We are now in the home stretch of the holiday season and many people are already scouring leaked Black Friday ads and making their shopping plans. For me, it’s always a dilemma about what I should give to my family and friends. Of course the holidays are not all about the gifts, but seeing the joy on someone else’s face when I give them a surprise makes me smile.
At our integrated marketing agency, we’re like our own little family of marketing savages. We celebrate special events in one another’s lives and even have our own holiday traditions. So this got me thinking, and being the planner that I am, I began brainstorming ideas for the perfect gifts for my fellow PR superstars. Our holiday gift guide outreach for our clients didn’t hurt in planting the seed!
Here is my holiday gift guide for the PR marketing guru in your life:
Reading Material
Any public relations specialist will tell you, purchasing or receiving your first copy of the AP (Associated Press) Stylebook is like a rite of passage in a PR pro’s life. I purchased my first copy while in college and since that time, revisions and updates have been made consistently and it is great for someone in any stage of his/her PR marketing career.
Another classic is The Tipping Point: How Little Things Can Make a Big Difference by Malcolm Gladwell. This book, another one I read in college, focuses on the phenomenon of the tipping point – when an idea, trend or behavior crosses over the threshold of being known by a few people to being accepted as commonplace. For more reading suggestions, please see Vocus’ list of the Top Ten Books to Help PR Pros.
Décor
Being in PR, we spend a lot of time at work. Thus, it’s important that our space serves as an outlet for creativity and comfort. One way to achieve this is through imagery. Check out allposters.com for a wide variety of art, motivational signs and posters that are sure to appeal to anyone’s interests. Here’s one that I am considering:
Another major part of our environment is our comfort. We spend a good portion of our day looking at computer screens and sitting at our desks. Perhaps a back pillow, cushion or massager would be a nice treat. In our office, we have our beloved cocoa puffs, but not everyone is that lucky!
Nourishment
A public relation specialist’s arsenal also includes caffeine – lots of it. In our office, we are always stocked with Diet Coke, coffee, tea and chocolate. A great gift would be a gift basket filled with all of these goodies so we can always refuel after a long day of pitching. Many sites, including Build a Basket, help you create your own gift basket. Anyone would love to receive one of these baskets of goodness!
Do you have any other suggestions for great gifts? Our integrated marketing agency would love to hear from you!