Brian Duran’s No. 1 rule for selling gift cards is not to sell gift cards.
Coming from the general manager of MediaTree (asi/70303), a promo supplier focused on branded gift cards, that might sound a little silly, especially considering the massive year-over-year sales growth the company has experienced so far this year.
But what he really means is not to sell gift cards in the same way you sell promo – and that’s a lesson more and more distributors have been learning this year as tariff disruptions have prevented some product sourcing, both on price and because of supply chain issues. It’s a phenomenon Duran says definitely played a role in MediaTree’s growth this year, as more distributors have turned to gift cards to salvage or amp up client projects.
On this week’s episode of Promo Insiders, Duran joins ASI Media’s Hannah Rosenberger to talk about that growth and what he’s heard from distributors about their pivot to more gift card use. The good news for promo suppliers? The most successful uses of gift cards have been in conjunction with traditional promo items, rather than as a replacement.
“It’s not something that is in place of your promo item,” Duran says. “It’s something that you can also sell side by side.”
Podcast Chapters
1:20: Gift card growth for MediaTree in 2025
3:13: When are distributors turning to gift cards?
7:34: Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic
9:08: A gift card case study
11:36: Gift cards and traditional promo working together
Key Takeaways
• Gift Card Interest Grows: Some distributors are increasingly turning to gift cards as a fallback when tariffs, shipping delays or price hikes make traditional promotional products harder to source or deliver on time.
• Pandemic Origins: Many distributors who explored digital gifting during COVID-19 were better prepared for recent disruptions, responding with less panic and more strategic use of gift cards.
• Alongside, Not Instead Of: Rather than replacing traditional merchandise, Brian Duran of MediaTree (asi/70303) noted that gift cards are frequently integrated into promo campaigns (as opposed to standing alone), especially when recipients are geographically dispersed or when choice and flexibility are priorities.
• One Case Study: Duran shared an example of a distributor who salvaged a movie-themed kit by using gift cards to let recipients choose a streaming service – demonstrating how flexibility can preserve both intent and impact.
