Gift Campaign: The Startup Disrupting The Corporate Gifts Sector Across Europe

In the rapidly evolving world of corporate gifts, a handful of companies have made a mark quite like Gift Campaign. Founded by Diederik de Koning and Oriol Badia in 2014, this exciting startup emerged from a vision of reinventing how businesses engage with their clients through meaningful promotional items.

With over a decade of experience in the industry, Diederik and Oriol aimed to create a platform that not only simplified the process of acquiring promotional gifts but also amplified the emotional connections between brands and their audiences.

From Barcelona to Europe: The Birth of Gift Campaign

Located in the heart of Barcelona’s 22@ district, where startups come to begin their ambitious journeys, Gift Campaign started as a humble company with bold goals. The founders concluded that the traditional model of corporate gifting was old-fashioned and outdated.

Where once stood paper catalogues and impersonal transactions, came a more dynamic and customer-centric approach. The company set the goal to embrace the digital age by developing a modern online platform that allows companies to explore an extensive range of tens of thousands of customisable promotional products smoothly.

The founders’ original and innovative strategies paid off. Businesses searched for new ways to attract and retain valuable customers while improving brand visibility. Gift Campaign was a hit in several markets due to its commitment to quality and personal customer service.

The impressive growth of the company has established the company as one of the leading faces of promotional gifts in several European markets, such as Italy, France, Portugal, and the Netherlands.

The Power of Promotional Items in Building Brand Loyalty

The focus of Gift Campaign is not only to sell quality products but, even more importantly, to create lasting relationships and connections through corporate gifts. Promotional merchandise is a highly effective way to express gratitude, whether it is towards customers or to employees, new or long-serving.

Many studies have shown that branded promotional gifts continuously outperform traditional advertising channels such as television and online ads. After all, who doesn’t enjoy receiving gifts?

Data back the advantages of promotional items:

• High recall value: Over 75% of people can remember the brand behind a promotional product
• Emotional connection: A well-chosen gift strengthens relationships with clients or employees
• Long-lasting impact: Promotional items like branded mugs or tote bags stay with the recipient longer than traditional ads

For companies, making smart marketing investments is crucial, and promotional merchandise offers a highly effective way to secure a strong return on investment.

Expanding Into The UK Market

In the second half of 2024, Gift Campaign has proudly launched its services in the UK, marking a significant milestone. This expansion comes at a time when demand for personalised promotional gifts has risen following the COVID-19 pandemic, as more and more people return to the office or employ a hybrid work model.

The UK market presents a unique opportunity for Gift Campaign, with a thriving promotional products market that values quality and innovation. A study conducted by Sourcing City revealed that the promotional products industry in the United Kingdom and the Republic of Ireland generated over £1 billion in sales in 2022, highlighting its monumental market potential and growing demand.

To make sure that success follows Gift Campaign into the UK market, the company has tailored its website, products, and services to meet the needs and expectations of UK businesses. With a deep understanding of local customs, preferences and the competitive landscape, the company aims to deliver products and services that resonate with British consumers.

With its established reputation in other European markets, Gift Campaign is poised to make a significant impact on the UK promotional products scene.

Commitment to Sustainability

One of the proudest aspects of Gift Campaign is their deep commitment to sustainability. The company completely understands its impacts on the environment and continuously works towards reducing its carbon footprint. As a part of this commitment, the company has expanded its range of eco-friendly products, prioritising items made from wood, cork, and recycled materials. With each update to their catalogue, Gift Campaign includes more and more sustainable products across numerous categories.

In addition, Gift Campaign has developed a programme where products with printing errors or other minor flaws are donated to charitable causes. This, in turn, helps the less fortunate and significantly reduces waste.

The Future of Gift Campaign

Although the ambitions were sky-high when Gift Campaign launched in 2014 as a Barcelona-based startup, very few would have imagined that the company would be a major player in Europe’s promotional products industry in such a short timeframe.

Today, with its recent expansion into the UK market, Gift Campaign is keen on taking on new challenges and opportunities in such an exciting market, meanwhile staying committed to its core mission of creating long-lasting and meaningful connections through the medium of branded corporate gifts.

Gift Campaign’s co-founders, Diederik de Koning and Oriol Badia, know that the Gift Campaign’s success hinges on their ability to continuously adapt to the ever-changing market trends and consumer demands. The focus of the company is very clear, maintaining the extremely high standards that have enabled the company to become a top player in several European markets while adapting to the particular needs of the UK market. The goal is to enhance the brand’s reputation rather than diluting it.