Friday, August 2
Trend Alert: Women’s sports merch is a huge miss
Top commonsku News: New streamlined reports tab in commonsku!
Vibe Check: Madame President, how’s your merch game?
Can't miss content: A24’s famed merch collaborators call it quits
A Nebraska women’s volleyball match packed a stadium with 92,000 fans. The Iowa vs. South Carolina women’s basketball championship was the most-watched basketball game since 2019. The National Women’s Soccer League hosted more than 1 million fans in 2023, the second year in a row attendance records were broken. Women make up 44% of all participants in sports yet only receive 16% of sports media coverage. And women’s sports merch is a vast $4 billion dollar underserved market according to Sports Innovation Lab's research report "Rep Her". But Ali Krieger, 2x World Cup Champ, is doing something about it. Ali partnered with Klarna + TogetherXR (who produced the stats above) to create a new collab bringing awareness to the lack of women’s merch, “This is more than just a tee shirt. It's a statement of enthusiasm and support for the unstoppable rise of women's sports.” To check out what the change-makers are up to with merch, drop by their shop and check out their statement merch such as this “a movement, not a moment” t-shirt (designed by Mellány Sánchez) or the “Everyone Watches Women’s Sports” tote bag. Women's sports merch should be a trend, let's make it so backpackers!
The New York Post reports that American Olympians each received around $13k in merch and, according to their merch hauls on TikTok, that stat might be conservative. Here’s slalom canoeist Evy Leibfarth’s Nike merch haul. But it’s not just the Americans, check out Toronto-based Canadian sailor Sarah Douglas and her merch haul from Lululemon and Aussie hurdler Tayleb Willis and his merch haul here. But the merch winner might just be this custom Samsung phone and case as shown by Aussie boxer Tina Rahimi. BTW: Just a reminder that when you are talking with your clients about an employee shop or branded gear, we hope you use delightful examples like these to show what can happen when great products and a great event collide with joy in merch!
We've added a shiny new report to your Reports tab, the Rep Comparative Report!
The Rep Comparative Report allows you to look at invoiced orders by client or by order rep and compare it to the previous month, quarter, or year. Where to find it? It's in the New Reports tab on your left nav > select the Rep Comparative Report > Enter your filters and hit "Get Report." Now, go get those sales, backpacker!
Ryan Paules made a commitment to create a different kind of company focused around a team-based selling model, including a unique compensation plan, and it worked! From 2020-2023 they grew 900%. In our latest episode of the skucast, we unpack the story behind what led Ryan to build a different kind of business.
You know merch is hot when one of the first updates on the “Kamala Harris for President” official website is a merch refresh. And how is Madame President’s merch game? Strong. Like, coconut strong. She not only has one of the most clever Pride motifs (check out the mug and the shirt) but she also uses merch to share an amazing story, such as the Madame President tee which features a back-print pic of her as “the little girl in California who was bussed to school” and also these throwback Kamala sweatshirts. BTW: If you notice a lot of slime green “kamala is brat” merch, that’s thanks to Charli XCX’s endorsement. "Kamala is brat" is a brilliant campaign vibe according to AdWeek. BTW, we don't endorse candidates here, we just celebrate good merch, so in the spirit of bipartisanship, the official Trump campaign has not just one but two stores including a new summer collection! We vote merch!
Arizona Beverage Co is a $4 billion company and also another major brand that considers merch a cornerstone of their brand strategy: “Producing the AriZona merch has been an exciting journey for us. Our father started it and we've kept on with the tradition of introducing exciting merch and point-of-sale items for the trade and consumers. We're committed to staying ahead of the curve and delivering relevant products that resonate with loyalists, and new fans of the brand.” That quote is a joint-statement from Chief Creative Officer Spencer Vultaggio and Chief Marketing Officer, Don Vultaggio. AriZona’s designs are a 90s throwback, so much so that last year they even opened a video store pop-up in Toronto’s Queen West neighborhood targeting millennial drinkers. "The Tea" goes hard with 90s gear like these roller skates, a skateboard deck, and a huge back catalog of merch!
🎙️ After 150 shows and $260 million, Billy Joel wraps up his Madison Square Garden residency and The New York Times highlights the merch.
👀 Hank Green (Green Brothers) launch a sock club for a good cause.
🍻 Marz Community Brewing Co really does mean community. By celebrating and collaborating with creators, they not only highlight amazing designers, they also partner with them to create killer merch.
💔 Even this rad Deadpool and Wolverine broken heart merch can’t save the plot.
🍫 If you know the Tony’s Chocolate backstory, then you’ll love their merch.
👕 Oops. Keith Urban wore a Buc-ee’s t-shirt on stage, problem was, it was in Wisconsin, home of beloved Kwik Trip, and fans were kwik to notice. 😂
🌎 Check out this really cool limited edition Pepsi can design series “expressing global diversity through design” and while you’re at it, check Pepsi’s design home and rad inspo-books (some great merch in there!)
💨 Online Ceramics broke up. Nope, not a band, and not a pottery maker, the OC was known for some of the most iconic A24 t-shirts ever made, but the famous graphic tee duo is parting ways. For a cool backstory on the brand’s history, check out A24’s homage, Tricker’s Cabin.
⛰️ Graphic designer goes viral over simple Olympic merch and her merch store is pretty sick.