Apple Watch, Your Way

Personalization is the way of the future, at least according to Apple. At the Apple event earlier this week, the tech giant launched Apple Watch Studio, which lets you mix and match Apple Watch casings and straps to get the exact look that you want.

Taking it a step further, add your company logo or a custom design opens a branding opportunity for your business. It’s a gift-giving opportunity for your employees or a way to say “thank you” to a vendor or client.

Custom branding options on the Apple Watch:

  • Company or recipient name on the blank side of the case
  • Logo or design on the Watch button
  • Custom design or logo etched on the Sport Bands
  • Color logo or design on the charger

Being able to choose the material, style and color of your Apple Watch case and bands, there are over a 1,000 different watch customization options. Being able to add your own logo or design, the possibilities are endless. There is truly a watch for everyone.

An Employee Reward to Keep Them Going

Agile Physical Therapy, a privately owned physical therapy company, recently hosted its 17th Annual Agile State of the Company at its headquarters in Palo Alto, Calf. The event brought together its 125-plus person team to celebrate the successes of the past year and highlight where the company is headed.  

Prior to the annual gathering, Agile worked with FUSION OF IDEAS to customize 30 Apple AirPods that would be presented to select employees during the special event. The company’s logo was printed on the charging case and bonded with UV so it does not scratch, chip or fade.  

“We were so excited when we received our AirPods because they looked absolutely amazing,” said Chris Reed, CFO at Agile Physical Therapy. “We wanted to give a special appreciation gift to our loyal employees who have been with the company for over five years. It was our way of thanking them for their hard work and dedication to Agile.”

Founded in 2002, Agile Physical Therapy has more than 125 employees, including over 60 board-certified clinical specialists in orthopedics, sports, hand therapy or pelvic health.  The organization has locations across California in Palo Alto, San Mateo, Los Altos, and Los Angeles.

Agile is one of the thousands of organizations that FUSION OF IDEAS has partnered with to create custom-branded gifts as part of their employee rewards program. For more information about our customization services, visit https://fusionofideas.com/branding.php

Employees gather at Agile Physical Therapy's "Agile State of the Company" event. Select employees were recognized with custom-branded Apple AirPods for their dedication to the company. Photo credit: Agility Physical Therapy
Employees gather at Agile Physical Therapy’s “Agile State of the Company” event. Select employees were recognized with custom-branded Apple AirPods for their dedication to the company. Photo source: Agility Physical Therapy

3 Tips for Employee Appreciation Day

Employees cannot take their jobs for granted. At the same time, employers cannot take their staff for granted. As an employer, your employees dedicate a significant portion of their time to helping you succeed.

For Employee Appreciation Day, how will you thank your team for their hard work and dedication?

Whether you are planning to bring a simple “thank you” lunch for your crew, or an all-employee celebration, here are three tips to keep in mind:

  1. Get involved. Leaders in the company should be involved in the planning of the celebration, no matter how big or small. Don’t leave the task to non-management employees. Employers need to celebrate their employees and show them how important they are to the whole company.
  2. Everyone is important. Avoid the temptation to spotlight certain employees. There is a right time and place to recognize top achievers. Employee Appreciation Week is an opportunity to show gratitude to the entire staff.
  3. Know what they want. If you are giving a gift, remember that your employees are worth more than a tchotchke that will end up in a drawer or be given to their children. Skip the low-quality items and give something that is valuable and memorable to them. A memorable gift doesn’t have to be expensive. There are many cool giftable gadgets that are priced fairly, such as Apple AirPods, YETI tumblers or Amazon Echo Dot.

We’ve taken to our blog in the past to showcase a growing trend of companies turning inward and giving unforgettable gifts to their employees. Here are a few more examples of businesses that have shown appreciation to staff through gifting.

Omni Technologies: Beats EP headphones with custom sleeve and gift wrap
Omni Technologies: Beats EP headphones with custom sleeve and gift wrap
FlexCare Medical Staffing: Apple Watch with custom sleeve and gift wrap 
FlexCare Medical Staffing: Apple Watch with custom sleeve and gift wrap
Nashville Healthcare Council: Amazon Echo with custom sleeve and gift wrap
Nashville Healthcare Council: Amazon Echo with custom sleeve and gift wrap

Customized Mobile Devices as Employee Rewards

Employers are always looking for new and different ways to reward employees and celebrate successes. A trend that has been rising in popularity with our clients is using customized devices as part of its employee rewards program.

There are many ways for an employer to use corporate gifting to build up, fuel and recognize employees. Some ideas include:

  • Creating a points-based system to reward employee performance through peers or managers
  • Building a rewards system to recognize significant service milestones
  • Setting productivity or sales goals with a highly valued prize that employees can earn when they reach the goal
  • Or simply planning a surprise holiday gift as a reward for all of your employees.

Any employee gift can be taken up a notch with customization – custom printed Apple Airpods for employees to listen to music quietly at work, a customized Apple Watch with laser-etched company name, or even a branded drone that is guaranteed to wow the recipient.

FUSION OF IDEAS has pushed the boundaries of creativity by customizing a wide range of devices, from headphones and portable speakers to game consoles and cameras. The possibilities are truly endless. What can custom-branded devices do for your business?

The Sky’s the Limit: Conga Custom Helicopter Drones

By Jennifer Fujimori

One of the best things about Fusion of Ideas customized hardware services is that the sky is literally the limit. We’ve showcased custom iPads, Apple Watches, iPhones, headphones, laptops, cases – and most recently, remote control helicopter drones. We worked with Conga, which offers a suite of solutions for using Salesforce.com, to customize a fleet of Cheerwing mini helicopters as a promotion for the actual helicopter tours they’re conducting at the annual Dreamforce conference. With help from our creative design team, Conga opted for a Stealth Armor cutout of their signature logo in white text on a red circle. The Stealth Armor is heat bonded to the nose of the helicopter to accent the red panels and create a polished, brand-new look. Check out the images of the final product, and let it inspire you to create your own custom tech!