Recently I received a somewhat unconventional type of personalised gift in the form of printed marshmallows. Upon opening the present, I could see my face, and others, spread across these tasty looking sweet treats. While I was slightly alarmed about biting the heads of my friends, or seeing them melt away into my hot chocolate, it got me thinking about just how far the personalised printed gifts industry has grown.
Much of this demand is driven by photo-led gifts and is reflective of today’s ‘insta-style’ society. People are sharing their images far and wide across both digital and physical dimensions, including a multitude of products such as prints, coasters, magnets and, of course, marshmallows.
However, it’s not just photo gifts that are driving this industry. Look at the popularity of last year’s ‘Share a Coke’ campaign. Sure, it wasn’t necessarily a gift, yet the success of the campaign demonstrated the growing power of personalisation. Like in all walks of life, people want to feel that they’re valued as an individual.
So what else can be personalised? A quick canvass of the AD office and a brief internet search gave me a horde of unconventional personalised gifts including:
• Food and beverage products: just like my printed marshmallows, there is an array of chocolate and edible gifts that can be personalised with initials, wording and photographs
• One idea that I wasn’t aware of is printed bottle corks. For people wanting to write a secret message to their loved one, or maybe pop the question…it’s a great surprising gift
• How about a gift for your nan or granddad with printed soap? Yes, you can now wash your face with a picture of a relative, friend or, for the more devilish, your arch nemesis.
There is a whole host of personalised gifts available today beyond the more conventional printed products such as cards, phone cases and personalised garments. And with advances in technology and consumer demand continuously growing, the choices of personalised gifts will only develop further.
So when you’re next looking for a present, try thinking outside the box, because the chances are if you’re thinking about it, then there is probably someone out there who can produce it!