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Looking for some old family pictures
recently, I came across a box of old work files. I was about to toss the
entire carton into the recycling bin, but something made me crack open the
dusty top for a closer look.
Inside, I did find the old folders and
papers I was expecting, but there were other items too. Wrapped in
yellowed newspaper was a coffee mug with my name in bold red letters,
“Nancy’s Mug!” Another crumpled bundle revealed a wooden nameplate that
from my first real job. Finally, there was a plaque that displayed a
picture of me along with the proclamation, “Best Marketing Program 1988.”
All three items were dated, a little
tacky and they really didn’t hold that much sentimental value. Then why
had I stored them away for all these years?
Probably because the mug, nameplate
and plaque were all personalized. It just didn’t feel right to throw them
away, or – even worse – donate them to the local thrift store.
Why do we treasure our personalized
gifts? First, people, both young and old, love to see their names on just
about anything because it makes them feel special. I’m sure that when I
received the desk nameplate, I was probably thrilled. I vaguely recall
that a girlfriend gave it to me for my birthday, and looking back I can
appreciate the sentiment and the extra time that she took to have the gift
made. Her gesture was heartfelt and the result was something that set me
apart from my colleagues.
Back in the 1980s when I was working
at my first real job, there weren’t all of the personalized selections
that we have available today. You had a choice of having something
engraved, monogrammed or made-to-order, if you could afford it.
The other personalization option was
the mass-marketed, low-cost imports like key chains, pencils, charms and
note paper. These drug-store displays of personalized product – that we
still see today to a lesser extent -- featured common names, and were
aimed at kids and teens (no tweens yet!). If you had an unusual name or
an offbeat spelling, you were simply out of luck.
The personalization industry changed
as technology became more prevalent and affordable. Suddenly,
personalized gifts that once took weeks could be created in a matter of
days or even minutes. The internet changed the personalized gift industry
even more. Gifts that used to require planning and a great deal of
consideration now became impulse purchases. To demonstrate the widespread
appeal of personalized products online, Google “personalized gifts” and
you will see more than 1.8 million results.
Looking at a sample of the
personalized gift results online shows the wide range of personalized
products that can be easily ordered. Gifts run the gamut from picture
frames to baby blankets and from wine glasses to clothing to wall art.
Products range from the very inexpensive to the upscale and highly
innovative. Searching online, you can find some very sweet personalized
baby gifts for around $20. On the flip side, there is a site selling a
diamond studded pacifier for $17,000 – taking baby bling to a whole new
level.
It’s hard to find a product today that
can’t be personalized in some manner. And our love of these products
seems to grow each year as we buy them for our kids, friends, family,
teachers, co-workers and, yes, even ourselves.
So the next time you come across those
personalized pajamas tucked away in a drawer, the sofa pillow featuring
your husband’s nickname or your youngsters’ wooden name puzzle, remember
the good feeling that personalization can evoke. And also know that you
will have a very hard time getting rid of any of this stuff.
Click here to see all of our Personalized Gifts for Babies and Children. |
