By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert When it comes to branded merchandise, most companies are still operating under one assumption: More = better. So they show up with the full spread: It looks generous. But it’s not memorable. The Problem With “More” Corporate Swag At first glance, a table full of […]

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert The corporate swag starter pack hasn’t changed in 30 years. You know the one: At some point, corporate swag became synonymous with cheap and forgettable branded merchandise. And most companies just… accepted that. The Problem With Traditional Corporate Swag For years, branded merch has been […]

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert If you’re investing in branded merchandise, here’s a quick gut-check that separates memorable merch from forgettable swag: The Logo Swap Test. In your mind, swap your logo with another company’s—ideally a competitor. Now ask yourself:Would this merch still work? If the answer is yes… that’s […]

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert Print-on-demand stuffed animals for swag are wildly underrated. 🧸🐰🐯🦄 Seriously—this might be one of the most overlooked opportunities in branded merchandise right now. The Unexpected Power of Plush Branded Merch Here’s the thing about most corporate swag: It looks branded.It feels branded.And people treat it […]

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert When you design the same thing for everyone, you end up with merch no one cares about. It’s a hard truth—but one most brands learn the expensive way. The Biggest Mistake in Branded Merch Strategy Most companies approach branded merchandise by asking one question: “What’s […]

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert Are you watching the Reality Check: Inside America’s Next Top Model documentary on Netflix? If you’re not, you are dismissed. (You are no longer in the running to be America’s Next Top Model. 👀) But if you watched America’s Next Top Model (ANTM) when it […]

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert Crinkle-cut French fry skis. 🎿🍟 Those words have absolutely no business being in the same sentence together—and yet here we are, thanks to Ore-Ida Foods, Inc. and Fischer Sports. Ore-Ida took one of its most iconic products—the crinkle-cut fry—and turned it into actual skis you […]

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert Let’s talk about Kwik Trip. I grew up in New Jersey and live in New York. I have never set foot in a Kwik Trip, Inc. location. But if there’s one thing I trust, it’s the passion of Beth Stowell Reed — and she swears […]

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert A few years ago I was walking a beauty industry trade show, scanning booths and—of course—checking out everyone’s branded merch. Then I saw it. The best merch at the entire show. From an anal bleaching booth. Yes, really. Shoutout to Bryght for making my day […]

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert Most companies approach branded merch the same way: pick an item, print the logo, ship it out, and hope people like it. Sometimes it works. But more often? That corporate merch ends up sitting in a drawer, donated, or quietly forgotten. There’s a better way […]