By Amanda Hofman, Chief Swag Officer and Branded Merchandise Expert

Yes, this is real.

People are wearing a Lowe’s bucket… as jewelry.

A chunky silver chain with an enormous acrylic bucket pendant sold out. And honestly, of all the things to sell out, this was the thing.

Not because it’s objectively beautiful.
Not because it matches anyone’s outfit (unless your outfit is “weekend chaos”).
But because that blue bucket already means something.

And that’s the entire point of great branded merchandise.

The Bucket Isn’t the Product. It’s the Feeling.

If you’ve ever walked into Lowe’s for “just one thing” and left two hours later with:

• a cart full of supplies
• a head full of confidence
• and a brand-new identity as a DIY expert

…you already understand the bucket.

That blue Lowe’s bucket represents possibility.
It represents ambition.
It represents overconfidence.
It represents the inevitable moment you text someone, “So… do you know a good contractor?”

People aren’t wearing this necklace because it’s pretty.

They’re wearing it because it’s instantly relatable.

Why This Necklace Sold Out So Fast

This is a masterclass in branded merch strategy—because it taps into something bigger than the item itself.

The Lowe’s bucket necklace signals:

→ I’ve started ambitious home and art projects.
→ I’ve abandoned said projects.
→ And I’ve hired a pro after confidently saying, “I’ve got this.”

That’s not just a necklace.
That’s a personality trait.

And that’s why it moved.

When branded merch becomes a symbol of a shared experience, it creates instant community. You don’t even need to say anything. The merch says it for you.

This Is What Great Branded Merch Actually Does

Here’s what most brands get wrong about custom company merch:

They think the goal is visibility.
More logos. More placement. More volume. More giveaways.

But the real goal is connection.

Great branded merchandise elevates the shared experience around your brand.

It turns something ordinary into something people want to wear, collect, joke about, and talk about.

That bucket necklace works because it’s:

• specific
• iconic
• emotionally loaded (in a funny way)
• and instantly recognizable to the right audience

This is what wearable branded merch looks like when it’s done right. It doesn’t feel like advertising—it feels like belonging.

The “Inside Joke” Effect: The Secret to Merch People Actually Want

The best branded merchandise marketing isn’t trying to convince strangers to care.

It’s giving the people who already care a way to show it.

That’s why iconic items (like the Lowe’s bucket) turn into powerful merch moments:

• They’re already baked into the customer experience
• They’re tied to stories people have lived
• They create “if you know, you know” energy

And that kind of merch? It doesn’t sit in a drawer.

It gets worn. Repeatedly. Loudly. Proudly.

What’s the “Bucket” in Your Brand?

Every brand has one.

That one item, phrase, moment, or experience customers instantly associate with you.

Maybe it’s not a literal bucket.
Maybe it’s:

• a signature product
• a packaging detail
• a customer ritual
• a catchphrase
• an inside joke your community shares

If you can identify that thing, you can build custom branded apparel and branded merch that people actually want to own.

Because the best merch doesn’t come from a catalog.
It comes from culture.

Mine? Obviously a Jumbo Stress Ball on a Chain.

I said what I said. 😌