Discover the secrets to happier employees in this week's edition of Happy Office Hour, powered by Brand Sauce. Packed with industry insights, hot new products for your company store, and valuable tips to make your office happier—while making your company culture the envy of your industry.

A Dash of Industry Insights 📰

Industry Headlines, Insights, Data & Upcoming Events

⏰ T-41 Days Until Employee Appreciation Day: March 7th is approaching fast. While recognition should be woven into your culture year-round, this date marks a critical moment to strengthen employee engagement and reinforce your appreciation initiatives.

🎯 2025 Corporate Gifting Revolution: The gifting landscape has fundamentally changed. Data shows companies succeeding are leveraging premium products, sustainable options, and personalization at scale. Those still using traditional bulk ordering and generic products risk falling behind. Looking to modernize your gifting strategy? Let's talk.

♻️ Industry Pulse: Research shows Gen Z prioritizes personalized, sustainable merchandise over standard corporate swag. Pop-up shops offering customization are driving higher engagement and longer product lifecycles. Read more here.

2025 Apparel Report Reveals Major Shift in Corporate Wear: Key trends reshaping promotional apparel: heavyweight sustainable t-shirts replacing fitted styles, PFAS-free fleece gaining momentum, and foam-front truckers dominating headwear. Data shows unisex, genderless styling and garment-dyed pieces leading buyer demand. See more trends here.

Brand Sauce EAD Playbook

Employee Appreciation Day: Time-Sensitive Action Required

Employee Appreciation Day

Employee Appreciation Day (March 7th) is approaching fast. Don't let this crucial opportunity to strengthen your company culture slip away. Our data shows that companies implementing recognition programs see up to 5x higher employee engagement and retention.

Why Act Now:

• Implementation requires 3-4 weeks for optimal results

• February 12th is our cutoff date for March 7th launches

• Premium products and customization options become limited closer to the date

Choose Your Path:

1. New to Our EAD Playbook? Reply "EAD" to receive our comprehensive playbook used by industry leaders.

2. Current Brand Sauce Client? Email ross@brandsauce.io to schedule your EAD implementation call. Limited spots available.

3. Ready to Launch Your First Store? Book your strategy session here to create an on-demand pop-up shop that lets employees choose gifts they'll actually use.

Words of Wisdom

Quote of the Week

This simple truth captures the heart of meaningful employee recognition. When companies invest in their people through thoughtful gestures and personalized appreciation, the impact reverberates through improved engagement, retention, and performance. That's why Brand Sauce's platform enables companies to move beyond generic swag to create recognition experiences that make employees feel genuinely valued and empowered through choice.

Swag School

🔥 Hottest Product of the Week: Featuring Floatie Kings Custom Inflatables

Transform your next event from ordinary to extraordinary with Floatie Kings custom inflatable experiences. From towering brand mascots to interactive promotional displays, they're revolutionizing how brands create memorable moments.

Why They're Game-Changing:

• Any design imaginable - from logos to mascots to product replicas

• Perfect for trade shows, product launches, and corporate events

• Fast 3-step process: sketch → model → inflate

• Eco-friendly materials with industry-leading turnaround times

Featured Applications:

• Grand opening celebrations

• Job fairs

• Festival and event attractions

• Trade show traffic drivers

• Holiday promotions

• Sponsorship activations

Recent Success:

Yves Saint Laurent partnered with Floatie Kings to create an unforgettable launch event that dramatically increased foot traffic and social media engagement.

Ready to make your brand larger than life? Contact us to explore custom inflatable options for your next campaign.

Client Spotlight

Client Spotlight: CBRE (Coldwell Banker Richard Ellis)

Meet CBRE

CBRE (Coldwell Banker Richard Ellis) is one of the largest commercial real estate services and investment firms in the world. Founded in 1906 and headquartered in Dallas, Texas, CBRE operates globally, offering a wide range of services related to real estate and property management.

Client Gifting: A Brand Sauce Success Story 🌟

The CBRE San Diego Debt and Structured Finance team created a pop-up store for their clients this holiday season. This pop-up store is the best way to gift your clients and show them your appreciation. Each client received an email thanking them for their business and asking them to select one item from a curated collection of gifts. Products included Yeti Tumblers, Solo Stove Mesas, Travis Mathew duffel bags, The North Face jackets, and more. 

These pop-up shops create a unique gifting experience where the client gets to CHOOSE a gift rather than receive a gift they don't want and didn't ask for. It also saves CBRE money if people decide they do not want a gift. After the gifts are received the CBRE team can follow up with a call and ask their clients how they like their new gift and talk about business plans for 2025. 

Every company big or small should be offering an experience like this to their clients.

Click here to see their pop-up shop.

🤝 Partner with CBRE

Interested in doing business with CBRE? I'm happy to make an introduction—reach out at Ross@BrandSauce.io.

🚀 Join the CBRE Team

Ready to work for a company that puts people first? CBRE is expanding with 1,000s of exciting positions globally. Explore opportunities here.

Weekend Update

Around The Water Cooler With Ross

A Peek Behind the Curtain: My Work with Stratford Partners

Did you know I serve as a principal at a real estate company? My good friends, Andy Crews and Jesse Wilson, founded Stratford Partners in 2012. Since the very beginning, my family and friends have been proud to invest alongside Stratford Partners as the company has grown and thrived.

In my role, I focus on raising capital when exciting new investment opportunities arise. It's a rewarding experience to support a team that is deeply committed to delivering exceptional value in the multifamily real estate space.

Next week, I’ll be heading to Las Vegas for the 2025 NMHC Apartment Strategies Conference, one of the largest annual events in the multifamily industry. This gathering brings together industry leaders to share insights, discuss trends, and explore the future of apartment living and investments. Learn more about the event here.

I feel incredibly fortunate to be able to expand my understanding of the multifamily business and investment opportunities while also working on Brand Sauce every day.

Las Vegas, I’m on my way—please go easy on me this time!

-Ross

© 2024 On Demand Global, LLC., DBA Brand Sauce