Choose the format for the setting
A desk-focused gift should be comfortable to hold and easy to place in the available space. Check the handle, opening and overall dimensions against normal use. A travel-oriented gift needs a closer review of its lid, carrying arrangement and intended storage position. For a bottle, consider how it will be filled, held and cleaned. Avoid treating all containers with a lid as interchangeable.
Ask what the recipient already uses. Another container may be welcome if it offers a relevant function, but it can also become a duplicate that stays in its box. If the audience includes different working patterns, compare two practical formats rather than choosing one solely because its print area is larger. A common message can connect different products within the same campaign.
Confirm handling and care details
Request the supplier’s information for the selected model: intended use, material description, care instructions and any stated performance limitations. Do not infer leak resistance, insulation duration or suitability for a particular cleaning method from a photograph. If one of these features is essential, ask for the relevant specification and review it before artwork approval. Keep unsupported claims out of the accompanying card.
Inspect a sample using an appropriate, ordinary handling test consistent with its instructions. Check how the lid opens, whether the parts can be accessed for cleaning and how the object fits the proposed packaging. A decorative presentation should not hide essential care information. If the product has several removable parts, make sure the recipient can understand how to use and reassemble them.
Worked hypothetical example: office and field teams
Imagine a company considering drinkware for an office team and colleagues who visit client locations. This is a hypothetical planning example, not a quotation. The office group tests a desk mug for comfortable everyday use. The travelling group reviews a lidded alternative against its documented carrying and care requirements. The company compares the complete specifications instead of assuming the same object serves both groups equally well.
For branding, check the proposed mark in a normal holding position and at actual size. Confirm how the selected treatment works on that exact surface. Review the final package with its care information included, and record the approved product reference so a substitute cannot silently change the features on which the decision depended.
Examples from the Brandkom catalogue
- ALAND 500 ml tumbler with straw (MO3170) Try it at a desk and check the lid in the position the recipient will carry it.
- BIG CHAN 900 ml insulated flask (MO9703) Its larger capacity changes the weight of a filled gift. Test it full and check the fit in the proposed bag.
Before you move forward
- Describe whether the gift is for a desk, travel or both.
- Confirm the exact model’s use and care information.
- Check handling, cleaning access and packaging with a sample.
- Approve branding on the selected material and surface.
- Remove unsupported performance and environmental claims.
Common questions
Can we promise a particular temperature-retention period?
Only use a performance statement supported by the exact product’s documentation and relevant conditions. If it is not confirmed, leave it out. A general description such as “travel-style container” should not be expanded into an unsupported promise about insulation or safe carrying.
Is a bottle automatically a sustainable gift?
Do not make a broad environmental claim from the product type alone. Focus on its suitability for repeated use and the recipient’s actual routine. Ask for evidence behind any material or environmental statement you intend to print, and avoid adding claims that the supplier has not substantiated.
Ready to turn the brief into a shortlist? Explore the catalogue or start a project in Brandkom’s free Gift Design Studio.