The Backpack: Issue #62

Friday, June 6

• Trend Alert: Rise of the loud, audacious handbags
• Top commonsku News: CEO Summit take-aways
• AI + Merch: How distributors are using AI
• Can’t Miss Content: Nvidia merch is a big miss

Loud audacious handbags

Move over capacious handbags, we’re rolling in the loud and audacious bags like this KFC drum-stick shaped cross body bag and this multi-sensory chicken wings backpack. At the least, brands are using packs and bags as a pure social merch play, begging to be shared, liked (or loathed) across IG and TikTok. But on the flip side, brands are having a blast with merch, which brings us to the golden rule: Merch pros should be leading their clients by bringing out the fun!

Allday goods + Kerrygold merch is delicious

Collabs are still white hot and not going away anytime soon, especially when it’s the perfect match like this deliciousness: Allday goods got its start when a chef quit during lockdown and started making knives in his parents' garden shed. Fast forward: He’s now creating merch collabs with some cool food brands like this one with the butter brand Kerrygold. Check this gorgeous knife, this rad tote, and this scrumptious tee. All, sadly (but goodly?), sold out.

Here’s your gateway to high-end sports cars: merch

What’s up with all the fashion brands creating merch with fast cars? First it was Aimé Leon Dore and its Porsche 993 Turbo Capsule and now, this Balenciaga collection for Lamborghini. We think you need this $8k handbag or this $7k bomber jacket. What does this collection really say besides, “I’m a future Lamborghini owner.”

NBA finals merch throwdown

As we write this, the four teams in the 2025 NBA Finals are the Indiana Pacers, the New York Knicks, the Oklahoma City Thunder, and the Minnesota Timberwolves but we’re gonna call it: OKC Thunder vs. Pacers. How’s their merch game? Let’s compare a collection: The Pacers City Edition absolutely pops with color and energy celebrating Indy’s artistic soul while OKC’s Native American Collection honors the 39 indigenous nations who reside in Oklahoma. But whose got the best merch? Um, the Knicks.

 

A Brandstores Powerhouse: Nevin Bansal

Can you hit a 30% growth target YTD and still make a major contribution to your community? Nevin Bansal and team did. With 14 new shops YTD and a heartfelt passion for philantrophy, the Outreach Promos team refocused their business and grew. Check out our chat with Nevin here!

7 AI takeaways from commonsku’s CEO Summit

We were thrilled to host the CEO Summit in Toronto, a gathering that brought together 20 top executives from commonsku's enterprise distributor customers. Our mission? To create a dynamic space where the industry's most successful leaders could share game-changing best practices and shape our high-level roadmap together. And did we ever raise the bar on this one, here are 7 AI Takeaways from commonsku’s CEO Summit!

How are distributors using AI now?

Welcome to our new section where we riff about anything AI + merch related, uncovering some hidden gems for you regarding research and tech as it relates to branded products: First, how about a distributor real-world AI experience? In our latest webinar, we interviewed Charles Freund, Director of Sales at Fairware, and he shared practical examples of how they are currently using AI tools to power their businesses, check out the key learnings here (plus a list of AI tools) or, check out the webinar on-demand here!

Google’s new try-on feature: the future of merch?

Have you seen Googles new “try on” feature? It’s a feature in Google Search's AI Mode where you can virtually "try on" clothes by uploading a photo of yourself. Here’s MKBHD taking it for a spin. Is this the future of merch shops?

Lego GPT: This could be custom merch

Cool (and potential merch) concept: “A research team from Carnegie Mellon University built an AI model called LegoGPT that outputs valid LEGO designs from text inputs…The AI was trained on a dataset with more than 47,000 LEGO structures that build over 28,000 unique 3D objects, including bookshelves, tables, chairs, cars, ships, guitars, and more. This was then used to train the AI model, allowing it to create unique and original designs solely from text inputs.” How about an AI for custom merch, who’s with me?

🐜 The Beatles + Crocs. Need we say more?

😳 Mary Oliver’s estate launched a merch shop and some folks are not happy about it.

🏳️‍🌈 June is Pride month and GLAAD released a report specifically about merch that showed a lot of fascinating stats, including this: “70% of Americans say knowing a brand/store offers LGBTQ Pride collections/merchandise either has a positive impact or no impact on their purchasing decisions.”

🎙️ Metal band Ice Nine Kills created an AI image to promote their merch and fans ripped them for it.

💀 Did you know the LA Coroner’s office has a famous merch shop called Skeletons in the Closet, which has been around since 1993?

👕 Nvidia merch but no black leather jacket? WTF? Big miss.

🏀 Sports merch is the new celebrity obsession (Vogue)

👖We love how Joe Jonas turns vintage denim jackets into merch. Check out that back embroidery for some design inspo.

🚗 Want some schooling in how important merch is for Indy car drivers? Here’s a glimpse. And check this Patricio O’Ward Shop.

🐶 Awww: Famed director Tim Burton creates a merch collection in honor of his dog (Levi) in support of PETA. Our faves? Dog bandana. Totes.

🤖 Did you catch our CEO Summit exclusive? Learn what the best in the biz are doing with AI here!