Unwrapit makes its presents felt

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Toronto-based Unwrapit is an easy to use digital platform and turn-key solution for event organisers to help them give virtual gifts that attendees and speakers will love without any of the heavy lifting or complex logistics that event gifting typically involves.

Steered by co-founder Peter Deitz (pictured) and team, the company has already shaken up the worn corporate gifts market with a sustainable alternative. 

“Unwrapit is a different kind of event gifting and swag company,” Deitz says. “We are unique in building the market for non-material presents.” 

Physical gift bags are typically thick with news splash nonsense, anything from gold-plated vape pens to smart bras. It’s fair to say much of that is probably a) handed on to someone else, b) bound to gather dust at the back of a cupboard or c) left somewhere, inevitably ending up in the rubbish.

While Unwrapit’s primary focus is the corporate/exhibition market, its mantra ‘gifts can be anything or everything as long as it won’t end up in landfill’ is a refreshing ideology in general.

For brands, there’s a reputation risk when giving out consumables such as headphones, hats and shirts, adding to the guilt for clued up recipients.

“Instead,” Deitz says, “why not plant 10 trees? Much better for perception of the brand and the message is sure to be shared via social media, putting the logo in an even bigger positive light. Additionally it allows for better measurability, a must-have for most brand engagement.”

Designed and trialled pre-pandemic, the weight of the virtual/hybrid pivot since early 2020 gives Unwrapit a bigger profile. Its versatility, literally something for everyone, contemporises the gift giving concept and makes it a fit with far more marketing plans. From subscriptions to streaming services, a virtual class on cocktail making, an audiobook or eBook, or a charitable gift, the list, the options, truly go on and on.

And, like looking into an old-school gift bag, there’s a surprise too; a word game, for instance, revealing the reward when completed. Aligned to the theme of the event perhaps, feedback to the sponsor when people send a thank you, which they do.

A global business with gifts tailored to local markets, Unwrapit is a boon to event organisers who are looking for sponsorship opportunities that will deliver value even when an event is cancelled or converted to virtual.

Using Unwrapit to shape a sponsorship package is like taking out an insurance plan for these uncertain times. The sponsor still gets to connect in a meaningful way with the attendees regardless of what happens to the event itself.

“Unwrapit was actually originally designed for in-person events,” Deitz concludes. “In a post-Covid19 world we envision it being used to keep attendee suitcases free of unwanted swag while delivering takeaway gifts that are meaningful to the recipient and reinforce the event/sponsors main messages.”

In the process of becoming a certified BCorp, Unwrapit is a member of 1% for the Planet, so 1% of its revenue goes to environmental organisations as a matter of course. Deitz and company are in the process of building a new version of the product, seeking pilot partners, and will launch the fully-fledged Unwrapit model in early 2021.


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Adam Parry
Author: Adam Parry

Adam is the co-founder and editor of www.eventindustrynews.com Adam, a technology evangelist also organises Event Tech Live, Europe’s only show dedicated to event technology and the Event Technology Awards. Both events take place in November, London.