Corporate merchandise is a product or product that a brand or company creates and distributes using its logo, slogan or other elements of corporate identity. This can include a variety of items such as t-shirts, caps, pens, mugs, badges, sticky notes, and more.

Corporate merchandise is an important marketing and branding tool that helps establish and strengthen the connection between a company and its audience, as well as promotes the brand in people's daily lives.

The importance of corporate merchandise for business
Corporate merchandise is of significant importance for business. For example Brand Strengthening & Awareness. Corporate merchandise containing a logo, slogan, or other elements of a company's identity helps increase brand awareness. When people see the logo on a t-shirt or mug, it reminds them of the company and its products or services. This builds brand affection and can lead to repeat purchases or attract new customers.

Corporate merch can serve as a means customer acquisition and retention. Providing customers with products with a company logo creates brand affection and loyalty. Customers may be more inclined to choose the products or services of a company with which they have an emotional connection through corporate merch.

Corporate merchandise also plays an important role in motivating employees and strengthening team spirit within the company. When employees wear clothes with a company logo or use items with corporate designs, it helps create a sense of belonging and pride. It also contributes to the strengthening of team cooperation and the formation of a common identity.

And of course, corporate merchandise can serve as an important tool advertising and brand distribution. When people use or wear company merch, they become unofficial promoters of the brand, attracting the attention of others and spreading its recognition. This is especially useful at events, trade shows, or in everyday life, where merch can attract new customers and strengthen the connection with existing ones.

And also, sometimes companies can make good money selling merchandise.

What kind of merchandise can be created

Companies can create a variety of corporate merchandise depending on their industry, brand, and target audience. For example:

Apparel: T-shirts, sweatshirts, shirts, jackets, and other clothing with the company's logo or design. It can be either versatile clothing for daily use or specialized clothing related to the business industry.
Accessories: Caps, hats, scarves, gloves, bags, backpacks, phone and tablet cases, key holders, key rings and other accessories with the company logo.
Office items: Pens, notebooks, pencils, calendars, diaries, sticky notes, bookmarks, folders, and other items that can be used in an office environment.
Utensils and Kitchen Utensils: Mugs, glasses, thermoses, glasses, plates, potholders, and other items related to food and drink.
Technical gadgets: Flash drives, power banks, headphones, USB hubs, mice and other accessories for computers and electronic devices.
Souvenirs and gifts: Key holders, magnets, badges, key rings, postcards, puzzles, soft toys and other items that can serve as souvenirs or gifts for customers, partners and employees.
Sports & Leisure Products: T-shirts, hats, water bottles, workout bags, yoga mats, and other sports and leisure related products.
Major brands often delight their fans and collectors with limited lines of souvenirs released for special dates or events, such as the company's anniversary. These items become not only a symbol of a special moment in the history of the brand, but also valuable rarities that are hunted by fans, collectors and lovers of exclusive and unique items.

Limited souvenir collections open up opportunities for brands to be creative, experiment with designs and create things that evoke emotions in their owners. This allows the brand to emphasize its individuality and uniqueness in the market.

Successful examples of merch
With humor from McDonald's

A good joke can cheer you up and create a positive impression of the company. If a brand is able to make fun of itself, it can significantly increase fan loyalty.

An example of such an original joke is the McDonald's initiative related to the 50th anniversary of the recipe for their famous burger. The company released a set of scented candles that reproduced the smells of the ingredients that make up this dish. When all the candles were lit, an atmosphere reminiscent of the smell of a fresh burger was created.

This approach is not only unexpected and funny, but also allows McDonald's to show its creativity and self-irony. This joke brings a smile to the brand's fans, creates a pleasant memory and strengthens the emotional attachment to the company.

Netflix picked up popularity

The success of corporate merchandise does not always depend on its creativity. Sometimes it is enough to release a collection at the right time, when interest in a certain trend reaches its peak.

Netflix showed an example of such successful merch after the release of the series "Squid Game", which broke records of popularity as costumes for Halloween.

Merch ≠ only clothes

The fast food chain KFC introduced an original product that became a real horse move - a Christmas log for the fireplace, available for purchase at Walmart stores. This log, when burned, emits an appetizing and spicy aroma, as if you had just brought home a fresh portion of hot chicken wings. Such a smell in the room certainly causes an irresistible desire to immediately go to KFC and enjoy their goodies.

This idea from KFC demonstrates the uniqueness and creativity of the company in creating unusual merchandise that can evoke positive associations and emotions among customers.

Interesting collaborations: Dodo x CyberPunk 2077

Collaborations are a powerful tool for creating unique and attractive corporate merchandise. The partnership between brands allows them to combine their strengths, talents and loyal audiences to create a product that will attract the attention and delight of fans of both brands.

The Dodo pizzeria chain and the game CyberPunk 2077 have teamed up for a unique collaboration. This is how the new pizza "Dodo 2077" with a unique barbecue cybercola sauce appeared. Every fan of the game, having tasted this pizza, will be able to feel the taste of the future, immersing himself in his own Night City. For the new Dodo 2077 pizza, a limited series of bright boxes was created, each of which was accompanied by a set of stickers with images from the game.

Drawing attention to the problem from Heinz

Heinz presented the Vintage Drip collection with unique "ketchup stains" in order to draw attention to the problem of sustainable use of clothing and responsible consumption. All proceeds from the sale of this collection were directed to funds to help those suffering from hunger.

In this way, Heinz not only emphasizes the importance of preserving clothing and respecting resources, but also contributes to solving social problems.

Red Bull - from merchandise to sponsor

Red Bull has created a special merch that has become popular among professional motorcyclists and extreme athletes. This merch not only serves as a visual symbol of style and belonging to the global Red Bull brand, but also has high functionality that meets the requirements of active and adrenaline-dependent athletes.

How to create effective corporate merch?

Creating effective corporate merchandise requires careful planning and execution of a number of stages. Here are some key steps that will help you achieve high quality in creating corporate merch:

Defining goals: The first step is to clearly define the goals and target audience of your corporate merch. Having a clear understanding of who you want to attract and what results you expect will help you choose the right products and designs.
Don't skimp: Use only high-quality materials for the production of merchandise. This is especially important for clothing, accessories, and items that will be used for a long time. Choose materials that will last a long time, will be comfortable and pleasant to the touch.
Eye-catching design: Develop an eye-catching design that reflects your brand identity and makes a statement about your unique style. Turn to professional designers to create logos, graphics, or emblems that will effectively visualize your brand.
Product Variety: Offer a variety of products to suit the different preferences and needs of your audience. Think about a wide range of products, such as clothing, accessories, stickers, mugs, etc., to suit different preferences and lifestyles.
Rigorous testing: Before launching products, conduct rigorous testing to ensure their quality and durability. Make sure that all products meet your standards and meet customer expectations.
Ethical and Sustainable Practices: Pay attention to ethical and sustainable practices in the production and selection of materials for your merchandise. Prefer eco-friendly and sustainable materials, and work with suppliers who adhere to high standards of social responsibility.
After-sales Service: Provide quality after-sales service for customers who have purchased your merch. Respond to feedback, solve problems, and ensure customer satisfaction.
By combining these steps with creativity and attention to detail, you can create high-quality corporate merchandise that will delight your customers and help promote your brand.