As all of us keenly await the launch of  Giftex, we take this opportunity to evaluate some of the key strategies and aspects of corporate gift-giving and how the program can be most effective in today’s competitive business scenario. We quickly sum up important points related to the topic:

1. If you are looking to strike a more personal connection, it is important to customize your gift in order to set yourself apart. It’s the thought that often matters. If you know, for instance, that the gift is for an executive who loves traveling to Australia, you will get something related to Australia, as if to convey, ‘I went out of my way to get you (the receiver) something.’ Cost is not the sole deciding factor. Thought and theme behind what you give is equally vital.
2. There are so many ways of personalizing a gift. Technology helps a great deal in personalization. Gift personalization isn’t necessarily about ‘cheesy gifts’, but the cost of your gift must go with the value of your relationship with the client.
3. For the gift to convey a message, irrespective of its price tag, the giver should be clear about the purpose of the gift and the entire gift giving exercise. Is it a ‘thank you’ gift for the company, or do you want to give a gift to a key individual associated with the company?
4. When a company/individual is familiar with its recipient, the connotation of the exercise changes. You can be more liberal and flexible in your gift giving exercise because you know the set-up/ mindset of the recipient company/individual.
5. Ultimately, it all boils down to how much the gift giver has actually budgeted to give, whether or not the corporate entity/individual is a really important client, and last but not the least, the customization factor - how creative and innovative one can get in selecting, packaging and presenting a gift – all of which together add value to the corporate gifting exercise and determine its success in terms of conversions (increased sales and profits).

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Prime Housewares Limited has been in the business of manufacturing exquisite plastic home wares for more than two decades. The company has established itself as an industry leader in the domain, gradually evolving from producing some basic plastic buckets to super quality Microwave Safe Cookware for the modern kitchens of the new millennium. The credit for its rapid rise must be attributed to the leadership and dynamic vision of its CEO Surendra Sanganeria and Managing Director Mr. Jitendra Agarwal. What are the facets that make it stand out?•    The company has carved a niche for itself in the domain of home-ware solution for the modern home-maker, providing holistic solutions - right from manufacturing food savers for the refrigerator, microwave safe containers to printed bathroom sets and laundry basket with wheels.

•    The quality of product made by Prime Housewares meets the highest possible standards set by the international company TUPPERWARE from U.S. It has exclusive outlets in Mumbai, Navi Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Chennai. It has pioneered as manufacturers of plastic microwave safe products. Innovation is the key driver which distinguishes the company from other brands.

•    Its products are exclusive and customized, hence widely preferred by the middle and high end customers who aspire to possess and use high quality products to enhance their lifestyle.

•    It has entered into joint venture with International company ZIBO, renowned manufacturers of cleaning aids like floor brushes, cloth brushes, window squeegee, sink brushes etc. Prime has earned exclusive rights for marketing these products all over the country. It has given exclusive display stands for retailing of ZIBO products.

With a vast network including more than 2000 dealers across India, Prime Housewares plans to open number of exclusive outlets along with tie-ups with all upcoming malls and department stores. It has a strong presence in major metros like Mumbai, Pune, Bangalore, Hyderabad, Chennai, Kolkata and Ahmedabad, looking to further widen its network by launching exclusive outlets and tie-ups primarily with ‘A’ class outlets.

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The brain behind The Arts Trust and ICIA, Mr Vickram Sethi, is known to be a committed and articulate art aficionado. He has been actively engaged in promoting contemporary Indian art, and has been striving to raise awareness and interest in Indian art.

The Institute of Contemporary Indian Art (ICIA) serves as a logical extension of The Arts Trust vision of becoming the best source for quality work by both the distinguished and emerging artists. The Arts Trust was set up in 1990 with a long-term vision of promoting Indian contemporary art, which was just gaining in prominence at that time.

Towards this end, The Arts trust organizes art exhibitions, showcasing a wide range of talent and creativity, providing the viewers a glimpse of promising artists who work in various genres, styles, subjects and mediums.

In 1996, The Arts Trust was handed over the responsibility of managing the Harmony Show launched by the Reliance Group. It has also hosted several art camps and art events such as the annual RPG art exhibitions. The Arts Trust boasts of several prestigious clients such as RPG Group, Kotak Bank, ABN AMRO bank, Indian Hotels, Oberoi Group and Hyatt Hotel among others.

Of course, the journey has been full of several challenges, as Mr Vickram Sethi reminisces: “When I started, the art scene was quite different from what it is now. It was difficult to find space (for hosting the shows). I did my first show more than 15 years ago at the Oberoi, titled ‘Masters of India’. I was amazed at the response, and then began to do art shows at the Y B Chavan studio more often.”

He is extremely optimistic and positive about the emerging crop of artists. He quips: “There’s immense talent here!” In keeping with his vision, the previous edition of Art Expo India brought to the fore highly talented and dynamic artists from across the country and abroad in a grand event in Mumbai.

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Giftex feels privileged to introduce Phototech, an expert technology developer-distributor of high-end Sublimation Equipment, Sublimation Blanks, specialized corporate gifts and deftly personalized gifts employing sublimation technology.

It strives to produce high quality products for Sublimation & Crystal business and graphic output solutions that meet and exceed industry expectations. Phototech offers a mixture of own developed products and partners with key manufacturers to provide superior and cost effective solutions. To make its products customer-friendly, Phototech partners with key industry manufacturers to provide small businesses and entrepreneurs with superior, cost effective solutions. The products are developed with meticulous attention to quality and utility.

This fast-expanding corporate house, serves as a premier source for Sublimation Mugs, printers, Transfer machines, Heat Transfer Paper, Crystals, and consumables that come in handy for the purpose of Advertising, graphic arts, Garments, Footwear, Interior decoration and photography. It also has on offer other Heat Transfer machines, Crystal Printing Solutions, color printers and supplies.

The product range includes: Sublimation special transfer paper in Sheet & Rolls , Laser transfer paper for Oil & Oil free laser printers, Sublimation inks for Desktop & large format Epson printers, Epson printers, High Quality Sublimation mugs, Sublimation T-shirts, Sublimation Ceramic Tiles , Mouse Pads & hundreds of other products suitable for sublimation printing , Crystal Printing solution & Crystal Blanks of K9 quality.

A recognized leader in providing innovative products in five key markets, Phototech caters to:
•    On demand specialty imprinting
•    Sublimation printing on mugs & Sportswear
•    Crystal Printing
•    Laser Heat Transfer Papers
•    Lanyard Printing solutions

Considered as pioneers of the digital imprinting industry, the company has developed numerous systems and techniques for heat transfer. Importantly, it insists on total customer satisfaction, and offers free technical support for all its products. During each stage of product selection, sales, and post sales, its expert team provides clients with requisite expertise, knowledge and informed guidance as part of superior customer support. For this, the managerial staff constantly updates itself to provide clients with latest product information at best attractive prices.

Apart from Phototech, Giftex 2012 will host several leading names from the gifting industry and the corporate world. We shall be introducing them to our audiences over the next few days as a countdown to the Giftex event.

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Giftex 2012 is your chanced to grasp the trend in the domain of gifting. As the event testifies, corporate gifting has been transformed into an art. If a company gifts too little it can be perceived as cheap and if it gives too much it can become a bribe. Gift the wrong thing, and it’s considered bad taste.

A truly thoughtful gift is the one that strikes a chord with the receiver; the one that reflects that you have taken efforts in selecting, packing and presenting it. A gift’s worth cannot be judged by its price tag alone. What indeed makes it valuable is your genuine emotions attached to it. A ubiquitous item can be blended with the tastes and choice of the person you are going to present it. Your thought behind the whole exercise should reflect through your gift to make it a meaningful gesture.

For example, if your friend or colleague is a youthful, upcoming and dynamic executive who loves looking sporty and sleek at work, you can opt to pick ready-to-wear line that will perfectly suit him or her. You may buy a gift that will help one in one’s daily life like contemporary clothing or something like a CD of soothing songs or challenging puzzle game that will help him or her unwind. It will come in handy for the purpose of recreation or relaxation.

Take some effort to find out what your friend or colleague has been keen on buying. This well might be a book title or a favorite music CD, currently lacking from his or her collection. If the person is a ‘do-it-your-self’ type, get a mechanical or electronic utilitarian item.
If you want to shower your friend or a close colleague with something valuable, Giftex 2012 is your opportunity to get all the great ideas to build and strengthen personal and professional bonds.

If ever there is an event to seek exciting corporate gift ideas for your most valued and prestigious customers, business associates and partners, it’s now. It’s Giftex 2012!

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A successful organization thrives on high-performance, dynamic culture. The key is to build a base of people, at all levels that will critically scrutinize their own practices and voluntarily ask themselves if they are doing all they can to their full potential. The mindset needs to be changed, though! But how to make this happen, you must be wondering! This is where gift certificates come into play.

If you want to encourage loyal and hard working employees and are keen to hold onto them, you need to increase their motivation levels and learn to recognize performance with timely presents like gift certificates.

You may consider the following types of incentives and rewards for your employees:

• Create an attractive incentive structure. For example, give an opportunity to your employees to win a gift certificate equaling a certain percentage of their total sales achieved.

• Set up a ‘points’ ladder, which allows them to win certificates of higher value for increased levels of sales.

• Offer gift cards as part of yearly bonus rewards plans so all team members will encourage each other to improve their productivity. For instance, announce that the team that records the most sales, manages to get the highest customer satisfaction index rating, and completes the most projects on time will get large denominations of gift certificates to the store of their choice.

• Give gift certificates to those employees who exhibit effective leadership skills, brainstorm outstanding solutions on key projects, go an extra mile to help a co-worker or come up with a money saving strategy for the company.

Let the employees select what gift certificate they want to keep from a variety of gift cards options from bookstores, music stores, shopping malls or restaurants. The customized and personalized format of the giveaways will sure motivate the staff to contribute valuable inputs to its growth.

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When giving a corporate gift it is of utmost importance to incorporate the branding in the right manner thus highlighting your organization. Like business cards and corporate event signage your gift should reflect your organization through strategic positioning of the logo.

1. First and foremost, understand the difference between a promotional giveaway and a gift. The former is given when introducing the product, when publicizing a product whereas a gift is given to recognize the company’s top clients or to commemorate a top deal or a big project. In such cases the branding can be simple because the recipient is already aware of your company/ brand/ product. So logo need not be elaborate or prominent. In any case, it is always advisable to have a smaller logo, placing it in the corner.

2. A corporate gifting program is mostly run to create a favorable brand identity in the minds of its prospective clients or immediate stakeholders. Expectedly and rightfully, it’s the major clients who will be given priority in the corporate gift program, and will get bestowed with most precious business gifts. After that it’s the turn of employees and then obviously prospective clients.

3. While branding a gift, it is important that the placement of the brand is subtle and effective. Mostly high end corporate gifts are suitable for imprint methods such as embossing and laser-engraving. For apparels, bags and promotional clothing embroidery is the best way to have your logo put with. Another way to have your logo create an impact is by printing your logo in the same shade as the gift itself.

4. Then there’s the vexing issue of whether to courier the gift or present in person. If the relationship warrants it, the idea of sending it to the recipient’s home can be considered to add a personal touch, especially when the gift commemorates your corporate friend’s personal occasion coinciding with a festival.

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Now there are a host of online platforms are perfect to make a last-minute holiday list. However, they will come in quite handy year-round especially as online registries for a number of special or generic gift-giving occasions. Prime among them Amazon.com, is one place to compile a list of DVDs, coveted books, and whatever else under the sky.

While Amazon.com is a great resource for the users who already are well aware of exactly what they want, it tends to fall short in terms of turning up interesting and unique items you perhaps not have thought of otherwise, like a military lace-up boots pair trimmed in fur, a vintage Polaroid camera or a high-tech juicer

Wantful is a site that serves just like a virtual personal shopper, which is assigned to skillfully pick a selection of items for each visitor on your exclusive holiday shopping list. Here’s how it works:

• After signing up, shoppers will answer queries about the individual they are seeking a present for, describing the recipient’s gender, tastes as well preferences, like whether he or she enjoys cooking or reading. The relationship to a gift recipient is also considered.
• The website generates 16 items in your specified price range it thinks might well be appropriate gifts; it will print a physical book listing the items and also mail it to recipient of the gift. (Those last-minute gift givers in a hurry can also send their catalogs by mail.)
• The recipient then will choose a gift from the list; the giver is charged. Wantful has populated its lists by teaming up with various vendors and merchants. It offers hundreds of gift ideas; the lower-end ones starting around $30, whereas the most expensive topping out around $500.

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It may be that one of your friends or family members have burnt their fingers in the stock market meltdown. Can you provide them with some succor? Do you want to suggest them an alternative avenue to park their hard-earned money to safeguard and grow it? Is there a way to assured wealth building in these uncertain times? Well, you need not harangue them on risk-free investing.

What you need do is just buy a nice piece of art, and gift it to them. It’s bound to fascinate them. Then draw their attention to the fact that many high net worth individuals and non resident Indians are putting their money in art! Here are some artists to consider:

Chintan Upadhyay: He often explores the iconography of Pop to convey his subject matter. His paintings carry references from media, advertisements, Bollywood and even the traditional miniature paintings.

Baiju Parthan: His fascination for technology, blended with his passion for mythology is palpable in his practice. The artist views them as symbiotic, as he thinks both mythology and technology feed off each other.

Riyas Komu: His oeuvre refers to the paradoxes of the urban situation that he paints with cynicism and compassion. The artist strives to archive the times, as well as reflect our immediate concerns – both localized and globalized.

Jagannath Panda: In his Panda’s work, a routine event or any commonplace object gets imparted with symbolic stature that is oriented to represent collective aspirations or sometimes rigid dogmas.

T.V. Santhosh: Drawing on images and news reports from the media, he combines pointed text and repetitive sculptural forms to make a statement on both the persistent nature of violence and the way it gradually becomes the norm, through recurrence.

Sunil Gawde: His tools often include sophisticated paint materials and implements like trowels and scrapers for achieving a layered depth in his pigments. This results in textured surfaces - dynamic and dramatic in nature.

D Ebenezer Sunder Singh: The paintings of Paul Cézanne and his principles of Art influenced me immensely. The human figures (the central element of his pictures) shift time and space to locate the psychological characteristics and the principles of life.

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Below are the vital factors that are extremely essential for chalking out a corporate gift program:

1. Determine your budget first to get a clear understanding of your corporate gift program. Once you set your budget and scope, next you should define the exact purpose of giveaways.  This will depend on what domain you are and your end user.  Your budget will though, will largely dictate how much you should allocate for the gifting program.
2. When deciding how much to spend, key thing to take into account is the intrinsic value of your business relationship. Based on it, you should make sure you give an ‘appropriate’ gift. Also, consider specific guidelines of that corporate entity and industry. You would never want it to appear as a favor.
3. Just reverse the roles. What if you receive an over-expensive gift? Talk to the giver in person if you think that the gift is too costly, too personal or not really suitable to the occasion or the relationship you share with the person. However, never discuss these things in public with the person concerned.
4. Corporate gifts can serve various roles like Thank You gifts for clients and colleagues; motivational gifts; recognition gifts for employees; new client acquisition; retention of business clients; building brand awareness; promotional products; holiday gifts for clients; trade show giveaways; premiums incentives and incentive programs; award programs; advertising specialties; service and safety awards; and general purpose business gifts and awards.
5. One discreet way to place your logo is leather portfolios. It is normally de-bossed on the cover. Some people prefer to customize with the recipients initials. If you believe you have selected a gift that will make a lasting impression on the recipient, there is absolutely no need to place your logo on the gift. The person will remember you by the gorgeous gift itself.  Also work out how you will distribute it - in person or by courier mail.

In other words, sourcing, packaging and dispatching the gifts demand an on-time and high quality solution providers to manage the specialized gifting related tasks on continual basis.

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