10 December 2024
850 Ornaments in 7 Days: Holiday Gift Miracles for AFN
For over a decade, we have had the honour of having the Assembly of First Nations (AFN) as one of our valued clients, trusting us to bring their gifting dreams to life with high-quality and meaningful branded merchandise. The organization’s commitment to First Nations peoples across Canada is inspiring, and we are proud to support them in their efforts through thoughtful and impactful gifting.
This past holiday season, AFN had a bright holiday gift idea. They requested 850 Christmas ornaments to be delivered to their main office in Ottawa, Ontario by December 4.
The Challenge: Beating the Clock on a Holiday Rush
Sounds pretty easy. We specialize in branded products, and we thrive with specialized gifts. But this time, we had to prove ourselves during a time crunch. It was a Wednesday evening, November 27 to be exact, and the order details were just being approved and finalized. We had 7 days, just 1 week, to design, produce, and ship out 850 ornaments from Toronto, Ontario.
To be clear and summarize what was keeping us on our toes in the office this week, our challenges included:
Timeframe: An extremely rushed timeline. The client and our team were well aware of the ambition behind this project. 7 days. An entire design and production process. The pressure was on.
Season: Did we mention it was a holiday gift? So this means it was in the middle of one of the busiest times of the year. Every company is hustling to complete orders. We are not the only partners with rush orders. The possibilities for issues to arise are endless. Supply chain delays, backlogs, limited stock availability, design delays, production delays, shipping delays, delays, and more possible delays.
Design: Another challenge we faced was with the design itself. Sourcing suitable ornaments, as the original design was not feasible for producers within our timeline. It required special materials and intricate details, all of which we did not have time or supply for. We needed a quick pivot in design.
Waiting another day for the client to approve the new design puts more pressure on the production timeline, and more pressure on the team to start designing and delivering.
A Thoughtful and Timely Holiday Solution
Perhaps we were not sleeping, and perhaps we were running and sprinting around, but we had a mission to complete. And we succeeded. To solve all of our challenges, we kept our manufacturer's phone ringing all day, every day, maintaining direct communication with them and staying in the loop with updates as they were happening. Our wonderful manufacturer was able to expedite the production process to meet the client's deadline. The logo was put on the first ornament, and 849 ornaments sat beside us, waiting for the first one to get approved. Given the time constraints and our previous work with AFN, they trusted us enough to waive the proofing stage and trust us blindly for the first time.
What Are the Best Gifts for Every Occasion This Season?
Looking for the best gifts this holiday season? Whether you're planning a corporate holiday gift guide or searching for meaningful presents, timing and thoughtfulness matter. Skip the gift cards and trust us to provide custom gifts for your team with Accent.
A Holiday Gift Success Story
850 ornaments were delivered on time. We beat the clock. AFN's logo gleamed on the beautiful ornament. Brand showing off. No shipping issues. A miracle. Arrived just in time for the highly anticipated holiday party. Elated reactions. Big Smiles. Unforgettable branded gifts were ready to be gifted. Ready to party. A festive spirit took over the room. AFN and Accent got their happy ending!
