Last week, Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds, a republican, released a T-shirt on conservative fundraising platform WinRed. The red shirt reads “Find Me At The Fair” in large, blocky, right-aligned type. But, for RAYGUN, a T-shirt company based in Des Moines, it may well have read “Shots Fired.”…
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Wrangler Parent CEO Says Apparel Industry Should Prepare for ‘Global Casualization’
A year-plus of remote work has changed the way we think about dressing for work, shifting the workplace attire norms to be more casual. Scott Baxter, president and CEO of Kontoor Brands, parent company of Lee and Wrangler jeans, said that this “global casualization” is here to stay, and apparel companies need to pay attention…
Read MoreOur 5 Favorite Promotional Products of the Week: Pasta Handbags, Guy Fieri Beach Towels and More
Getting a kitten is fun, but it’s a lot of work. Suddenly the whole house is a toy. While we try to keep our new cat away from the smartphone charger, check out our fave five promotional products of the week, including a Guy Fieri beach towel and a “Superbad” snow globe that Seth Rogen still owns…
Read MoreMcDonald’s Goes Quality-Over-Quantity for Saweetie Co-Branded Meal, Merch
Like the other meals before hers, Saweetie’s McDonald’s meal includes branded packaging, like sauce packets. But the actual merchandise isn’t available to everyone (at least not yet). Fans can enter a sweepstakes to win two limited edition Brandon Blackwood bags, and McDonald’s employees will wear special uniforms…
Read MoreReese’s Puffs Debuts Branded Synthesizers (Real and Augmented Reality), Cinnamon Toast Crunch Launches Teen-Only Promo Contest
Reese’s Puffs just released three boxes that include an augmented reality tie-in to turn the backs of the boxes into synthesizers and drum machines. General Mills is also releasing a real-life branded synthesizer, and introduced a “teens only” promo for Cinnamon Toast Crunch…
Read MoreShipping Updates: USPS Finalizes First-Class Slowdown Plan, UPS Braces for Peak-Season Volume Surge
The USPS finalized a deal to slow down first-class mail, effective Oct. 1. At the same time, UPS announced that it anticipates peak season volume to exceed capacity by approximately 5 million pieces per day, advising customers to shift their own shipping timelines…
Read MoreA Pandemic-Altered Labor Market Is Making Hiring Difficult—and Causing Unexpected Problems for Promo Companies
Industry companies are reporting difficulties hiring, both for positions vacated due to layoffs at the start of the pandemic and for new positions necessary to meet surging demand. These issues are contributing to slower production times for suppliers already navigating supply chain challenges and causing problems for distributors as the economy rebounds…
Read MoreWendy’s Combines Signage, Packaging, Uniforms and More for Smash-Hit ‘Rick and Morty’ Restaurant Takeover
Wendy’s created a “Rick and Morty” co-branding event by transforming a California restaurant into “Morty’s,” complete with signage, food packaging, employee uniforms, giant inflatable characters and an immersive drive-thru experience. It drew crowds that sat in the drive-thru line for as long as seven hours…
Read MoreThe Dodgers Are Raffling Off a World Series Ring and a World Series Ring NFT
Major League Baseball recently announced a partnership with Candy Digital, which specializes in “digital collectibles.” As part of that partnership, the Los Angeles Dodgers are auctioning a 2020 World Series ring NFT along with a real one. It underscores the possibilities in combining digital and physical merchandise…
Read MoreLil Nas X’s Roblox Digital Merchandise Sales ‘Creeping Towards 8 Figures’
Online video games have enormous user bases, and that has prompted artists to “perform” livestreamed concerts within the games. Lil Nas X performed in Roblox in December, racking up more than 33 million views and a digital merchandise haul reportedly “creeping toward eight figures”…
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