Replica championship rings are popular promo items for sports fans, like those given out at the gates before games or even in NFT form. But, when they’re counterfeits made to pass as the real thing, theoretically selling for high prices on the resale market, it’s a problem for both the leagues and consumers…
Read MoreAuthor: Brendan Menapace
The Starbucks Cold Cup Is the Internet’s Underground Must-Have Phenomenon
Starbucks reusable cups have reached near-Supreme collectible status. The coffee chain first introduced the Cold Cup line in 2018, and just a few years later, people are swooping in to buy and resell the cups on sites like Facebook Marketplace, Poshmark and eBay. Some online groups reportedly have as many as 20,000 members who share information on collecting designs…
Read MoreVintage Brand and MOGL Launch Full Service, Print-on-Demand NIL Platform for College Athlete Merch
Vintage Brand and MOGL have come together to create a full-service partnership for college athletes to market their names, images and likenesses through branded merchandise. The Vintage Brand College Athlete marketplace will allow athletes to create merchandise, with the platform providing services like print-on-demand, fulfillment and e-commerce stores…
Read MoreLA Kings Team Up With E-Sports Brand for Co-Branded Merchandise Drop at Arena
The gap between e-sports and traditional sports has been shrinking. At this point, they’re often sharing arenas, fanbases and now even merchandise, as the Los Angeles Kings just collaborated with the e-sports brand FaZe Clan for special edition co-branded merchandise that will only be available in person at a Kings game…
Read MoreShipping Prices Could Be About to Skyrocket (Again)
The average cost to ship a 40 ft. container from China to the U.S. West Coast could soon hit up to $8,000 for a yearlong freight contract, a record high and a significant increase over last year’s average of $5,500. Meanwhile, the Russian invasion of Ukraine is putting further strain on international shipping, potentially driving prices up further…
Read MoreCould Offer Letter Kits Be the New Onboarding Kits?
Companies have long been giving their new hires gifts to make them feel welcome. But with the extra-competitive job market these days, employers need to stand out from other prospective hirers and appeal to applicants before they even sign on the dotted line. That’s why some companies are taking the welcome kit approach a step further…
Read MorePhoenix Suns Introduce Line of Merch Designed by Players
The Phoenix Suns are giving players a chance to take their fashion sensibilities a step further by letting them design their own merchandise as part of a line called Valley Threads. The series starts with Suns player Cam Payne, who designed a hoodie featuring a quote his pastor told him on Draft Night in 2015. Proceeds will go to Phoenix Suns Charities…
Read MoreLiquid Death Mountain Water Is Betting Big on Branded Merchandise
Liquid Death Mountain Water’s 2021 branded apparel sales passed $3 million, a huge increase from $700,000 the year before. Founder and CEO Mike Cessario said that more than half of direct-to-consumer purchases in 2021 also included a product from Liquid Death’s online store, and made clear the company is fully buying into branded merchandise…
Read MoreMichelob Goes Big Again With ‘NBA Jam’ Merch Collection, Retro Website and Pop-Up Experience at NBA All Star Game
Michelob Ultra’s “NBA Jam” pop-up experience and retro website is a great example of a promotion with a strong theme that brought together social media engagement, in-person experiential elements and e-commerce, with branded merchandise at the center of it all. Boom shaka laka…
Read MoreBAMKO Announces Strategic Partnership With Carder and Associates LLC
BAMKO announced a new strategic partnership with corporate gifting company Carder and Associates LLC. BAMKO likened the partnership model to a Silicon Valley incubator, where the company uses its stature to nurture another and help it achieve growth. Carder will preserve its ownership and autonomy, but will merge…
Read More