next corporate wellness retreat. Treat your employees to a luxurious gift box filled with all kinds of items that inspire self-care!
By the way, you can discover spectacular small businesses in our gift box products. After all, those businesses are behind so many of the high-quality items here!
Corporate Event Gift Ideas: Virtual Event and Webinar Gifts
It’s no secret. Virtual and hybrid events are here to stay!
Gathering virtually can have many benefits. That said, we know it can be difficult to build the same engagement and energetic vibes that characterize in-person events. And that’s a big deal, considering nearly half of marketers say audience engagement is the greatest factor in holding successful virtual events.
So, what’s the good news?
Gifting can help turn an otherwise-impersonal experience into a truly engaging one. You’ll feel more connected to the topic and to one another!
Idea #5: For That Virtual Conference...
Has your company’s once in-person annual conference gone virtual? We hear you!
The folks over at Lessonly found themselves in the same boat with their annual Yellowship conference. In an effort to connect with customers and up attendance, the Indianapolis-based company came to us for curated gifts to send invitees!
Understanding your customer is key. That means when it comes to virtual event gifting, think about your recipients and how you can make it exciting for them to attend!
For Lessonly, this meant designing a gift box around coffee (nice). With a virtual gift, attendees could enjoy a cuppa joe while participating in the conference. Talk about creating a buzz!
Best of all, the gifts did exactly what Lessonly hoped they’d do: increase attendance. More than 1,000 people logged on for Yellowship virtually!
Learn more about Lessonly's gifting experience.
Pro tip: Gifts like The Energize pull triple duty — coffee, productivity swag and snacks.
Idea #6: Or That Leadership Seminar...
Just because your event has gone virtual doesn’t mean it can’t be meaningful!
Take Zendesk’s virtual leadership seminar, for example. The event’s headliner was Mel Robbins — lawyer, TV host, author and motivational speaker.
To really bring the experience to life for attendees, our gift box included items they could enjoy before, during and after the event.
Here’s what our corporate gift box included:
- One of Robbins’ books
- Day-of essentials, like a tasty snack and branded notebook
- Empowerment cards to reinforce the event’s leadership lessons long after it ended
Corporate Event Gift Ideas: Employees
How do you welcome new hires to the team?
As many of us know, starting a new job can be both exciting and a bit intimidating! Of course, welcome parties are a great way to ease the transition. But don’t stop there!
A thoughtful employee gift can go a long way in helping newbies feel like part of the team.
Think of it as an opportunity to introduce the company culture and make a smashing first impression!
Plus, giving new employees a memorable gift can aid long-term retention. According to a study of 300 corporate gift-buyers, 41% said gifting resulted in significantly improved employee retention. (We’re just saying.)
Idea #7: For That New-Hire Happy Hour…
Did someone say “happy hour”? We’re in!
Get ready to raise a glass to your newest team members! Mixing and mingling with new hires at your quarterly happy hour are great ways to welcome them to the team.
Make them extra happy to be there by loading them up with treats and neat swag that’ll help them feel like their new job is the best ever.
The team over at WordPress VIP loves a good happy hour-themed gift. And you know, we don’t blame them!
Of all these corporate event gift ideas, we love this one because it’s full of (almost) everything you need to make your next happy hour interactive. Actually, you just add booze (or sparkling water — we’re flexible)!
Plus, this gift offers wiggle room if some of your new employees are partially or fully remote. Deliver a happy hour-themed gift box right to their doorsteps, and they can join in the fun virtually!
The possibilities are endless for a unique gift jam-packed with ingredients for the perfect cocktail (or mocktail), from lemon mules to spicy margaritas. You know … you can’t go wrong with The Happy Hour (it’s right there in the name!).
Pro tip: Include a branded tumbler and a recipe card in the gift. That way, everyone can mix up the same beverage during your virtual meetup … and show off their sweet swag!
Idea #8: For That Staff Retreat...
Staff retreats are fantastic opportunities to bolster team bonds and build meaningful relationships among employees.
Plus, they're a good excuse to show off your company culture!
We loved helping the folks at Design Pickle with these awesome camp-themed gift boxes for their annual Spirit Week retreat. This summer camp-themed employee event was the perfect spot for matching tees and canteen stickers. What’s better to get you in the summer camp spirit?
We loved seeing LinkedIn photos of everyone rocking their camp tees at the Spirit Week kickoff!
Idea #9: For That Company Party...
Planning to host a fun company party this year? Go the extra mile with a themed gift — no matter the occasion!
Our friends at Zendesk wanted to do something quirky and different for their employees. They’re back to the office in person this year, so their party needed to be ultra special.
After exploring some of our summer corporate gift ideas, they decided to have a National Watermelon Day party! What better way to engage employees than with an unexpected celebration to represent the fruits (pun intended) of their labor?
We filled this gift box with tasty treats and fun accessories that knocked their watermelon socks off! That’s right — matching watermelon socks.
Get Custom Event Gifts with Teak & Twine
Have a gifting project on your radar? We'd love to help! Whether you need custom corporate gifts, branded swag boxes, or even just need help packaging up your own merch (hello, kitting and fulfillment!) — there's really nothing we can't do when it comes to gifting.
What are you waiting for?