The Backpack: Issue #7

All our best, monthly news in one branded pack.

Hey, friends! Welcome to our newly revised (monthly) newsletter, “The Backpack” bringing monthly news that features trends in merch, top articles, podcast episodes, and global news impacting merch life. Miss an article or an episode? We’ll highlight the best of, right here, each month!

Friday, February 17

• Top Merch News: The Promo 2.0 Problem

• Vibe Check: Whataburger or In-and-Out?

• Trends: Subtle Swag + Coded Merch

• Can't miss content: The 90-Day Sprint

• Happenings: Saddle Up skucampers, We’re Kicking It In Austin!

• Backpack Read-Along: This Is Not a T-Shirt

The Promo 2.0 Problem

You might have noticed that our industry is coming out of the pandemic with an identity problem: we either don’t know who we are anymore or we’re trying to be everything to everyone, or worse, we’re just slightly better versions of our next best competitor. But there is a way to fix it: Check out the latest installment in our series about scaling a multi-million dollar business, The Promotional Product Industry's 2.0 Problem, it’s all about creating your own unique, differentiated strategy and it’s anything but boring because it requires the one trait you possess in power mode: imagination.

The New Circle of Promo-Life, Thing

If you’re a commonsku user you’ll know what these two words “connected supplier” mean, it's the supercharged way to simplify your workflow --ie, your life-- automagically. If you’re not a commonsku user, you might want to know about our new supplier partner program featuring community, connected, and connected+. Now, on the platform, you can easily see which awesome supplier partner fits in each category and temper your insane work life a little. We’ll keep leveling your sanity, backpackers! You just keep punchin’ in effortless orders. It’s that new circle-of-promo-life-thing we call: easy.

Whataburger or In-and-Out?

Okay, backpackers, let’s solve this burger debate once and for all: Whataburger or In-and-Out? Answer? Five Guys. I mean, there’s literally no comparison (sorry, Texas). And now, I can get my own Five Guys+Heinz regulation cornhole game for the backyard, custom crafted by our friends over at The Icebox who launched a rad new shop for Five Guys. I mean, bright red merch AND crispy-and-chunky-and-better-than-McDonald’s fries? High five … guys! 😂

The First Good News Following These Two Words: Supply Chain

Did you know there’s such a thing as the Global Supply Chain Index? Yep, as boring as that sounds, there’s an actual gauge to tell you how it’s going. Now, instead of seeing that backorder and holding your head in your hands while murmuring “supply chain”, you can look at a pretty graph. It is helpful though, it integrates transportation cost data and manufacturing indicators to provide a gauge of global supply chain conditions. Pressure has dropped 75% over the past year, which means this is probably the first time you’ve seen the word “supply chain” in a paragraph of good news in over three years. (You’re welcome, backpackers).

“Play it LOUD Subtle, man.”

Midge (our marketing intern from Midland) was minding her own biz in the concert pit at a 1975 show and things got ugly. Good news: She survived. Best news: She has some sweet [subtle] swag to show for it, a t-shirt with just this printed on the front: the Darwinian experience of being in GA. No logo, no band name. Matt Healy, the lead singer, uttered that phrase from the stage, and instantly, a hit T was born. The t-shirt copy is code for the fandom and a new phenom: subtle swag.

What’s “subtle swag”? Mashable breaks it down with lots of links. TLDR: “Subtle swag” or “coded merch” is merch that doesn’t scream “LOGO HERE” but subtly whispers hints or clues (an image or line of copy from a song) that only hardcore fans would get.  It’s the ultimate flex in fandom and therefore buzzy as hell. Why should a merch pro care? Now that branded merch is the new status symbol, coded merch carries a message louder than your dad’s Microsoft Ignite T, and screams effortless cool. Next event you’re creating for your client, go subtle – it’ll play loud.

Kickin’ It at skucamp Austin!

The looonnng wait is over and we just announced the big news: skucamp, the industry’s most radical boot camp experience is boot-scootin’ to Austin, Texas! skucamp is a deep dive into learning crucial and timely topics for business leaders and it’s the perfect time to work on your business instead of meddlin’ in your biz. It’s peer-led learning from the pros complete with idea sharing, outside experts, and some of the most maverick thinkers in the merch biz! So, saddle up friends and strap in for the most business-transforming, high–impact learning experience – deep in the heart of Texas! But don’t delay, skucamp sells out almost immediately, scoot on over here to pre-register so you can be notified 24 hours before tickets become available!

Okay backpackers, time to get LIT! We’re launching a new read-along series: Each month, we’ll read a book together that tackles a topic relevant to merch life. This month, we’re reading a book that the savviest merch pros are reading or have read: This Is Not a T-Shirt by famed streetwear creator Bobby Hundreds. This month’s selection was recommended by Reba Joy, Senior Director of Sales at Rightsleeve, whose rad vision and passion recently fired us up about personal development. Got a recommendation for next month’s book? Let us know by hitting reply!

🎯 Hitting big, audacious goals is tough work but Tom Rauen, a 100-mile runner, shows us how to take big hairy goals and break ‘em down into shorter sprints, check out our chat with Tom on the cast, here.  
📈 Back to “normal”: ASI released a Q4 report that showed 2022 brought the industry back to pre-pandemic sales, no wonder you’re wiped! 
👀  Another trend watch for you here, check out The Power of Community Merch