By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert Let’s Get One Thing Straight: I Normally Hate Branded Pens. They’re forgettable.They’re generic.And nine times out of ten, they do absolutely nothing for your brand. But last week?A single photo in my inbox made me pause and — dare I say — smile. “Saw This […]
Author: Amanda Hofman
T-Shirt Gun Energy: Why Swag Creates Brand Hype
By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert I’ve Seen Grown Adults Lose It Over a T-Shirt Not because it was the perfect fit.Not because it was sustainably sourced or printed with glow-in-the-dark ink.Not even because they picked it out themselves. But because it was launched from a cannon. 💣 Let that sink […]
When Swag Tells a Story: Why This Plushy Pal Belongs in Every Backpack
By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert Not All Merch Deserves a Spot in Your Bag But this little guy?He’s definitely coming on the road trip. Last weekend, I stumbled into a Rivian showroom at the mall — and was instantly pulled in like a moth to a headlamp. Not by a […]
Conference Swag Is a Landfill in Waiting – Let’s Fix That
By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert Conferences: Where Sustainability Goals Go to Die ☠️ Let’s talk about the dark side of branded merch.A Reddit thread recently lit up with complaints about conference giveaways — and if you’ve ever walked out of an expo with a tote bag full of junk, you […]
From Merch Maker to Superfan: Why Branded Swag Starts with Belief
By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert I’m not just in the business of designing custom swag.I’m in the business of becoming a full-blown fangirl for my clients. Not out of obligation.Out of obsession.Because when I believe in a founder’s mission, I really believe. Not performatively — passionately. When Branded Merch Sparks […]
What a Love Poem to Smoked Fish Teaches Us About Great Branded Merch
By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert What does a love poem to smoked fish 🐟 have to do with swag? Everything – if you’re Zabar’s. To celebrate their 75th anniversary, the iconic Manhattan grocery store dropped a limited-edition branded tee. And it didn’t just feature a logo—it came with a perfect […]
Why Bad Swag Hurts Your Brand and How to Get It Right
By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert My love language? Getting texts about bad merch. And wow, do people deliver. 🖊️ Sad piles of broken conference pens🥏 Branded frisbees melting at field day😂 “hashtag#badmerch” pics straight from the group chat Because let’s be honest: ugly swag is universal. It fills tables, clutters […]
Why I’m Loud, Loyal, and a Little Obsessed With Our Clients’ Swag
By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert Let’s get one thing straight: I’m not just in the branded merch business—I’m a full-on fangirl for the brands we work with. Not because I have to be. But because when I believe in a client’s mission, I don’t just support it—I live it. Not […]
What Playa Betty’s Taco Tees Can Teach Us About Branded Merchandise
By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert New York has no chill.And neither does Playa Betty’s, in the best way possible. I popped in for Taco Tuesday and left thinking about the merch.Their waitstaff? Decked out in bold shirts that say: “Don’t be a Playa hater.” It’s cheeky. It’s confident. It’s totally […]
If Your Branded Merch Is Just a Logo, You’re Doing It Wrong
By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert Let’s get real:Merch that only features your logo is boring AF. 😑 Sure, logos are practical. But they lack heart.And your team—especially your remote team—deserves better. Branded Merchandise Should Say More Than Just “Hey, Here’s Our Name” Your swag is more than stuff.It’s a message.It […]