So, your dream has become a reality, and you’ve decided you need some merch to promote this bundle of joy you’ve created. Well, throwing your logo on a tee or hoodie doesn’t build your brand. Making merch and distributing it to the world (that’s a whole other blog!) doesn’t make people want to buy your music or game, download your app, or find you the trusted influencer they can’t live without. Building a brand takes time and know-how, and merch is simply a part of what makes your brand, and the minute you begin selling merch, you have now turned your ‘thing’ into a business. Selling swag means you have taken the first steps into turning your art into a brand, a lifestyle, and a movement. Do you know how to manage that? Do you know how to cut and manage the front part of your mullet (yep, party in the back, business in the front – I went there)? Do you know and even want to handle end-to-end merchandising? The answer I get most of the time is a simple no.
Investing in merch is just that, an investment. There are, however, multiple ways to manage costs (item cost, item quality, item sourcing, logo colors, logo batching, and the list goes on) and different ways to distribute based on your current budget and staffing. Additionally, merch should be something that people WANT, and with that comes quality. Your brand is directly associated with the look and feel of your swag, and your tee should embody the elements you want the wearer to connect with when they wear it. How does it make them feel?
Merch is not a billboard. I assure you, you do not need to cover your hoodie with every hashtag and handle you have to ensure people connect with you – this is not the time or place for that. Piggybacking on this issue is color. No, as much as you may think that the neon green shirt will make people take notice, it won’t. Not that I’m saying there isn’t a time and place for the crazy tie-dye tee, but trust me, stick to the basics; the ’80s are over.
Inexpensive shirts have their role – shooting out of a cannon at a sporting event, under a sign that reads FREE, and most definitely anything labeled Youth Extra Small through Youth Large. There are tons of budget-friendly brands that are soft and yield a first-rate printed product. Consider your own choices when discussing material and logo selections; would this be your ‘go-to’ tee in your drawer, or would it find its way to the bottom and only be yanked out when you need a paint shirt?
Think outside the box. Do you have a lyric in a song, a tool in a game, or a kazoo you use in your podcast that you can brand and draw in your supporters? Unusual items such as branded games (think collaborations here too!) and surf wax can draw consumers in and give them a reason to check out your cool merch.
What items you decide on and what logo selections you choose are vitally important and directly reflect the brand you will build for a lifetime. Merch creation is a science, and the promotion and distribution can be maddening. Don’t worry, we are Merch Scientists, and we’ve got you covered.
