Gifting
Leave a lasting impression on your audience during (and after) live event experiences with premium promotional items that fuel attendee engagement and create a truly immersive atmosphere.
Scoring on and off the Field: Sustainable and Impactful Gifts for MLS Cup VIPs
Client: MLS
For MLS Cup, we were tasked with creating a unique gift for VIPs, one that reflected their support for the season and championed the league's commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) and sustainability. Together, we decided to curate a gift kit featuring locally-sourced products and a focus on supporting social good.
Partnering with Kick Off Coffee, co-founded by former Olympic soccer player and analyst Melissa Ortiz, allowed us to incorporate the limited-edition "Solidarity Always" coffee blend. This collaboration with Common Goal not only provided delicious, ethically sourced coffee, but also contributed to supporting inclusion and equity in soccer for Black and Brown communities. 10% of the profits from this blend, featuring art by Black artist Parris A. Massey, was donated to the Anti-Racist Project. To cater to diverse preferences, we offered two sets – one featuring Kick Off Coffee and a French press, and another featuring ethically sourced tea leaves and a tea steeper. Both sets included reusable hot/cold tumblers, emphasizing sustainability.
Beyond product selection, we managed the entire process, from setting up the online redemption portal to handling shipping and ensuring smooth execution. This holistic approach ensured a seamless and impactful gift experience for MLS Cup VIPs, solidifying the league's values and fostering deeper connections with its most dedicated supporters.
Pep+ Eco-Friendly Gifts
Client: Pepsi
Challenge: In Sept 2021 PepsiCo announced Pep+, an ambitious strategic transformation of their business centered around sustainability.
PepsiCo's Chairman and CEO stated "Pep+ is the future of our company – a fundamental transformation of what we do and how we do it to create growth and shared value with sustainability and human capital at the center. It reflects a new business reality, where consumers are becoming more interested in the future of the planet and society.”
Our challenge was to create a gift set for managers attending Pep+ training that exemplifies and supports this important initiative.
Solution: Our set includes a 100% GRS Certified Recycled cotton, Climate Neutral Certified T-shirt, a tote bag (made of FSC Certified, sustainable, washable and renewable material from responsibly managed forests) and a bamboo bento box and utensils.
MLS x International Women’s Day
Client: MLS
Challenge: Suggest a quick-turn way to unveil the new logo and launch of the MLS Women’s Employee Resource Group while aligning with International Women’s Day.
Solution: We made sure that every facet of this project was powered by women. Our woman-owned business partnered with LOVE bottle, another WBENC company whose mission is to “change the world with love, one sip at a time,” to provide MLS women with a high-quality gift to highlight the ERG launch and celebrate International Women’s Day. This gift was female-driven from start to finish: sourced, produced, and designed by women for a program created to support women.
Holiday Bath Bombs
Client: Loveli
Challenge: Develop a unique holiday gift for a gummy cannabis brand with a broad 21-45 age demographic to sell in stores.
Solution: Leaning into the coziness of the holidays, we developed custom bath bombs – a non-denominational goody that universally appeals to all ages. With custom retail clamshell packaging color matched to Loveli's branding, the scents were fruity and fresh to align with the appeal of Loveli's chef-inspired edibles.
Since this concept was developed from scratch, sizing was tested out thoroughly and evaluated using several existing shell packages. The premium cardstock was printed on both sides in full color for maximum brand exposure.
Limited Edition Suite Gift
Client: DC United
Challenge: Create a commemorative gift set for suite purchasers for the grand opening of DC United’s new home, Audi Field in Washington D.C.
Solution: Our team developed a custom box tower that includes compartments for scarves and literature and also converts to a pedestal for the limited-edition ball. The lid of the box completely conceals the contents, making for a memorable reveal.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion
Client: Major League Soccer
Challenge: Curate a gift that supports and emphasizes the MLS’ core values and the launch of their DEI initiatives for 2021.
Solution: We partnered with small, eco-friendly, and minority-owned businesses by using our established Values Vendor Network to develop a gift to accompany the “DEI in the workplace” initiative at MLS corporate office.
Our team collaborated with a U.S. based facility specializing in 100% recycled tees and a certified Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) decorator to customize them with MLS branding. We designed a card to tell the story behind the gift and outline the impact it makes in environmentalism, supporting small woman-owned businesses, and minority-owned businesses.
Made In The USA for the USA
Client: The United States Soccer Federation
Challenge: Create a premium protocol gift for US Soccer partners and opposing federations.
Solution: In international soccer, it can be customary to exchange gifts as a token of sportsmanship. For US Soccer, handmade forge bowls were crafted to create a leave-behind gift to fit any high value recipient. This one of a kind item is a truly memorable canvas to display the organizations branding and offers a valuable addition to the trophy case.