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 can buy. Yes, real skis. With crinkle-cut fry graphics running down the length.

And honestly? It’s kind of perfect.

If someone flew past me on the mountain wearing crinkle-cut fry skis, you better believe I’m following them straight to the lodge. We’re having lunch together. Non-optional.

That’s the power of great branded merch.

Why Food Brands Win at Branded Merchandise

Food brands have a huge advantage when it comes to swag and promotional merchandise: people already have strong emotional connections to the product.

When fans already love what you make, the merch practically sells itself.

Ore-Ida didn’t overthink it. They didn’t try to make something subtle or overly clever. They took their most recognizable product and made it absurdly literal:

Fries. On skis.

The merch does all the talking.

That’s often the secret to great brand merchandise and promotional swag—lean into what people already love about your brand and amplify it.

The Best Branded Swag Is Bold (and a Little Ridiculous)

Great branded merchandise ideas usually share one thing in common: they’re memorable.

Nobody talks about another safe tote bag.

But French fry skis? That’s merch people will photograph, post, and talk about all season long.

Bold merch works because it creates:

• Instant brand recognition
• Social media buzz
• A strong emotional reaction (usually laughter or delight)
• Shareable moments that extend your marketing reach

In other words, the swag becomes the marketing.

A Lesson for Brands Creating Promotional Merchandise

If you’re designing branded swag for your company, this campaign should give you permission to go bigger.

Your merch doesn’t have to be boring. It can be:

• Unexpected
• Playful
• Hyper-specific to your product
• A little bit ridiculous

The right piece of branded merchandise turns fans into walking billboards—and sometimes, skiing ones.

So next time you’re brainstorming custom swag ideas, ask yourself:

What would our brand look like if we went all in?

Because sometimes the best answer is surprisingly simple.

Fries.
On skis.

Important Question: Fry Energy Check 🍟

What’s your fry personality?

🍟 Crinkle
🍟 Shoestring
🍟 Waffle
🍟 Curly

Choose wisely. Your merch strategy may depend on it.