Georgia has an increased number of small businesses. Which is good, but they actually lack resources and right data to compete against large international retailers, especially when it comes to high sale seasons, like winter holidays.

Bank of Georgia on the other hand strives to support local economy and small business community and so decided to take a stand.

For that matter it was important to:

1) Create the right conditions where small businesses could do what they do best – adapting their products quickly based on the demand.

2) Connect the right consumers, directly to the matching products.

Bank came up with a two year plan:

YEAR 1: In 2017 bank kick-started annual Nationwide Secret Santa, where 60 000 people registered to exchange gifts with random strangers. During the project they wrote wish letters which then was translated into extensive consumer data about people’s interests, hobbies and wishes.

Small businesses were invited to join Secret Santa Giftshop platform. Through their online profiles member businesses received not only AI generated data, but also customized stock recommendations, demand forecasts and new product opportunity ideas. We also provided all the needed design toolboxes and complementary online classes about content marketing, digital marketing, cost-effective photography.

YEAR 2:

As the Nationwide Secret Santa 2018 was relaunched – we also introduced Secret Santa Giftshop – country’s largest gift database. The catalog featured more than 10 000 gift offers from georgian small businesses, with all the business contacts, websites, social media links, shopping points, etc.

First set of data was created from Secret Santa 2017, by turning wish letters into categorizable tags of interests, hobbies, gifts wishes. Data was categorized and adapted for each present business category, so it would be easy for businesses to find relative information and easily detect areas of opportunity.

To keep businesses super competitive we also provided with live data updates about new trends in wishes and people’s interests. In that matter Giftshop members could always adapt and craft great holiday offerings.

Online catalogue were later all the businesses were presented had AI powered gift recommendation feature, that could match the received letters with most relevant gifts. It made easier for our Santas to find the perfect gifts quickly and easily.

Using customized Natural Language Processing instruments we converted last year’s christmas wishes into measurable data for small businesses to use. Each registered business got an access to take advantage of the demand forecasts for upcoming Christmas season. Businesses used this data to meet Christmas demand with new product lines and production levels.

During this year’s Secret Santa, the platform performed real-time analysis of registered user’s Christmas wishes. Then we provided the secret santas with personalised suggestions from small businesses, helping them to choose the gifts their recipients wished for. This way we directed the flow of the most relevant users to the small businesses on Christmas. And you bet, they were well prepared.

700 Giftshop member businesses

200 000 registered Secret Santas

500K unique catalogue visitors

Businesses sales increase up to 400%.

More than 100 000 gifts were purchased from the small businesses through Secret Santa’s platform

Secret Santa Giftshop was invited by Tbilisi City Council to have its own section at Tbilisi Christmas market

In social media the new movement of #choosegeorgiangifts was born not only for Secret Santa but for any gift occasion.