By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert

I’m going to tell you something you probably don’t want to hear:

Your employees, team members, and fans do not want the same branded merchandise in 2026 that they got from you in 2025.

Or 2024.
And definitely not 2023.

If your swag strategy is on autopilot, your audience can feel it.

And here’s the truth:

Merch boredom is real. And it’s self-inflicted.

The Problem With Repeating the Same Swag Every Year

Too many companies treat branded merchandise like a checklist:

• Reorder the same mugs
• Reprint the same tote bags
• Restock the same logo tees
• Swap the year and call it “new”

But branded merch isn’t office supplies.

It’s a brand experience.

When your audience keeps receiving copies of the same promo items year after year, your swag stops feeling thoughtful — and starts feeling forgettable.

2025 swag is already last year.

If your corporate swag program hasn’t evolved, neither has your brand presence.

The Fastest Way to Fix Swag Boredom

Here’s the fastest way out of stale branded merchandise:

1. Stop Just Putting Logos on Stuff

Putting your logo on a product is not a strategy.

It’s the bare minimum.

Logo-only swag is predictable. It’s been done. Everyone already has it.

If your entire branded merchandise strategy is:

“Take item. Add logo.”

You’re going to keep producing items that end up in drawers, donation bins, or the back of someone’s closet.

Modern swag requires more than a logo stamp.

It requires intention.

2. Design Merch the Way You Design Everything Else

You wouldn’t launch:

• A website without a designer
• A campaign without brand guidelines
• A product without thoughtful UX

So why treat your branded merchandise differently?

Swag should reflect your:

• Brand personality
• Voice and tone
• Visual identity
• Cultural relevance
• Community

Design your merch the same way you design the rest of your business — with care, creativity, and a real designer involved.

The best branded merchandise feels like a brand extension, not a giveaway.

3. Don’t Print Anything You Wouldn’t Wear Yourself

This is the simplest rule in swag strategy:

If you wouldn’t be genuinely excited to wear it, don’t make it.

If you’d leave it in a drawer…

So will they.

Great swag creates demand. It sparks conversations. It gets posted on social media organically.

It doesn’t feel like “free stuff.” It feels like something you scored.

Your Branded Merchandise Should Evolve Every Year

Your brand evolves.

Your audience evolves.

Design trends evolve.

Your branded merchandise and swag should evolve too.

That doesn’t mean chasing trends blindly. It means refreshing:

• Silhouettes
• Materials
• Color palettes
• Graphics
• Messaging
• Product categories

The brands that win with swag treat it like a seasonal drop — not a warehouse reorder.

Give Your People Something They’d Actually Fight Over

The goal isn’t to distribute more items.

It’s to create branded merchandise people would actually bang down the door to wear.

That’s how you turn:

• Employees into ambassadors
• Customers into fans
• Fans into community

And that’s how swag becomes one of your most powerful brand-building tools.

So let me ask you:

How many times have you received repeat swag from the same company?

Another mug.
Another tote.
Another hat.

Did you keep it? Or did it quietly join the pile?

If that’s happening to you, it’s happening to your audience too.

It might be time to rethink your branded merchandise strategy.

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert

Let’s be honest.

If your branded merchandise strategy is sitting on the back burner… it’s not warming gently.

It’s already burned. ☠️

Because here’s what we know:

Your calendar is never going to magically clear.
It has not once canceled itself to be nice.

Your team is not about to stumble into surplus capacity.
And yet — you’re still going to need swag.

“We’ll Get to the Swag Later” Is Not a Strategy

The brands that say they’ll “circle back to merch next quarter” are usually the same ones:

• Ordering logo’d pens two weeks before an event
• Paying for overnight print runs
• Settling for whatever inventory is left
• Calling rushed decisions a “branded merchandise strategy”

That’s not strategy.

That’s survival mode.

And survival mode is expensive.

What Happens When You Don’t Plan Your Swag

When branded merchandise is reactive instead of intentional, you get:

• 🚨 Rushed event orders
• 💸 Expedited shipping fees
• 📦 Boxes of leftover swag living under someone’s desk
• 😬 Generic promo items that don’t reflect your brand
• 🤷 A missed opportunity to build real brand equity

Swag is often one of the first physical touchpoints someone has with your company.

Why treat it like an afterthought?

Great Branded Merchandise Requires a Driver

If it matters, give it a driver.

Branded merchandise touches marketing, HR, recruiting, sales, events, partnerships, and culture.

But when it “belongs to everyone,” it effectively belongs to no one.

That’s how it gets deprioritized.

That’s how it ends up on the back burner.

And that’s how you burn budget on forgettable swag.

Outsource Your Swag (Yes, Really)

Your team already has a job.

They are great at what they do.

Designing, sourcing, forecasting, managing inventory, coordinating print timelines, and building a cohesive swag strategy? That’s a full-time skill set.

Outsource your branded merchandise to someone with:

• Taste
• A strong point of view
• Vendor relationships
• Operational systems
• And an actual strategy for your swag

Then let your team focus on what they’re actually great at.

Branded Merchandise Should Drive Brand Growth — Not Chaos

When done well, swag:

• Supports campaign launches
• Elevates event marketing
• Strengthens company culture
• Improves onboarding experiences
• Creates organic social content
• Extends your brand visibility

But it only works if it’s intentional.

Branded merchandise isn’t a last-minute task.

It’s a brand-building channel.

And if it’s sitting on the back burner?

It’s already costing you more than you think.

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert

If you’ve ever thought…

“We’re too small for swag.”
“Merch is for bigger companies.”
“We’ll do branded merchandise once we grow.”

I get it. It feels logical.

But here’s the truth:

Waiting until you’re “big enough” for merch is exactly how you stay small.

The Best Time to Invest in Swag Is Before You Feel Ready

If you worry you’re too early-stage, too scrappy, or too small of a team to have branded merch…

That’s actually your signal that now is the perfect time.

That might sound backwards, but it’s not. 🔄
(It’s just uncomfortable.)

Branded merchandise isn’t something you earn once you’ve “made it.”

It’s something that helps you get there.

Branded Merch Creates Social Proof and Visibility

Great swag isn’t just a hoodie or a tote bag.

It’s a marketing engine.

Companies that invest in branded merchandise:

→ Are more visible in the world
→ Create better content opportunities
→ Look more established (even if they’re lean)
→ Build team culture from day one
→ Show commitment to their brand values

Swag is walking, talking social proof.

Every time someone wears your logo, your brand shows up.

Swag Is the Starting Point for Getting Your Name Out There

Branded merch is one of the simplest ways to start building awareness.

It gets your company into conversations, into photos, into everyday life.

And you don’t need to be a household name to start.

If you’ve got:

• A logo
• A mission
• A few brand values
• A desire to be remembered

…you’re ready to create swag.

Merch Helps Small Companies Look Like Big Companies

One of the most underrated benefits of branded merchandise?

It makes your company feel real.

Even if you’re only five people.

Even if you’re pre-launch.

Even if you’re still figuring it out.

Swag signals:

We’re here. We’re building. We’re serious.

Your Brand Deserves to Be Seen

Don’t wait until you’re “big enough.”

Branded merch is how you get visible, build culture, and grow your presence faster.

Start small. Start smart. Start now.

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert

Why Zabar’s Merch Works (Without Even Trying)

Zabar’s merch isn’t trying hard.
And in this case, that’s exactly why it works.

(For my non-NYC friends: Zabar’s is a legendary Upper West Side grocery store where the grannies are fierce, the vibes are intense, and the smoked fish is basically a religion.)

In a world where branded merchandise is often overdesigned, overthought, and chasing the latest trend cycle, Zabar’s does the opposite—and wins.

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Zabar’s Branded Merchandise Isn’t Gimmicky

Zabar’s merch isn’t gimmicky.
It’s not trend-driven.
It’s not reinventing itself every season.

The iconic orange tote is still the orange tote. Same look. Same logo. Same energy.

So why does it resonate so deeply with New Yorkers and tourists?

Because the branded merchandise isn’t trying to manufacture meaning. It’s simply preserving and highlighting something people already feel connected to.

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When the Brand Relationship Does the Heavy Lifting

This is the part many brands miss when they think about promotional products.

At Zabar’s, the merch isn’t doing the heavy lifting—the brand relationship is.

The tote doesn’t exist to convince you to care about Zabar’s. You already care. The branded merchandise simply gives you a way to celebrate that connection and carry it with you.

That’s the difference between forgettable swag and meaningful branded merchandise.

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The Real Goal of Branded Merch Isn’t Always Sales

The goal isn’t always to sell merch.

Sometimes, the goal of branded merchandise is to honor a bond that already exists—to create a signal of belonging.

When merch becomes a marker of identity, people wear it to say:
“This is part of who I am.”

Not:
“This is something I bought.”

That shift—from transaction to identity—is what makes certain promotional products iconic.

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What Brands Can Learn From Zabar’s Tote

Zabar’s proves that effective branded merchandise doesn’t always need:

• Constant redesigns
• Trend hopping
• Clever gimmicks

What it does need is authenticity, consistency, and a real emotional connection to the brand.

When your merch reflects something people already love, it stops feeling like marketing and starts feeling like culture.

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert

It’s 2026, and yet somehow a lot of branded merchandise still feels like it was designed, ordered, and distributed in 1994.

That’s a problem—because merch hasn’t meaningfully evolved in decades, but the rest of us absolutely have.

Today, we can order almost anything we want online and have it delivered to our door in two days. We expect choice, personalization, and flexibility in nearly every buying experience. And yet, when it comes to promotional products and custom swag, many brands are still operating on outdated systems built for a totally different era.

Your team, your customers, and your community deserve better than 1994-era swag.

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The Disconnect Between Modern Life and Outdated Swag

Most traditional branded merchandise still relies on:

• Bulk orders
• One-size-fits-all thinking
• Guessing quantities and sizes
• Hoping people actually want what you picked

That approach made sense decades ago, when options were limited and logistics were slow. But today, it feels wildly out of step with how people actually live, shop, and express themselves.

Modern audiences expect branded apparel and merch to feel intentional—not obligatory.

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How Print-on-Demand Changed Branded Merchandise

With print-on-demand merch, branded merchandise has finally caught up to reality.

Instead of forcing people into a single option, brands can now design swag programs that reflect how people want to choose things for themselves.

Print-on-demand allows brands to:

• Offer real options instead of one default item
• Reduce waste from unused promotional products
• Update designs anytime without reordering inventory
• Launch merch drops without bulk panic or crossed fingers

This isn’t just more efficient—it’s more human.

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What Modern Branded Merchandise Actually Looks Like

Modern branded merchandise prioritizes choice.

People want swag that fits:

• Their personal style
• Their body
• Their identity

They don’t want to be assigned a hoodie they’ll never wear. They want to opt into branded merch that feels like something they’d buy for themselves—even without a logo attached.

Print-on-demand makes that possible, without the leftover boxes, storage issues, or landfill-bound extras.

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The Future of Promotional Products Is Flexible

This is what modern merch looks like:

• Fewer assumptions
• More flexibility
• Better experiences
• Smarter branded merchandise strategies

When brands stop treating swag like a bulk transaction and start treating it like a curated experience, everything changes—from engagement to brand perception to long-term value.

It’s 2026.
Your branded merchandise should finally look like it.

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert

Here’s a rule we stand by when it comes to branded merchandise:

If it feels like a uniform, it’s wrong.

Great branded merch should feel chosen, not assigned.

The moment your swag starts looking like a required outfit instead of a personal favorite, engagement drops. People will accept it. They might even say thank you. And then it will quietly live at the bottom of a drawer—never worn, never used, never loved.

The Problem With “Uniform Energy” in Branded Merchandise

Uniform energy is about control.
It says: This is what you will wear to represent us.

That mindset is one of the fastest ways to turn branded apparel into wasted budget.

When companies treat branded merchandise like a uniform, they remove the most important ingredient: choice. And without choice, there’s no emotional buy-in.

Why Choice Matters in Promotional Products

Great branded merchandise is about choice, not compliance.

When someone chooses a piece for themselves—because it fits their style, comfort level, and lifestyle—they’re opting in. That opt-in moment is what transforms a standard hoodie into a favorite hoodie, and branded apparel into something people actually want to wear in public.

Choice is what creates:

• Authentic brand advocacy
• Longer product lifespan
• Stronger emotional connection

And that’s the real goal of effective promotional products.

Branded Apparel Should Fit People, Not Override Them

Your swag should leave room for personal style and preference. That might look like:

• Multiple colorways
• Different fits or silhouettes
• A mix of subtle and bold branding options

Branded merchandise works best when it complements someone’s identity—not when it tries to replace it.

If your merch requires a mental negotiation (“When would I ever wear this?”), it’s already lost.

The Takeaway

Merch should feel like a yes, not an obligation.

The best branded merchandise doesn’t demand representation—it earns it. When people choose your swag willingly, they carry your brand further, longer, and more authentically than any forced uniform ever could.

If it feels assigned, rethink it.
If it feels chosen, you’re doing it right.

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert

There’s a question I hear all the time when teams are choosing branded merchandise:

“Is it useful?”

It’s a fair question.
But it’s not the right one.

When usefulness becomes the main (or only) metric for evaluating branded merch, brands end up playing it safe—and safe is exactly how you end up with forgettable promotional products.

The Better Question to Ask About Branded Merch

Instead of asking whether an item is useful, ask this:

Does this branded merchandise strengthen the relationship between my brand and my people?

That shift changes everything.

Because here’s where things get muddy:
Pens are useful.
Notepads are useful.
Flashlights are useful.

And yes, no one wants their branded merchandise to go straight into the trash. So “useful” starts to feel like the obvious answer.

Why “Useful” Isn’t Enough for Promotional Products

To be clear, useful items do tend to stick around longer than novelty swag. That part is true. But longevity alone isn’t the goal of effective branded merchandise.

If usefulness were enough, every brand would win just by ordering the same pens, totes, and mugs as everyone else.

But branded merch isn’t just about staying on a desk—it’s about staying relevant.

What Great Branded Merchandise Actually Does

Strong branded merchandise creates connection.

• Useful keeps an item nearby
• Meaningful makes people choose it, value it, and keep it close over time

The best promotional products reflect your brand’s values, personality, and intention. They feel considered. They make people think, “This brand gets me.”

And when that happens, your merch stops being a giveaway and starts being a relationship builder.

The Takeaway

If your only goal is usefulness, you’ll blend in.
If your goal is connection, you’ll stand out.

When you’re evaluating branded merchandise ideas, don’t stop at “Will this be used?”
Ask whether it actually deepens the relationship between your brand and the people who matter most.

Because in the long run, meaningful branded merch always outperforms merely useful swag.

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert

Order in the court. Today’s case is one we’ve all seen before—lurking in desk drawers, trade show totes, and onboarding kits everywhere.

🚨 The Crime

Branded stress balls.
Yes. Still.

And let’s be precise here. The classic foam stress balls? Absolute trash. The squishy gel ones? Marginally more satisfying, but still… trash. Neither deserves a place in a modern branded merchandise strategy.

🔎 The Evidence

Exhibit A: a logo-stamped orb that lives exactly one of three very predictable lives:

• It explodes inside a desk drawer
• It becomes mysteriously sticky (no one knows how or why)
• It’s thrown away within 48 hours

This is not brand longevity. This is a speed run to the landfill.

➕ Bonus Offense

Branded stress balls have zero meaningful connection to your brand story, your values, or the actual lived experience of the people you’re trying to impress. Calling them “wellness swag” doesn’t magically make them thoughtful, useful, or memorable.

⚖️ The Verdict

Guilty.
Of pretending to be wellness, wasting branded merchandise budgets, and contributing to unnecessary promo waste.

🔥 The Sentence

You must personally explain to every single recipient why this was the best possible use of budget, creativity, and resources. (Good luck.)

The Bigger Problem with Cheap Promotional Products

Here’s the hard truth: stress balls don’t reduce stress.
They just remind people you didn’t try.

In a world where branded merchandise is supposed to build brand affinity, create emotional connection, and extend your brand beyond the moment—stress balls fail on every count. They’re forgettable, disposable, and completely interchangeable with every other company that ordered promo products in a rush.

And if your branded swag doesn’t reflect intention, quality, or relevance, it’s not marketing—it’s clutter.

The Appeal: Better Branded Merchandise Choices Exist

Thoughtful branded merchandise should:

• Be useful or delightful (ideally both)
• Reflect your brand values
• Last longer than a couple of days
• Make people think, “Oh, this is actually good”

If your swag can’t do that, it’s time to rethink the item—not slap a logo on something cheaper

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert

Yes, this is real.

People are wearing a Lowe’s bucket… as jewelry.

A chunky silver chain with an enormous acrylic bucket pendant sold out. And honestly, of all the things to sell out, this was the thing.

Not because it’s objectively beautiful.
Not because it matches anyone’s outfit (unless your outfit is “weekend chaos”).
But because that blue bucket already means something.

And that’s the entire point of great branded merchandise.

The Bucket Isn’t the Product. It’s the Feeling.

If you’ve ever walked into Lowe’s for “just one thing” and left two hours later with:

• a cart full of supplies
• a head full of confidence
• and a brand-new identity as a DIY expert

…you already understand the bucket.

That blue Lowe’s bucket represents possibility.
It represents ambition.
It represents overconfidence.
It represents the inevitable moment you text someone, “So… do you know a good contractor?”

People aren’t wearing this necklace because it’s pretty.

They’re wearing it because it’s instantly relatable.

Why This Necklace Sold Out So Fast

This is a masterclass in branded merch strategy—because it taps into something bigger than the item itself.

The Lowe’s bucket necklace signals:

→ I’ve started ambitious home and art projects.
→ I’ve abandoned said projects.
→ And I’ve hired a pro after confidently saying, “I’ve got this.”

That’s not just a necklace.
That’s a personality trait.

And that’s why it moved.

When branded merch becomes a symbol of a shared experience, it creates instant community. You don’t even need to say anything. The merch says it for you.

This Is What Great Branded Merch Actually Does

Here’s what most brands get wrong about custom company merch:

They think the goal is visibility.
More logos. More placement. More volume. More giveaways.

But the real goal is connection.

Great branded merchandise elevates the shared experience around your brand.

It turns something ordinary into something people want to wear, collect, joke about, and talk about.

That bucket necklace works because it’s:

• specific
• iconic
• emotionally loaded (in a funny way)
• and instantly recognizable to the right audience

This is what wearable branded merch looks like when it’s done right. It doesn’t feel like advertising—it feels like belonging.

The “Inside Joke” Effect: The Secret to Merch People Actually Want

The best branded merchandise marketing isn’t trying to convince strangers to care.

It’s giving the people who already care a way to show it.

That’s why iconic items (like the Lowe’s bucket) turn into powerful merch moments:

• They’re already baked into the customer experience
• They’re tied to stories people have lived
• They create “if you know, you know” energy

And that kind of merch? It doesn’t sit in a drawer.

It gets worn. Repeatedly. Loudly. Proudly.

What’s the “Bucket” in Your Brand?

Every brand has one.

That one item, phrase, moment, or experience customers instantly associate with you.

Maybe it’s not a literal bucket.
Maybe it’s:

• a signature product
• a packaging detail
• a customer ritual
• a catchphrase
• an inside joke your community shares

If you can identify that thing, you can build custom branded apparel and branded merch that people actually want to own.

Because the best merch doesn’t come from a catalog.
It comes from culture.

Mine? Obviously a Jumbo Stress Ball on a Chain.

I said what I said. 😌

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert

Most companies think they’re doing swag the right way… and accidentally end up creating the exact kind of branded merch people quietly avoid wearing.

Not because the intention is bad.
But because the approach is backwards.

If your company swag feels like a requirement instead of a reward, it’s not doing what branded merchandise is supposed to do.

Let’s fix that.

How Companies Think They Should Do Swag

This is the default formula a lot of brands follow when ordering custom company merch:

👕 Matching t-shirts for everyone
👕 Your logo centered on everything
👕 Ordering in large quantities for the “best” price

On paper, it sounds efficient.

In reality, it usually creates:

• awkward fits
• stiff designs people don’t connect with
• boxes of leftover inventory
• and branded apparel that never leaves the office (or worse… ends up in a donation bin)

And that’s the opposite of effective branded merchandise marketing.

How You Actually Should Do Swag

The best branded merch doesn’t start with “What’s the cheapest thing we can print our logo on?”

It starts with:
“What would people be genuinely excited to wear?”

Here’s what that looks like.

👚 1) Offer variety in styles and sizing

If everyone gets the same shirt in the same cut, you’re guaranteeing that a chunk of your team (or audience) won’t feel comfortable in it.

Great custom branded apparel means giving people options:

• different fits (unisex, relaxed, cropped, oversized)
• inclusive sizing
• multiple styles (tee, crewneck, hoodie, quarter zip)

When people feel good in what they’re wearing, they’ll actually wear it—which is how wearable branded merch does its job.

🎨 2) Go beyond your logo in your designs

Centered logo. Big brand name. Done.

That’s not a design strategy—that’s a label maker.

The most effective branded merchandise is design-forward. It reflects your brand vibe, values, and culture in a way that feels fresh.

Think:

• subtle branding
• illustrations or typography that match your tone
• inside jokes for your community
• color palettes people actually like wearing

Because the goal isn’t to create a walking billboard.

The goal is to create branded merch people choose to wear.

🍃 3) Switch to print-on-demand for flexibility and sustainability

Ordering huge quantities sounds smart… until you’re stuck with 300 leftover mediums and a storage closet full of regret.

Print-on-demand branded merch gives you:

• less waste
• easier reorders
• more flexibility for new designs
• better long-term sustainability

It’s one of the simplest upgrades you can make to your branded merch strategy—especially if you’re building custom company merchandise for teams, trade shows, customer gifts, or community drops.

Basic Swag Is Limiting. Exciting Swag Is a Marketing Tool.

Basic swag checks a box.

Exciting swag builds brand love.

When your branded merch is actually good, it becomes:

• a conversation starter
• a community signal
• a walking referral
• a piece of your brand story people can wear

That’s why high-quality branded merchandise is so powerful: it turns people into proud brand advocates without asking them to do anything extra.

The Goal: Make People Want Your Merch

Here’s the line I want every brand to remember:

Make people want your merch (not just politely accept it).

Because polite acceptance doesn’t build visibility.
Wearing it proudly does.

And that’s how branded merch goes from “swag” to a real business asset.