By Isaac Ato MENSAH
Accra – 23 January, 2019
In public relations management, anniversary gifts are very important; they mark out your organisation for its heritage and tradition.
If you do not know how to do it, just ask from those who do know; never do something – anything, to represent something; it will damage your reputation and brand image or at the very least, not enhance it.
Gifts show generosity, an upwelling of gratitude from the human heart.
They do not have to be expensive.
The word token has come to represent the intention behind your gift, BUT does not mean buy something with no taste, style or panache.
If your organisation does not have the means to splurge, then the symbolism of your anniversary gift becomes the focus of the appreciation, reflection and discussion.
It is very important to avoid public relations talking points that shift the focus of your gift to the associated fallouts.
During J. A. Kufuor’s presidency, for example, Dr David Yongi-Cho, a South Korean Christian evangelist visited Ghana for a crusade and presented the Ghanaian president with Ginseng products.
This got tongues wagging as Ghanaians associated one of the best of Korean health products with an invitation to the old boy to explore his libidinal energies.
And of course, do not present birthday gifts to those who do not believe in celebrating birthdays; it will not be appropriate no matter how libertarian the person is.
So let us look at a few anniversaries and the traditionally associated symbols, beginning with my daughter’s eighth birthday (anniversary).
Eight years – Copper
Ten years – Tin or Aluminium
Twenty years – China or Porcelain
Twenty five years – Silver
Thirty years – Pearl
Forty years – Ruby
Fifty years – Gold
Sixty years – Diamond
It is better to do some research and consult widely; especially the knowledgeable or if you like, “too known” – they can be most helpful.
Search your archives if you have one; your organisation may even have done all the right things in the past.
Let not the words of my mentor, ‘There is no institution that was left for us that we have been able to maintain’ become true of your organisation.
Often in Ghana, we take tokens as the real thing; when are we going to present the real thing?
Are we afraid of the gift tax and the troubles with the tax lawyers?
Why will an organisation mark a long service award, say, your fortieth anniversary of work, by presenting you with a token of a table top refrigerator worth only about 500 Cedis or USD100?
If USD$100 is your organisation’s budget, there certainly could be a more appropriate gift that will not incur electricity bills – a financial liability.
In Ghana we have lowered the bar in everything.
A safe bet for end of year awards and other anniversaries for Ghanaian institutions especially, is to raise the bar and limit the number of awardees.
Again, why not assign an expert to present a paper on the gifts to the planning committee, instead of what we have been witnessing in Ghana where every member of the very large anniversary committee will have their say, and annoyingly select themselves for awards?
The paper from the expert can serve as a reference point in case of the usual Ghanaian disputes when deserving employees are overlooked due to poor corporate record keeping.
If you called the bloke or the lady a casual worker for five years before giving him or her an appointment letter how will you know his actual/ real anniversary?
Enough said…..avoid a public relations embarrassment with your anniversary gift.
Happy birthday, Naana.
Feedback; [email protected]
Writers and Shakespeares Ghana Limited exists to be a moral and intellectual guide to the best practice of PR and integrated communications around the world, beginning with Ghana.