The best corporate gifts do more than say thank you. They make people feel remembered.
A large New York advertising agency came to us with a big goal and a tight brief. Their team was fully remote. People were working from kitchen tables and spare bedrooms, far from the office and from each other. Leadership wanted a holiday gift that would close that distance.
Here is how we planned it, built it, and delivered it.
The ask: 150 employee gifts for the holidays
The agency needed about 150 gifts for its employees. That part was simple. The details? Not so much.
- So many addresses, so many states. Every gift needed to be shipped directly to an employee's home, and the team was not all in New York City.
- A personal note in every box. The managing partner wanted to write an individual message to each recipient. No generic holiday card. Each note had to get to its person.
One mismatched note would undo the whole gesture. Getting it right mattered as much as what was inside the box.
What we proposed: the Flatbush Duo, plus custom postcards
We recommended the Flatbush Duo: two mason jars of our signature small-batch granola.
- One shared flavor. Every recipient got Cranberry Classic, our original recipe. It gave the whole gift a consistent experience across the company.
- One surprise flavor. The second jar was randomized, so colleagues opened different pairings. It gave people something to compare and talk about.
- Custom holiday postcards. We designed several postcard versions based on the copy the agency provided. We printed each personal note and placed it in the box with its recipient's gift.
How we ran it: their milestones met our process
Corporate gifting at this scale is a project, so we managed it like one. Before Flatbush Granola, I spent years in brand strategy and management consulting. I used that experience to build a process that aligned our production schedule to the agency's milestones and internal procedures so that we could deliver the freshest product, on time and on budget. It boiled down to the following steps:
- Approve the flavors. The agency signed off on the Duo and the flavor mix.
- Approve the postcards. They reviewed and approved each version of the designs.
- Send one list, securely. They exported recipient names, addresses, and messages in a format their team already used, and shared it through their own secure systems.
- See every stage. We sent photos as we moved through production, packing, and note matching.
- Approve before shipping. Nothing left our kitchen until they gave final approval.
After the specs were set, the client's day-to-day involvement was fairly minimal. That was the point. They had a company to run and we got to the business of gifting.
The result: on time, on budget, and remembered
Every gift arrived on time and on budget.
The client was thrilled. The staff were surprised and delighted, most of all by the personal notes from the managing partner. At a time when people felt cut off from the office and from each other, the gift reminded them that leadership saw them as individuals. It strengthened the connection between colleagues and showed the company's commitment to its people.
What this means for your holiday gifting
If you are planning gifts for employees or clients this year, here is what this project shows:
- Personal beats generic. A short note from a leader can mean more than the gift itself.
- Consistency plus surprise works. One shared item builds a common experience. A surprise element gives people something to talk about.
- Your time is the real budget. The right partner handles addresses, matching, and logistics so your team does not have to.
Start your corporate gifting order
We make thoughtful, Brooklyn-made gifts for teams and clients, from a handful of boxes to hundreds shipped to many addresses. Flatbush Granola Company is a NYC-certified M/WBE - working with us is building a stronger small business ecosystem
Explore our corporate gifting options, call or email us to plan a custom order for your team.
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