CREATE & INSPIRE M E E T I N G S , E V E N T S A N D C O N V E N T I O N S sustainability mission, you’d want to ensure that all the products in [the basket] were environmentally friendly… something people could use again, and that you’re avoiding single-use plastics.” 3. SOURCE LOCALLY Using local vendors is another popular strategy with gift items. Wiseberg says, “I like to focus on local small batch items.” With food, she adds, “People love to eat something that’s been grown in their own backyard,” and says quality from local businesses is often outstanding. “Small businesses, they pour their hearts into making these products, right?” 4. CONSIDER CLIENTS’ CORPORATE SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY (CSR) INITIATIVES For clients seeking to wrap in a CSR component, Lupkoski says her company sometimes partners with a supplier that “has 77% of their employees on the [autism] spectrum, and so it creates an emotional response of inclusivity, and it gives a feeling of social impact.” With gift boxes, she suggests including a card about the supplier’s mandate. What’s nicer, when you’re a travel-weary attendee, than discovering a well-curated welcome basket waiting for you when you step into your hotel room? Room drops can reflect incredibly well on event organizers, yet getting it right isn’t as easy as it used to be. Christina Lupkoski, with Toronto marketing agency The Substance Group, says of room drops, “They’re very well- received, but I find people now are a little bit more jaded and cautious of waste. So I do find that people have to be very unique in how they’re going about doing them.” We talked to Lupkoski and also to Joanna Wiseberg of Red Scarf Gift Company in East Gwillimbury, ON, about maximizing room drops. Here are some tips they shared: 1. MAKE IT USEFUL Lupkoski suggests providing things guests can genuinely use at your event. For a recent Formula1 event in Montreal, she says, “We gave our guests branded baseball hats and an event map with details on it. We did custom-branded umbrellas and ponchos, which were super well-received because it poured the entire weekend!” Similarly, Wiseberg finds practical tech, wellness and food items—such as Apple AirTags, solar power banks, ear buds and snacks—go over well. 2. CONSIDER SUSTAINABILITY Sustainability is a key consideration for many clients and attendees today, says Lupkoski, “If a company has a by Connie Jeske Crane Inspired Gifting CREATE & INSPIRE M E E T I N G S , E V E N T S A N D C O N V E N T I O N S Eight ways to make the most of room drops → Winter 2024 | Ignitemag.ca | 39
