I don't know why calendars and diaries have become that popular as small gifts given in December. I guess this is because they are necessary and coveted things. On top of that, calendars are put on desks or hung on walls for a year, and diaries are used for a year, as well. In other words, they can remind people daily of companies which gave them, so they are effective promotion tools. However, the calendars and diaries will be meaningless if they aren't used. In order to capture hearts and minds, some are highly designed, and some are functional. Needless to say, company's names and telephone numbers are printed on the calendars and diaries in a way to not spoil the design of them. As for calendars, in my experience, I can find ones I like among calendars given at work. If there are some left at the office after Christmas, workers are often allowed to bring them back home if they want. Until a decade ago, banks etc would give them not only to main clients but also to individual clients such as housewives. All in all, calendars are things to be given, not to buy, for many people in Japan, although more people buy them since the number of attractive free calendars has sharply decreased due to the current recession.Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Do calendars play a certain role on business? Calenders are things to be given in Japan.
There are only a few days left this year. Companies other than service ones got closed for the New Year holidays yesterday. The last business day of the year is called 仕事納め/shigoto-osame in Japan. On the day, small parties called 納会/noukai are usually held. In my experience, snacks and drinks including alcohols are served at the office. Companies will be usually be closed for business until the 3rd of January.
As I mentioned before, people traditionally give gifts to their bosses and friends etc in order to show their gratitude in December although this tradition has become less popular. Other than this tradition, right before the holidays start, workers visit their main clients to express their gratitude and give them original calendars or diaries which their companies made as promotional goods, although I've found that there is a growing tendency by companies to stop making and giving them to cut costs.
I don't know why calendars and diaries have become that popular as small gifts given in December. I guess this is because they are necessary and coveted things. On top of that, calendars are put on desks or hung on walls for a year, and diaries are used for a year, as well. In other words, they can remind people daily of companies which gave them, so they are effective promotion tools. However, the calendars and diaries will be meaningless if they aren't used. In order to capture hearts and minds, some are highly designed, and some are functional. Needless to say, company's names and telephone numbers are printed on the calendars and diaries in a way to not spoil the design of them. As for calendars, in my experience, I can find ones I like among calendars given at work. If there are some left at the office after Christmas, workers are often allowed to bring them back home if they want. Until a decade ago, banks etc would give them not only to main clients but also to individual clients such as housewives. All in all, calendars are things to be given, not to buy, for many people in Japan, although more people buy them since the number of attractive free calendars has sharply decreased due to the current recession.
I wish you all the best in 2011!
I don't know why calendars and diaries have become that popular as small gifts given in December. I guess this is because they are necessary and coveted things. On top of that, calendars are put on desks or hung on walls for a year, and diaries are used for a year, as well. In other words, they can remind people daily of companies which gave them, so they are effective promotion tools. However, the calendars and diaries will be meaningless if they aren't used. In order to capture hearts and minds, some are highly designed, and some are functional. Needless to say, company's names and telephone numbers are printed on the calendars and diaries in a way to not spoil the design of them. As for calendars, in my experience, I can find ones I like among calendars given at work. If there are some left at the office after Christmas, workers are often allowed to bring them back home if they want. Until a decade ago, banks etc would give them not only to main clients but also to individual clients such as housewives. All in all, calendars are things to be given, not to buy, for many people in Japan, although more people buy them since the number of attractive free calendars has sharply decreased due to the current recession.