By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert People DM me all the time asking what sparks all the connection, energy, and curiosity I get at events or online. It’s not my skincare routine (but thanks 😜). It’s the merch. Your Merch Is Talking—What’s It Saying? Everywhere I go, I wear my brand. […]

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert 𝘉𝘢𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘰𝘯 𝘏𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘭𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘗𝘶𝘳𝘱𝘭𝘦 𝘊𝘳𝘢𝘺𝘰𝘯 – the power of merch imaginationHarold had a crayon. It was branded.It had the logo. It had the tagline.𝐁𝐮𝐭 𝐇𝐚𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐝 𝐝𝐢𝐝𝐧’𝐭 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐰𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐝𝐨 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐢𝐭. So he drew a better idea:🖍️ Stylish merch that matched their […]

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert Are your 2025 trade show goals locked in? Great. But beware—poorly planned merch might just sink your strategy ☠️🏴‍☠️. Smart, stylish swag isn’t fluff—it acts like a second sales team. With the right branded merch, your brand becomes omnipresent—in hallway chats, coffee breaks, and even […]

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert When most people think of branded merch, they think of freebies at events or employee welcome kits. But one of the most unexpected and powerful things swag can do? 👉 Start conversations you’re not even in the room for. Branded Merch Is More Than a […]

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert Based on The Little Engine That Could—This is the glow-up story of forgotten merch. 🚂 “I think I can… I think I can…” Once upon a time, there was a lonely piece of branded merch. It was… an ugly logo mousepad from 2014. It tried […]

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert Let’s get one thing straight: Your branded merch shouldn’t whisper. It should roar. It should feel like a T-shirt cannon at a pep rally—Not like, “Hey, we made you a pen.”Not like, “Here’s a stress ball you’ll lose in your bag.” We’re talking: 𝐓-𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐫𝐭. 𝐆𝐮𝐧. […]

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert As a business owner, your number one job is simple (but not easy): Stay top of mind. But in reality, you’re not just competing with other brands. You’re up against: So how do you break through the noise? Make Your Branded Merch Unmissable If you’re […]

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert When people ask me about my favorite productivity tools, they expect me to name some cutting-edge app, a pricey CRM platform, or the latest AI plugin. But the best free tool I use daily?Keyboard text replacements. Not fancy. Not flashy. Just powerful. If you’ve ever […]

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert “Guess how much I hate this mug,” said the employee.“This much,” her coworker replied, pointing to the office sink—overflowing with sad, unused company swag. It was cheap.It was ugly.The logo was off-center. And worst of all?It was completely forgettable. Why Bad Swag Hurts Your Brand […]

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert I don’t believe in separating who you are from what you do—especially when it comes to building a brand. In the world of branded merch and swag, authenticity is your secret weapon. Real connection creates real results—and that starts with being honest about the human […]