For many people, the t-shirt is the first thing that comes to mind when they think of “merch” or swag, and it is indeed a staple item. You’ll find t-shirts at the merchandise table at the back of every concert — t-shirts are omnipresent.
However, modern Canadian print on demand services offers hundreds of products which can feature your custom prints. Here are a few examples of some of the cool types of merchandise beyond the classic t-shirt.
Smartphone Case
The more people who use the swag bearing your designs or your logo in their daily life, the more people will see it. That’s why it’s smart to put your logo on a smartphone case — unlike clothing, they’ll use this every day, and people carry their phones with them everywhere they go.
Face Masks
Unfortunately, face masks are something people still need to wear until the vaccination rollout for COVID-19 is complete. Circulating masks with your branding on them encourages people to wear them, which can only be a good thing.
It’s a nice change seeing a mask with flare or personality compared to the clinical blue and white ones, which most people have. As masks are something people need to wear wherever they go in public, it’s a visible place for your logo.
Mugs
Big coffee and tea drinkers love having mugs galore in their homes! With coffee shops currently closed for in-person dining or sipping, there’s been a surge of people making their favourite caffeinated drinks at home.
Whereas a person may not wear a t-shirt with a corporate logo if the clothing isn’t stylish enough, a mug is one of those things that people tend to keep around in their kitchen no matter what it looks like. It’s a practical thing to have around, and you can never have too many.
Postcards
Don’t you enjoy receiving an actual letter through snail mail? It’s a rare treat these days, but it shouldn’t be! Letters are a wonderful way to let people know you’re thinking of them, especially when we’ve gone so long without seeing many of our friends.
Put your art or your logo on a postcard. Somebody’s heartfelt message will be associated with your brand, and that’s a positive connection. In a very real sense, people have felt disconnected from each other after long stretches of stay-at-home orders, and writing to friends is an effective way to show them you care.
Check-in on your friends in different ways, but personalized postcards with a written message and your branding on them could be an excellent way to self-promote and send love.
If Marshall McLuhan was right and the medium is the message, then the type of product you customize with your print sends as strong a message as your actual message. T-shirts are timeless, but there’s a whole world out there of products begging for your designs, so don’t limit yourself.