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Getting Personal

Personalized gifts and accessories have always been popular. But the trend is growing — especially with monograms.

By Bessie Nestoras -- Gifts and Dec, 9/1/2008 12:00:00 AM

What makes a gift a little extra special? First and foremost, it is the thought put into it that tailors it to the recipient. Monogramming, the latest come-back-around trend in personalizing gifts and accessories, helps make that process a little bit easier. While your customer may not know completely about their recipient's likes, dislikes or hobbies, they do know their name and some, if not all, of their initials. Receiving a gift with their name or monogram makes the recipient feel like the giver went that extra mile to give them the perfect gift, a gift that was made just for them.

As specialty retailers you are at an advantage. You can offer customers something that big boxes can't: personalized gifts. And with many vendors providing a turnaround time of less than four weeks, it's even more enticing. Better yet, a custom personalized gift can't be returned.

Just for Me

Everyone loves a personalized gift. “It says 'It's just for me',” says Donna Territo, president, Abbiamo Tutto. “I think everybody likes to see their name. It's fun. It brings you back to childhood where you saw your name pre-printed on an umbrella. It feels special that someone went that extra mile,” says Lauren Rauter, owner of Rock Paper Scissors in Franklin, TN. And in this economy people are more willing to spend a little extra on something unique. “If people are going to spend money, they are willing to spend a little more for something special. They're looking for the next unique gift,” explains Dabney Lee Woglom, founder of stationery line Dabney Lee Inc. and the new Dabney Lee At Home.

Monograms. Names. Initials. They are all very personal. When someone receives something that is personalized, their attitude toward that gift changes. “I kept the personalized aspect [in my new line] because anyone can buy a plain tray. But if you receive a [monogrammed tray] as a wedding gift, you're going to want to use it more,” Woglom says. Her new At Home line includes a variety of gifts for home and office, including monogrammed playing cards that come in a Lucite box, drink coasters, paper placemats, recipe box and cards; note papers, mousepad, wall art and more. The company offers a number of different patterns, fonts and colors that customers can mix and match. “A monogram is a work of art,” she says. And turnaround time is just 10 days.

“Monogramming put us on the map. I wanted to do something different that would set us apart. So, I introduced it five years ago and it was a big hit,” says Donna Territo. And the program just keeps on growing. The company originally offered monogramming on three dinnerware patterns, now it's offered on nine. Territo also introduced a porcelain line of napkin rings, coasters/tasting dishes and buffet cards. She says monograms do really well with the giftware line, which includes wine bottle holders, pitchers, pedestal dishes, dessert trays, baby sets and more. “You don't have to commit to a lot of pieces. We can monogram just one item,” says Territo. All of the monogramming on the ceramic pieces is hand-painted in Italy and takes four to eight weeks to ship. For the ceramic dinnerware, the company offers two monogram styles, “But really we can do anything because it's hand-painted,” she says.

Southern Roots

Personalized accessories — especially monograms — have been, for the most part, associated with the South, but are quickly making their way across the country, although Donna Territo believes that monogramming has always been big in the New England area. “I lived in Atlanta for four years and saw monograms everywhere. But then moving to New York, I still see them. It's a preppy stylish thing that I see everywhere,” says Dabney Lee Woglom.

Retailer Lauren Rauter was originally from the New York area before relocating and opening her store in Tennessee. “I came here 10 years ago and saw it everywhere. Now my friends from home are calling and asking if I can send something up with their child's name on it. It started in the South, but it's everywhere now. Usually things start in the North, but this time the opposite happened,” she tells Gifts & Decorative Accessories.

While the look is associated with a preppy lifestyle, the new designs and patterns are suited for anyone. “The great thing is that [monograms] are being done with a modern twist. It can be quite elegant and hip,” she says. Territo's monogram program is a bit more traditional. Abbiamo Tutto offers classic Italian product and design. “But then we Americanize it to reach this market,” she explains.

Monogramming is catching on fast. It's seen on decorative accessories, office accessories, stationery, jewelry and even tattoos. “We had one customer who took the monogram from her Crane's stationery, had it engraved on a plate, then made a tattoo of it,” Rauter recounts. Now that's really going that extra mile.

Do It Yourself

Personalized gifts get even more personal when you can write your sentiment right on the item. They're great for birthdays, weddings and other special occasions —friends and loved ones simply sign a platter, bowl or frame with their warm wishes and the recipient has a great memento. More vendors are offering these kits and they come in a variety of styles and themes to suit any special event.

Personal Spirit

Although it is not “personalized” by the strictest definition (no personal initials, name or custom monogram), another way for retailers to help customers looking for that “special personal gift” is to appeal to the recipient's attachment to a university and its sport team or their affiliation with a Greek organization, by offering merchandise that bears licensed collegiate logos or Greek letters.

The licensed collegiate market continues to grow as a gift category, representing around $3 billion in retail sales annually, according to the Collegiate Licensing Company, Atlanta. Although this is a category that began and continues to have more strength in the South and the Midwest, it has gained momentum all across the country. Collegiate sports are more widely televised, and the teams — and their schools — are more heavily promoted to establish themselves with a brand identity. Because of this, fan base and pride in collegiate teams extends beyond the local campus. Alumni, no matter where they live, and the local community take ownership of their teams, while unrelated viewers latch onto fan-hood for reasons strictly their own.

Keep in mind is that there is a fan born everyday and that fraternities and sororities are an integral part of campus life at many schools and often produce life-long ties that bind.

Licensed collegiate merchandise appeals to the passion and affinity that customers have for a university or organization. It's another aspect of personalization that shows the extra thought put into the choice of a gift.— Caroline Kennedy

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