By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert

Your booth is buzzing.
The energy is high.
The conversations? 🔥

But behind the scenes—literally, behind your booth—sit 200 unworn branded T-shirts in a sad, dusty box. You smile through the sting of a burning budget.
“This is fine,” you say, channeling the meme… while internally panicking.

Let’s Call It What It Is: A Swag Fail

You meant well. But bulk-ordering branded merch “just in case” leads to the same outcome every time:

• The wrong sizes disappear first
• The wrong colors stick around forever
• You’re left with a pile of unclaimed, unwanted swag—and an empty marketing budget

The Fix? Print-on-Demand Swag That Actually Works

Let’s move away from waste and toward swag that sticks.
Print-on-demand is the modern marketer’s secret weapon—and here’s why:

💥 No Wasted Inventory

Order only what people actually want. No more storing stacks of shirts no one picked.

💥 No Risky Bulk Orders

Gone are the days of crossing your fingers and guessing sizes or styles. Print-on-demand lets you stay flexible and reactive.

💥 No Budget Fires

You’re investing in custom merch people choose—reducing waste and maximizing ROI.

Swag Should Spark Joy, Not Fires 🔥

If your event swag strategy still relies on bulk ordering and one-size-fits-all designs, you’re not just wasting money—you’re wasting opportunities.

Great branded merchandise isn’t just something to give away. It’s a tangible expression of your brand. And it should:

• Be memorable
• Be wearable
• Be wanted

Skip the Guesswork. Give People What They’ll Actually Keep.

Whether it’s an online company swag store or an on-site redemption experience, giving attendees the power to choose their merch results in:

• Better brand impressions
• Higher retention
• And zero “why did we order 300 beige mediums?” moments

What Trend Did You Ride All the Way Into Regret?

We’ve all been there—whether it was platform flip-flops, frosted tips, or bangs (my personal pick). Don’t let bulk swag be your next regret. Choose smarter. Choose print-on-demand branded swag. Because your merch should be working for you—not collecting dust behind your booth.

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert

Let’s face it: confusing branded merch doesn’t just fall flat—it actively works against your brand. You know the kind. Someone pulls a freebie out of a tote and immediately thinks:

👉 What even is this?
👉 Where did I get it?
👉 Why did I keep it?

When your swag sparks more confusion than joy, it’s not building brand recognition—it’s building clutter.

The Problem With Unclear Swag

In the world of promotional products, there’s a fine line between being creative and being confusing. Clever only works when people get it. If they don’t understand your message or can’t tell who the swag came from, they’re not going to keep it—or talk about it. That’s a missed opportunity for:

• Brand awareness
• Word-of-mouth marketing
• Repeat engagement

And ultimately? It’s wasted budget.

Great Branded Merch Is Instantly Clear

The best custom swag tells a story—without needing an explanation. It should feel intuitive, relevant, and aligned with your brand identity. The moment someone sees it, they should get it, like it, and want to keep it.

🔑 Here’s What Great Swag Has in Common:

• Clear messaging – Your brand voice shines through.
• Purposeful design – The item fits the context and the audience.
• Emotional connection – It brings a smile, a nod, or a “that’s so me” moment.
• Longevity – It gets used again and again (not tossed after one glance).

Design Swag That Makes Sense at First Glance—and Lasts for Years

Your branded merch should:

• Make people feel something
• Look good enough to wear or display
• Remind people of why they love your brand

Whether you’re designing employee swag, event giveaways, or corporate gifts, your goal should be to create something that lands instantly and keeps delivering value over time. Because when someone loves their swag, they keep it. They use it. They show it off.
That’s brand marketing money well spent.

So, What’s the “Charles in Charge” of Your Swag Bag?

We all have something that lives rent-free in our heads. For me? It’s the Charles in Charge theme song—I could sing it to you right now.

Your merch should have the same effect.

What’s the promotional item that’s stuck with you?
What’s something you got that made you say, “I love this”?

Let’s make more of that.

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert

When you call it merch but it’s really just an excuse to make yourself cool athleisure wear. 🤣

That’s the best kind of branded merchandise anyway.

The kind you love enough to wear on repeat.
The kind your team posts about unprompted.
The kind your customers ask how to get.

Because here’s the real truth about branded swag:
If you wouldn’t wear it, no one else will.
If you do wear it—love it, flaunt it, live in it—
That’s when the magic kicks in.

Branded merchandise is word-of-mouth you can wear.
It’s storytelling in sweatshirt form.
It’s walking, sipping, tote-carrying proof that your brand means something.

At Go To Market, we don’t design “promotional products.”
We build merch you’d fight your coworkers for.
Think minimalist fleece pullovers. Roomy canvas totes. Soft-wash tees with your inside jokes printed loud and proud.

Call it branded merchandise. Call it swag.
Call it what it really is: the coolest marketing strategy you’ve ever worn.

Want to build a merch line that people actually want?
Let’s talk about what your brand looks like in hoodie form.

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert

Kodak just dropped some of the best branded merch we’ve seen this year—and it’s got everything going for it.

Let’s break it down 👇

This isn’t your average retro reprint.
It’s nostalgia, refined.

The vintage logos? On point.
The film-inspired color palette? Delicious.
The Super 8 energy? So real, you can practically hear the whirr of the projector.

But the real magic is in the balance.

The cuts are clean. The lines feel modern.
It doesn’t scream vintage—it whispers it.

This is what smart branded merch should do:
🔥 Tap into memory
🔥 Feel emotionally true
🔥 Stay visually fresh

Great swag doesn’t just promote your brand.
It reminds people why they loved it in the first place.

That’s the power of nostalgia marketing done right.

When your custom company apparel tells a story—one people already feel in their bones—it doesn’t need to shout. It connects instantly.

Kodak Print just showed every brand how it’s done:
Make history feel alive, wearable, and wildly relevant.

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert

I will not print 150 tees that say “Suck it, Steve from Ops.”
I will not print 150 tees that say “Suck it, Steve from Ops.”
I will not print 150 tees that say…

(Okay, I might make three—for my BFFs. On-demand, sustainably, and without Principal Skinner-level oversight.)

This is your reminder: branded merch should be fun and smart.

When you plan intentionally and use print-on-demand swag, you skip the stress and unlock the style:
🔥 No leftovers stacked in a supply closet
🔥 No bulk guessing on sizes or styles
🔥 No sweaty all-nighter inventory counts before launch

Just custom company apparel that feels cool enough for Tuesday meetings and Simpsons trivia night.

Want your merch to spark smiles instead of side-eyes? Start with the right system. One that lets you make three inside-joke tees for your team without committing to 150 units and a shipping label printer.

Bonus: it’s better for the planet too.

Because the only thing worse than cringe swag is landfill swag.

And yes, I did own a Marge nightshirt with a beehive that stretched from collar to hem. Iconic.

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert

When your 𝘸𝘩𝘰𝘭𝘦 𝘤𝘳𝘦𝘸 shows up in branded gear that actually looks cool, people stop and notice.

Picture this: six teammates in matching crewnecks, gliding through the convention floor like a wave of good taste. Not a stuffy uniform. Not a last-minute promo tee. This is branded merch that makes a statement—and turns heads.

It’s your brand’s Air Dancer moment 💨

Unmissable.
Undeniable.
A little chaotic—in the best way.

We’ve all seen it: the sad pile of leftover tees, too scratchy or off-brand to actually wear. Let’s retire that energy 🗑️

Instead, imagine merch that works harder:
– On the conference floor, where you’re one of hundreds
– At team offsites, where energy sets the tone
– Even on Tuesday coffee runs, where your brand gets seen in the wild

Branded merch is marketing you can wear.
But it only works when people actually want to wear it.

That means skipping the logo-on-a-shirt default and going deeper:
→ What’s your brand’s vibe in fabric form?
→ What inside joke or mission statement belongs on a sweatshirt?
→ What would make someone stop and ask about what you’re wearing?

Because if you could have an inflatable tube man for your brand… wouldn’t you?

Now’s the time to make swag that speaks.

Let’s build something your team’s proud to put on.

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert

I finally put words to something I’ve felt for years about tourist merch.

On my trip to Sicily last week, it clicked: Tourist merch follows the opposite rules of everything I teach brands about corporate swag.

When I work with companies on branded merch, I preach:
→ Keep the logo subtle
→ Lead with vibe, not vanity
→ Make it feel like something you’d actually wear—not a billboard

But in Sicily, my favorite pieces were the total reverse—and somehow, I loved them.

The best travel merch is obvious.

It’s about recognition, memory, and claiming the moment.
It says: I went here and it was cool.

What made it click for me was spotting the difference between the good stuff and the junk.

The winners had personality:
🧢 The brown hat — a trendy play on Supreme, equal parts clever and wearable
🌞 The yellow cap — so obvious and joyful it made me laugh
👟 The sneaker tee — creative and artsy, perfectly matched to the city’s vibe

This isn’t just design. It’s the city’s identity.

And just like with corporate merch, the worst offenders were the generic ones—copy-paste slogans, tired clip-art logos, and zero sense of place.

The takeaway? Whether it’s tourist merch or branded corporate swag, the best pieces aren’t just about where they’re from. They show you what it feels like to be there.

I didn’t end up buying any of these—would you have snagged one? Which is your favorite?

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert

Tourist merch breaks every merch rule I give brands and it works.

When we design corporate swag, I preach:
📣 Subtle logo
📣 Lead with values
📣 Create something people want to wear, not something they feel obligated to

But travel merch?
Big. Bold. Zero chill.

City names in giant letters. Fonts screaming for attention.
No subtlety. No mystery. Just full-volume:
📣 LOOK WHERE I WENT. 📣

In tourist merch, the name is the brand.

That hat that just says “SICILY” in a varsity font? It’s doing its job.

Rules shift with context.
And that’s the secret to great branded merch, knowing when to follow the guidelines, and when to blow them up for maximum impact.

If your brand wants merch that stands out, think about the environment it will live in. In corporate settings, subtlety often wins. On vacation? Loud and proud might be the move.

So tell me if you had to choose one every day of your trip: cannoli (fresh, obvs) or gelato?

For me, it’s cannoli. Every time.

By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert

Some tourist merch is so delightfully dumb, it loops back around to being perfect.

Case in point: these socks.

White crew. Red type. All they say is:

🍕 PIZZA ITALIANA 🇮🇹

That’s it. No clever twist. No overthinking.

Tourist merch isn’t trying to be cool.

It’s trying to be loud, obvious, and unforgettable.

And sometimes, that’s exactly what works.

The same principle applies to branded merch for companies: not every piece needs to be minimalist or subtle. Sometimes the most effective swag is the bold, unapologetic kind that makes people laugh, turn their heads, and want to wear it—because it says exactly what it means.

Whether you’re designing city souvenirs or corporate swag, the best branded merch captures attention in seconds and leaves an imprint that sticks.

Your turn, what’s the dumbest tourist item you own… and secretly love?

By Amanda Hofman, Founder of Go To Market

On my recent trip to Sicily, I saw the same tourist merch again and again—pieces that could have been memorable but instead felt tired. When it comes to branded merch, originality matters. Here are three examples that were everywhere… and totally missed the mark.

🖤 I ❤️ Palermo

We’ve all seen this one. Swap in any city name and it’s the same T-shirt. Zero originality. Zero vibe. The identical design is printed on shirts worldwide, stripping it of any local flavor. (And don’t get me started on the shirt next to it—the kind of “frustrating merch” that sends you straight to Google just to understand it.)

💙 The Blue Italia Hat

Fine. It’s cute. But it’s in every Italian city, looking exactly like this. When merch is so common it becomes visual white noise, it loses all emotional connection to place.

🌸 The Floral Bag

At first glance—so pretty. Until you realize the same pattern is in every shop. It started to feel like the Big Apple of Sicily: overdone, overstated, and utterly forgettable.

The tourist merch I love is clever, on-trend, and reflects the real vibe of where I’ve been. These pieces didn’t do any of that—and it’s a good reminder for brands: whether you’re creating city souvenirs or corporate swag, the best branded merch tells a story people actually want to carry home.

Your turn, what’s the most overdone, boring visual you’ve seen on tourist merch in your own city?