Me and my dad
Growing up, I was very close to my dad. He was my hero.
I’d do anything to spend time with him. Washing the car, fixing the car, gardening, painting, cooking, skiing. I didn’t mind what it was. As long as we were together, I was happy.
There was nothing in the world my dad couldn’t do. So we were always busy, and I picked up a few skills from a very young age.
We had no money for gifts, and no shops to buy them from anyway. So every gift I gave him was handmade.
It could be a paper card with our photos glued to it, or an arrangement of pieces I’d collected in the forest. When I was a few years older, I got a machine that could engrave wood. I made a little picture and added his name to it.
I cried with joy every time I saw his face when he opened one. He cherished every single gift and kept them for years. And that joy made me want to do it all again, so I’d spend months collecting ideas and materials for the next special day.
4 decades later, I’m still doing it, now for a living. Thanks, Dad. I’m forever grateful.
Meanwhile, in a bin in the Sydney CBD
A while ago I was in the Sydney CBD on a rainy day. Every person on the street had a branded umbrella.
And the bins were full of broken ones. Broken, BRANDED umbrellas.
I couldn’t help wondering what people think of a company when they see its logo poking out of a bin. I bet nobody asked that when the brief was written. The brief was probably “get the cheapest one and add our logo. Hurry, the event is in 10 days.”
If that’s the brief, save your money and give nothing. At least your brand stays out of the bin.
So, what’s your gift made of?
My dad’s gifts cost nothing. He kept them because they were made with him in mind.
A corporate gift with your logo on it hangs around long after the box is opened too. Or it ends up in a bin on a rainy day. So before you order, it’s worth asking what it’s made of and where it ends up.
That’s why I’m so excited about Impact Aware.
Meet Impact Aware
Impact Aware is a collection of lower-impact alternatives to standard promotional products. Every item sits under at least one of 3 pillars, and each one carries icons that show which. So you can pick the ones that match what your business stands for.
Here’s a taste from each.
Made with recycled materials
- The Adora bottle is made from recycled aluminium, with a screw-on lid made from recycled polypropylene. All the recycled materials are GRS certified.
- The Terra spiral notebook is made from GRS-certified recycled paper.
- The SPICE Waste2Gear backpack, weekender and cooler bag are made using recovered ocean plastics.
- And yes, there’s an umbrella, too. The RPET Compact Umbrella is made using recycled materials and has a Japanese oak handle. After that rainy day in the city, this one makes me very happy.
Made with natural materials
- Organic cotton tees, jute cooler bags, bamboo chopping boards and cork coasters.
- And my favourite, the BRANDCRAFT wooden models. Each one is laser cut from a single A4 sheet of basswood. They’re plastic-free, they slot together without tools, and there are 40 designs, from a koala to a triceratops. You can laser engrave your logo on them too.
Engraved wood you put together with your own hands. Little me would have been over the moon. I think Dad would have been too.
Brands that give back
Every Ocean Bottle sold funds the removal of 11.4kg of ocean-bound plastic. The bottles are made from 90% recycled stainless steel and come with a 10-year repair and recycle programme. Ocean Bottle is a Certified B Corporation.
(Yes, I wrote a whole post called Not Another Freaking Water Bottle. This one earns its spot.)
How to choose
A few things I’ve learned in over 20 years of gifting:
- Start with who’s getting it. A jute cooler bag is perfect for a team that spends weekends at the beach. For a team that doesn’t, it’s clutter.
- Find the best in the category for your budget. A beautiful notebook beats an average backpack every time.
- Go easy on the logo. Small and subtle branding often gets kept longer.
- Ask about the claims. If a product says it’s recycled or certified, I can get you the supporting certificates.
Ready to pick yours?
Flick through the Impact Aware brochure and see what fits your brand. Christmas orders close on Friday 6 November, so if you’d like them under the tree, now’s the time.
Can’t decide? Book a free 15-minute chat and I’ll help you choose.
PS: “The meaning of life is to find your gift. The purpose of life is to give it away.” – Pablo Picasso