Corporate gifting is a growing global industry but in a competitive landscape success increasingly depends on thoughtful, personalised gifts with local character rather than generic merchandise.
According to The Business Research Company’s “Corporate Gifting Global Market Report 2025″, the global corporate gifting market reached $822bn (about R14-trillion) in 2024 and is expected to grow to $1.2-trillion by 2029.
While North America held the largest market share, and Asia-Pacific was the fastest-growing region, Africa and the Middle East remain notable players in the corporate gifting landscape. Market Reports World reported that these regions accounted for 7% of global corporate gift orders in 2024, totalling 1.6-million shipments, with orders typically placed by large firms and multinationals, including South African companies among the key players.
The report also notes that regional adoption grew 19% between 2022 and 2024, reflecting rising corporate professionalism and employee engagement, with gift types including:
- food hampers (24%);
- practical merchandise (21%);
- personalised apparel (17%); and
- eGift cards (23%).
Bianca Capazorio, founder of Black Tie Gifts, a corporate gifting studio, said she started her business because, during her time in public relations and the events industry, she noticed that companies, especially global ones operating locally, “were looking for gifts that tied into their creative campaigns that were locally produced and would not simply end up in the landfill.
“At the end of the day, corporate gifts are a marketing tool, but they don’t do anything for a brand if they’re sitting unused in a drawer somewhere, or worse, in the bin, so they need to be desirable.”
In the digital age, a lot of corporate gifting is done with social media unboxing or shareability in mind. A lot of my clients are looking for things that have a ‘cool’ factor, that are useful or are of good quality.”
— Bianca Capazorio, Black Tie Gifts founder
Capazorio noted that “there is a lot of the same [in gift products] and that’s largely because there are a few major suppliers in South Africa who supply resellers in the industry, so everyone is choosing from the same catalogues of common items”.
However, she said Black Tie Gifts does not rely on standard catalogues, instead working with clients to curate gifting options based on campaign needs, budget and design considerations, with an emphasis on local and small-scale suppliers.
One example Capazorio cites is Shwe, a social enterprise working with women’s sewing co-operatives to produce items featuring shweshwe-inspired designs, including bags, cooler bags and laptop covers.
Echoing the emphasis on local and meaningful gifts, 24 Carrots Event Design director Hylton Morby-Smith said there has been a noticeable shift towards South African or African-produced gifts. “If there is a story behind the gifts, that is an added advantage,” he said.
Morby-Smith highlighted the importance of gift personalisation, noting that “thoughtfulness seems to be more important than value” to corporate clients. He said a social responsibility angle can enhance a gift’s appeal, and presentation also matters:
- how the gift is packaged;
- whether it comes in a gift bag or is wrapped;
- how it is delivered; and
- whether it includes a printed or handwritten card.
Capazorio similarly noted that what often drives the selection of specific items is how they will be received and shared. “In the digital age, a lot of corporate gifting is done with social media unboxing or shareability in mind. A lot of my clients are looking for things that have a ‘cool’ factor, that are useful or are of good quality.”
She said this often influences even common items, with clients opting for recycled materials, more design-led branding, or locally made alternatives.
Speaking to trends for 2026 and beyond, Capazorio said widely popular items, such as Stanley cups and their more affordable duplicates, are likely to remain in circulation for the near term, but she expects a gradual move away from “overdone” products such as flash drives and mousepads as technology and consumer habits evolve.
She highlighted three trends expected to shape local corporate merchandise over the next few years:
- One trend is “quiet luxury”, where high-end merchandise such as custom scarves, apparel and artwork subtly associates brands with sophistication rather than overt branding, influenced by the hospitality sector in which hotels have partnered with luxury brands or produced items in-house.
- At the other end of the spectrum, she pointed to the growing scale and spectacle of influencer gifting, particularly in the US, where brands compete for attention through increasingly elaborate packaging and promotional concepts.
- A third trend is a growing emphasis on personalisation, she said. “People love getting a gift that has their name on it, and especially when it comes to gifting for client or staff birthdays and special occasions, there is a move to tailoring the gift itself to the person and their interests.”
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