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…
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Shipping 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 More8 Promotional Product Ideas for Remote Workers
Some companies are finally gearing up for a return to the office, but many others are staying fully or partially remote, especially as a way to woo employees in a competitive labor market. Those companies will be in need of promotional products for remote workers. Give them the good stuff with these ideas…
Read MoreHow to Win Business With Self Promos: 4 Ideas for Distributors
When it comes to marketing materials for a distributor, self promos are a no brainer. What could be a better way to show the world what you do than by giving out a branded product? Here are some ideas to help you put your own no-fail self promo program in place…
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 More4 Staffing, Hiring and Employee Retention Best Practices for Print and Promo Businesses
If acquiring and retaining top talent is more critical than ever, it’s also more difficult. Employees now have most of the leverage, and the print and promo industry faced an uphill battle in attracting talent even before the pandemic. Industry companies need to step up their game if they want to keep valuable employees and bring in new ones…
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