If Branded Merchandise Is “On the Back Burner,” It’s Already Burned

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.