Deal toys have become popular souvenirs in the investment banking industry. They are models or replicas of items related to a major corporate finance transaction, such as an acquisition, merger, IPO or bond issue. Deal toys serve as mementos of these significant deals and represent the hard work that bankers put into advising clients and executing complex transactions.
Investment banks gift deal toys to corporate clients to commemorate the successful completion of transactions. They can come in various forms, like a model of a company’s product or manufacturing plant for M&A deals, a miniature stock exchange bell for IPOs, or a mock bond document for debt issuances. Deal toys provide a symbolic reminder of key transactions that investment banks facilitated for their clients.
Deal toys represent milestone transactions and achievements in investment banking
In investment banking, significant amounts of time and effort go into executing large corporate finance transactions. IPOs, mergers and acquisitions, bond offerings require meticulous financial modeling and analysis. Deal toys act as trophies that investment banks can display in their offices, representing their achievements in advising on these complex deals. They serve as a marker of accomplishments and a motivator for bankers to continue striving for more high-profile transactions and clients.
Deal toys help showcase an investment bank’s dealmaking capabilities
For investment banks, executing high-value transactions for prominent corporate clients is a way to demonstrate their dealmaking capabilities and enhance their reputation. A collection of deal toys illustrates the caliber and variety of deals an investment bank has previously completed. Deal toys are like tangible proof that a bank has the skills and expertise to advise clients across multiple industries on sophisticated transactions.
Deal toys cultivate relationships between bankers and clients
Gifting deal toys is an opportunity for bankers to strengthen connections with clients. The deal toy serves as a gesture of gratitude for selecting the bank for such an important transaction. It shows the bank values the client relationship and desires to maintain an ongoing partnership. Recipients often display deal toys proudly in their offices, sparking conversations about how the bank helped facilitate the transaction the toy depicts.
The production of deal toys has become an industry niche
With deal toys growing as coveted items within investment banks, specialist companies have emerged to manufacture these corporate souvenirs. Deal toy makers collaborate with banks to create models and replicas customized to each transaction. They have become adept at incorporating enough symbolism in the toys to represent significant aspects of the deal while also adding an element of artistry or whimsy.
Deal toys have become ingrained in the culture of investment banking as commemorative items gifted to clients after major transactions. They represent successful deal completion, showcase a bank’s capabilities and strengthen client relationships. Deal toy production has spawned a niche industry that adds a creative flair to these corporate keepsakes.