Military Gifts for Veterans

Original and useful gift

Statistics say that most people like to give gifts more than to receive. Since this game is always played by two, the pleasure should be divided in half. But it is still more difficult for the giver, because he needs to surprise, and even within the planned budget. The more original the gift, the more surprise, the more pleasant it’s to give. But what if the person being gifted is a veteran? These are people of principle, in their case, originality can be missed. Let’s try to pay attention to the merch – perhaps in its diversity are the very necessary military gifts for veterans.

History of merch

As soon as humanity came to the point that you can have your own things, people began to mark them so as not to confuse. Starting with heraldry, continuing with the initials on the headscarves of the nobility and further, through the signed military uniform, the owners designated their ownership in this way.

However, these things were produced in the singular or in small batches, and were intended for individuals or small groups. Another thing is the results of the industrial revolution.

When goods began to be mass-produced, their value fell, but they became less original – anyone with money could buy the same thing as another person with money. But rather quickly, American businessmen realized that any clean surface (on clothes, dishes or haberdashery) is an occasion not only to distinguish a person from the crowd, but also to promote a product or service. And the appropriate word was chosen – merchandising.

Advertising historians recall three major events that inspired the use of merch in public campaigns.

1.  Film industry

In 1939, with the help of T-shirts with the inscription “The Wizard of Oz” they announced the release of the film of the same name in cinemas. And in the film itself, the actors appeared in similar T-shirts. The move worked: the audience wanted to have such a T-shirt, as it symbolized the participation of the ordinary consumer in the art world.

2.  Printed publications

In 1942, the cover of Life magazine featured an American soldier wearing a T-shirt advertising the Las Vegas Air Ordnance School. Applying the image using a stencil demonstrated the simplicity of the method, and the advertisement itself was the first of its kind. Now it would be called hidden or product placement.

3.  Policy

Everything that gives a direct benefit sooner or later crushes politics. In 1948, Thomas Dewey fought for the presidency with Harry Truman. Fans of the Republican nominee wore “Dew it with Dewey” T-shirts. In the end, he lost the election, which, as it seemed, was in his pocket, but merchandising won. Since then, it has been used more and more frequently.

Then there were T-shirts of rock bands, corporate flags, branded cups, lighters and thermoses. Any surface capable of carrying information sooner or later filled up and became merch. Today, it has moved into the virtual world — most online games have purchased skins, and popular bloggers monetize the number of subscribers by selling them merchandise.

Common item becomes exclusive

The popularity of the idea of promoting goods through merch or branding gifts actually lies in the implementation of the philosophical category of the unity of form and content. Of course, a merchandiser is not required to have a doctoral degree, but to subconsciously understand that a cup and a spoon is a good merchandise for selling tea, – yes, he is. And in this implementation, there is not only originality, but also a certain aesthetic beauty.

According to the type of tasks assigned, merch is divided approximately as follows:

• clothes, shoes, accessories – requires selection of size, color and style
• small stationery – requires knowledge of the specifics of office work
• luxury clothing brands and goods – requires significant financial investment and collaboration with luxury manufacturers

According to the method of delivery, merch happens:

• gifts for personal dates or tokens of attention on public holidays – requires an individual approach to the recipient
• motivational rewards and sports prizes – require statistical calculation of results
• charitable things – you need to be in trend so that the object attracts the most attention
• for sale – requires recognition of the product among similar ones

The breakdown by topic is as follows:

• musical – names of bands and albums
• sports – teams and players
• political – candidates and parties
• social – actions and petitions

In terms of design, merch should be

• concise
• meaningful
• creative

In terms of communication, there may be such options

• controversy
• status
• memory

To withstand all these criteria at the same time, you need experience, which, perhaps, only guys like Galaxate have. The list of goods is always finite, but the imagination of customers is endless. In the case of merch, this is precisely what is called a collaboration.

Which way to think

In order to realize the idea in the merch as much as possible, you need to remember the same unity of form and content. One will be appropriate, the other will not, the main thing is to be able to recognize. If you are not sure that you are on the right side of the line, contact specialists, for example, Galaxate.

What to focus on:

• analysis of the recipient and the situation of delivery — put yourself in the place of the birthday man and think about what you would like to receive about this holiday
• do not be greedy — the embodiment must be worthy of the idea
• get creative — go through the “first association” and think about the next one
• following the concept — remember that the gift item must be used, it must be comfortable

No need to:

• repeat what has already been done
• save on the quality of the merchandise, as this can reduce the effect of receiving
• afraid to be original

There are special shops in which ready-made offers are formed, adjusted for the wishes of the client. Convenience consists in a complex solution of the problem in a short time. This makes it easier to choose a gift for special categories of people, such as veterans.