How to Make Branded Swag People Actually Want
We love some good branded swag around here.
And by “good,” we mean the kind of thing you actually want to wear/use/keep around... not the random promotional pen that immediately gets tossed into a junk drawer never to be seen again.
Branded merchandise can be such a fun extension of your brand, whether you’re ordering shirts for your team, putting together client gifts, planning an event or just looking for another way to get your business out into the world.
But like everything else when it comes to branding, slapping your logo on something doesn’t automatically make it good.
Here are a few things we think make the difference.
1. Start with something people actually want
This one seems obvious, but it’s probably the most important.
Before you start thinking about what your logo will look like on something, ask yourself: Would I actually want this?
A soft t-shirt? Yes. (*cough* comfort colors)
A great hat? Absolutely.
A shiny new Yeti? Give it to me.
A plastic trinket destined for the trash? Maybeeee not.
You don’t have to reinvent the wheel. Sometimes the best promotional products are just really good versions of things people already use.
2. Don't make your logo do all the work
We design logos for a living, so obviously we are very pro-logo. 😂
But branded merch doesn’t always have to be LOGO. FRONT. AND. CENTER.
Sometimes the best shirt design is a fun phrase, illustration or graphic that incorporates your brand in a less obvious way.
Think of it more like designing something someone would buy in a store... just with your brand woven into it.
Your logo can still be there. It just doesn’t necessarily need to be six inches wide across someone’s chest.
3. Keep your brand recognizable
Okay, now we’re going to contradict ourselves a little.
While everything doesn’t need your giant logo stamped across it, your swag should still feel like your brand.
Use your brand colors. Your fonts. Your illustration style. Your personality.
The goal is to create something that feels like a natural extension of everything else your business is putting into the world.
That consistency is what helps people start recognizing your brand before they even see your name.
4. Give people a reason to get excited about it
This is one of the reasons we thought Sticker Mule’s new Give platform was pretty cool.
Instead of ordering a bunch of products, storing them somewhere and figuring out how to get them into people’s hands, Give lets businesses set up a giveaway and share a link with their audience. You choose the product and number of winners, and Sticker Mule handles the fulfillment and shipping.
You can currently use things like t-shirts, hoodies, stickers and sticker packs as giveaway prizes, which makes it a pretty easy way to turn your branded merch into something people can actually engage with.
Honestly, this could be especially fun for a product launch, event, milestone, social media campaign or just a little “thanks for being here” moment for your audience.
5. Order a sample first
PLEASE. For the love.
Colors can print differently. Shirts can fit differently. Materials can feel different than you expected.
Order one before you order 100.
We’ve seen enough things on a computer screen turn out differently in real life to know that this step is worth it.
And if you’re creating apparel specifically, actually put it on. Make sure the artwork is the right size, placement feels good and you would genuinely wear it before sending it out into the world.
Good swag is really just good branding.
Like most things, promotional products work best when there’s some intention behind them.
You don’t need to put your logo on every object known to man. Pick a few things that make sense for your audience, make them look really freaking good and create something people will actually be excited to receive.
And if you need help with that part... well, you know where to find us.
Pssst... Sticker Mule provided us with store credit in exchange for checking out and sharing their new Give platform. As always, thoughts are our own.
