By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert When it comes to branded merch, intention is everything. If you’re ordering swag without a clear goal in mind, you’re not building brand equity—you’re just building a closet full of regrets (and a landfill of leftover tees no one wanted). It’s time to shift how […]
Author: Amanda Hofman
Stop Slapping Logos on Junk: How to Create Branded Merch That Actually Works
By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert Most branded merch strategies start—and end—with slapping a logo on a mug, tote, or pen. But let’s be real: That’s not strategy. That’s clutter. Too many businesses are still stuck in the outdated swag cycle: Here’s the truth: If your branded merchandise doesn’t reflect your […]
Stop Printing Your Phone Number on Swag: Smarter Ways to Make Branded Merch Memorable
By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert Let’s talk about an old-school swag habit that needs to be officially retired: 📞 Printing your phone number on promotional items. We get it—it used to make sense. But in today’s digital world, it’s basically the equivalent of slapping a fax number on a hoodie. […]
What Kraft’s Sold-Out Gold Macaroni Necklace Can Teach You About Branded Merch
By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert At exactly 11:59 AM, I was emotionally prepared to become someone who wears a solid gold macaroni necklace. By 12:01 PM, it was sold out. And yes—I’m still thinking about it. 😭 Why? Because it was more than just a necklace. It was a masterclass […]
Why Your Office Has a Sad Box of Branded T-Shirts (And How to Fix It)
By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert Let’s talk about that box. You know the one—tucked in the corner of your office or storage closet. Overflowing with branded merch that no one asked for, no one wants, and no one knows what to do with. You guessed sizes. You ordered in bulk. […]
The Productivity Hack That Helped Me Stay Focused While Managing Branded Merch Campaigns
By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert As a founder who lives and breathes branded merchandise, I use social media every single day. It’s where I check in on client campaigns, review engagement, and track what’s trending in the world of company swag. But let’s be real: it’s also where productivity goes […]
From Digital to Tangible: Why Your Brand Deserves a Place in Real Life
By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert Your brand is powerful. So why does it only exist on Zoom calls and in email threads? If you’re a service-based business, your brand likely lives in digital spaces: 📧 Your client’s inbox🖥 A Zoom square📱 Direct messages🗂 A tucked-away client portal Helpful? Sure. But […]
Why Your Branded Merch Strategy Needs a Rethink — and What to Do Instead
If your branded merch strategy starts with, “How many mugs should we order?” — it’s time for a serious reset. Too many businesses are still stuck in the old promotional product playbook:→ Order a bulk shipment of branded items→ Hope people actually want them→ Pray they don’t end up collecting dust in a drawer Here’s […]
What the Auto Industry Taught Me About Great Branded Merch
I thought I was heading to a wholesome dog rescue event last weekend. Plot twist: I walked into the New York International Auto Show at the Javits Center instead. So, no rescue pup—but what I did find was something equally thrilling: some of the best (and worst) branded merch in the game. Turns out, every […]
Is Your Branded Merch Just Clutter? Here’s How to Fix It.
Let’s be real for a second: If your swag is just a logo slapped on something—congrats. You didn’t create a marketing tool. You created clutter. 😬 The Problem with Boring Branded Swag We’ve all seen it before:🧢 A t-shirt with your company logo—meh.📝 A pencil with your website URL—yawn.☕ A coffee mug with your branding—straight […]