Chapter 4

Don’t Be Afraid To Be a Little Weird

The event gifts that make a splash are different, clever, and keep folks on their toes.

Giving a unique gift “creates dialogue,” shares Sabrina.

If you’re looking for help getting extra creative, we’ve got your back! Here are some of our favorite event gifting examples.

Stand Out From the Crowd

You don’t have to give the same old boring swag. There are so many ways to spice up your event gifting strategy and get people talking! We love these unique examples from Corrina and Nick.

Wine and a Personalized Video From a Super Bowl Champ

When Corrina worked at Gong, she invited executives at target accounts to a virtual event. The hook? Attendees could see Gong’s Super Bowl ad ahead of the big game. Before the event, Corrina sent registrants a bottle of wine from a former Super Bowl champion’s wine company. She also asked the Super Bowl champ to record a personalized video for anyone who attended live. Folks loved the gifts and were excited to learn more about Gong!

Custom Pokemon-Style Cards

Chili Piper held an event for all their advisory board members. As an advisory board member, Nick took part and received a truly one-of-a-kind gift. He, along with other attendees, got a personalized superhero card. Each card had their name and stats on their special powers. While many gifts end up in the trash, this one sure didn’t. “It was so memorable that I kept it,” shares Nick.

Fancy Trip Giveaway

Corrina suggests giving gifts that folks can only receive if they attend the event. For example, if you’re hosting a virtual event for March Madness, you could share the results live and announce an exciting grand prize for attendees on Zoom. Only those who attend have a chance to win it big! Fancy trip to Vegas, anyone?

Showcase Your Event Location

If you’re hosting an event in an awesome location, give an equally awesome gift to match! Considering the event format and location was a foundational pillar in chapter two, we’re bringing it all together with some fun examples.

A Beachy Wow-Worthy Gift

Hosting an event in a tropical location? We came up with this super fun custom event gift basket.

It had all the warm weather essentials like:

  • A floating flamingo to hold a beverage (maybe in a branded tumbler!) at the hotel pool
  • A disposable camera to capture team selfies
  • An Art Deco-inspired custom logo candle that attendees can use after the trip ends 


For an extra special touch, consider including a card with a QR code that takes attendees to a custom welcome video and overview of what’s to come during the event!

Local Tasty Treats

New Orleans is known for their food. In fact, our mouths are watering just thinking about it. I mean after all, who doesn’t love beignets?!

We helped the Paycor team give the perfect gifts for the SHRM conference in New Orleans. Here are all the goodies in the corporate gift box:

  • 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 custom logo candle that the city’s bold flavors inspired

Celebrate the Season

Seasonal gifts are always a good idea. While we love all the seasons, we’re a little partial to summer. Here are two of our favorite summer-themed gifts!

Watermelon-Themed Everything

The Zendesk team wanted to celebrate their employees in a creative way, so they worked with us to put together a gift for, wait for it (drumroll, please) — National Watermelon Day. How fun is that?!

The event gift included tasty treats, custom watermelon socks, and a custom water bottle to stay hydrated in the summer heat. A gift like this is sure to break through the noise!

Summer Camp, For Adults!

Some of our fondest childhood memories are of summer camp, so when the team at Design Pickle said they were hosting a summer camp-style staff retreat, we couldn’t wait to help.

Together we created a fun gift with custom t-shirts and canteen stickers. The results? Lots of happy and engaged employees. See for yourself.

Regardless of the gift you choose, remember, it doesn’t have to be boring! There are so many opportunities to give event gifts that make a splash. As we discussed at the beginning of this guide, great gifts make folks feel appreciated and build a lasting connection. And stronger relationships lead to better business results!

Our most flexible way to gift, powered by tech

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  • Ships in 1-10 business days
  • No minimum– or maximum! Send from 1 to hundreds of gifts in less than 10 minutes.
  • Custom branding solutions in a pinch! Upload your logo to personalize card inserts.
  • No address? No problem. Let recipients claim their gifts with e-gifting!

Ship to Multiple Addresses

Teak & Twine  x

Play Video

Our most flexible way to gift, powered by tech. 

  • Ships in 1-10 business days
  • No minimum– or maximum! Send from 1 to hundreds of gifts in less than 10 minutes.
  • Custom branding solutions in a pinch! Upload your logo to personalize card inserts.
  • No address? No problem. Let recipients claim their gifts with e-gifting!