I once worked with a company which dealt with providing corporate gifts to lots of big companies. Most standard companies opt for gifts like Watches(both wall clocks and wrist watches) with their names and logos printed, diaries, planners and calendars all three come big when the new year is approaching.
Also going big sometimes are bags with all kinds of goodies like pens, pencils, stationary sets, diaries, leather cases etc. most of all to sum it I think it is the office related things that are mostly given to the office going corporate. So though expensive I think all good companies have to resort to it.