“Remember when companies would practically beg you to front their branded gear? Show up at a conference and you’d come home loaded with swag that ended up padding the back of your closet. Open a bank account and you’d be prized with a branded blanket for the dog to sit on in the backseat. But now, it seems, the tables have turned, and in a bizarre twist in the ever-evolving power dynamic between brands and consumers, people are now not only willing to adorn themselves in branded merch, they actually go to great lengths to seek it out — and want to pay for it.”
That is a direct quote from our guest today, Adam Bluestein from his article “How Supreme-Style Merch Drops Took Over Corporate America” published in Marker. Adam is a journalist who writes for Fast Company., Marker, Men's Journal, and Proto, he writes about people and companies at the forefront of innovation in business and technology, life science and medicine, food, and sustainability.
Adam’s article is one of the most insightful articles about branded merchandise I’ve ever read because it’s written from the perspective of someone outside of our business who did a tremendous amount of research into the companies that use branded merch and why.
I asked Adam if he’d join us to talk about the article plus the stories that didn’t make it into the final piece. What I love most is how Adam creates fresh, evocative language that gets to the heart of how branded merch builds fanatical fans, creates emotional bonds, and elevates the brand experience.
Join us for a fun conversation with Adam and share this episode with your team!
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