Articles: carols

An end of year gift has one job - to recall a year of working together without looking like an advert. Music does that well, because a disc playing quietly in an office or at home comes back to its owner many times.

A present, not a leaflet

The common mistake is treating the sleeve as advertising space. The reverse order works better: a calm, seasonal design first, with the logo as a signature. Packaging deserves a thought too - a card wallet or a printed envelope makes the disc feel like a gift rather than an attachment to an invoice.

What to settle early

Festive gifts are prepared in autumn, because later there is little time left for calm decisions.

• The list of recipients - who receives a larger set and who a single item.
• The music - traditional carols, quiet instrumental tracks or both.
• The sleeve design - seasonal, yet in your company colours so the sender is recognisable.
• A greetings card - a short, personal line beats a printed signature.
• Packaging - everything wrapped together looks like one considered gift.

Print that stays around

A disc rarely travels alone. More often it is part of a set that also holds a greetings card, a calendar for the coming year or a small gift. A set like that is remembered better than a single object, and it is easier to send in one parcel. If a company does this every year, it pays to keep one style - recipients start to recognise the parcel before they open it.

If you are planning corporate gifts for the first time, start with the article on a carol disc, then read the piece on print that builds relationships. Decisions made in September or October take a great deal of pressure off December.