Murder Your Thirst

Good morning, PromoPepper readers! We’re excited to send our NINTH newsletter out today. We’re on a roll and there is no slowing us down.

Thank you so much for continuing to open and read our newsletter, as well as offer feedback and support.

Today’s newsletter rundown:  
Merch around the Internet
State of Swag Report
The Flasket
Interview with Rafael from iPROMOTEu
Promo Job Postings

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Chick-Fil-A Is Sending Two More Sauces To Grocery Stores (And We Got The Merch)
Chick-fil-A's new merch is dressed to impress, featuring a full assortment of products to highlight your brand loyalty and celebrate your saucy side.

I made $2 million in revenue selling my study notes. Here's how I grew my business into merch, brand deals, and YouTube.
Stephanee Beggs is an RN and the founder of an Etsy shop that sells nursing-school notes. She's made $2 million in revenue since June 2020 and has expanded her merch line into a diversified offering. A pretty cool read and a step-by-step playbook about how she does it.

Why are so many fast food brands obsessed with bucket hat merch lately?
Pizza Hut is the latest brand to jump on the fun and funky trend with its limited-edition, reversible Hut Hat.

Dan Snyder’s Commanders’ sale brings hilarious new t-shirts, merch
While the sale is yet to be officially closed, per NFL insider Ian Rapoport, BreakingT has decided to release some farewell shirts bidding Dan Snyder good riddance in advance of a 100% closed deal on the Commanders’ sale.

The best SpaceX Starship merch on Amazon
SpaceX's Starship is expected to launch on April 17th (Editor’s Note: It didn’t) and in light of its first failed orbital launch, we've rounded up the coolest Starship-themed items you can get on Amazon.

Buc-ee’s boxers? 20 merch items fans didn’t know they needed
The Buc-ee’s logo, featuring a beaver with a buck-toothed grin, is a big part of the stop-and-shop experience. You’ll find this image popping up all over the premises -- on signs, filling stations, snack food labels, stuffed animals, T-shirts, household goods, outdoor items, and much more.

The Coolest ‘John Wick’ Merch to Buy After Seeing ‘Chapter 4,’ From Logo Tees to Sweatshirts
Keanu Reeves is back and kicking ass in John Wick: Chapter 4. Now playing in theaters across the country, the latest installment in the hit action franchise reportedly earned a whopping $73.5 million in its opening weekend alone, a new record for what could become the series’ final movie.

From Monopoly to Hot Sauce, The Best ‘Super Mario Bros. Movie’ Merch to Shop Right Now
Editor’s Note: A continuation of our ‘Merch IRL’ segment last week…
Now this year's top-grossing film, the action-adventure movie has zoomed past box office records — celebrate Nintendo's wins with fun memorabilia.

Future Drops Limited Edition 'One Big Party Tour' Merch
The collection dropped earlier last week and is only available for a limited time. The merch comes just a week after the Grammy-winning rapper finished up the second leg of his tour.

Proforma Spreads the Magic of Disney+ Rennervations: Jeremy Renner “Every build has a purpose.”
Proforma, the family-owned and operated distributor in the promotional products and printing industry, spreads the magic of Disney+ new original series, Rennervations: Jeremy Renner through branded merchandise offered on ProStores, its proprietary eCommerce platform, for The Base, a recipient organization.

Best LA Galaxy merch 2023: Where can I buy it and how much does it cost?
If you're going to be repping the LA Galaxy tribe, you're in luck because we've put together a merch guide to ensure you have everything you need for every match day from here on out - all in one place.

Cam’ron Facing Copyright Lawsuit for Using Picture of Himself Rocking Pink Coat on Merch
Cam’ron is facing a lawsuit for the use of a famous 2003 photo of himself on various Dipset merch without permission from the original photographer.

The Next Generation of Fan-Forward Formula 1 Merch Is Here
Formula 1 has had a problem for quite a while: Its merchandise, honestly, kind of sucks. If you’ve been looking for anything cool, cute, or comfortable for a more petite frame, you’ve been shit out of luck.

Saw this tweet yesterday and was immediately intrigued. At PromoPepper, we love data and it looks like SwagUp is putting together a data report on the promotional products industry. So count us in. Sharing here for visibility, here is the link to contribute to the report.

Unclear when the final report will be ready to read and analyze, but we’ll be the first to let you all know!

Liquid Death is a canned water company whose tagline is “Murder Your Thirst.” They’ve been crushing the merch game since its inception in 2017. So it only makes sense they would create a casket-shaped flask, called the “Flasket”.

Buy it here for $35.

Editor’s Note: This week, I interviewed Rafael Dosman, Director of Business Development, of iPROMOTEu.

If you'd like to be interviewed for a future PromoPepper, reply to this email and we'll get you on the schedule.

Describe iPROMOTEu.
iPROMOTEu is a community of independent distributors and salespeople throughout the United States and Canada and is one of the largest and most respected distributor organizations in the promotional products industry. Distributors and salespeople who affiliate with iPROMOTEu earn more money and enjoy a better quality of life while also keeping their brand and their independence.

What’s your role at iPROMOTEu?
I am the Director of Business Development. I find the right distributors and salespeople who can benefit from the iPROMOTEu suite of services.

What’s the most exciting project you’ve worked on at iPROMOTEu?
In May of 2021, I spearheaded iPROMOTEu’s first Diversity Council to help bring awareness about the importance of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion. I work directly with the Director of Human Resources to provide education and training for our staff, followed by frank discussions. As companies grow and evolve, it is critical to understand the nuances surrounding diversity and inclusion and the impact it can have on your organization.

What do you love about the promo industry?
There are many things I love. First, the resiliency and hard work promo pros bring to the table every single day. Our industry, along with the world, was dealt a scary hand in 2020 during COVID. I saw this industry buckle down, learn, pivot, and do what needed to be done; not just to survive but eventually THRIVE post-COVID! That is something we should be very proud of.

How do you think the promo industry evolves over the next 5 years?
A few things come to mind here. Live in-person events will be next level, especially on the trade show floor. Regional associations are banding together to deliver dynamic and impactful events. Products are evolving with a concentration on being Eco-Friendly and sustainable.

What services/products are you finding the highest return on investments? (i.e. what's your bread and butter?)
This is easy- our people are our most significant investment. I may sound biased when I say iPROMOTEu has the BEST team in the industry. MAGIC happens when you empower, believe, and invest in your people. Be prepared to see a lot of MAGIC from the iPROMOTEu family in 2023!

How do people find you / what sales channels are most effective for you?
Having a strong social media presence is crucial. If you do not have a social media presence, be prepared to be left behind. LinkedIn is very effective. You can find me:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/rafaeldosman
https://www.facebook.com/RafaeliPROMOTEu
[email protected]

Click on each link to see the application/job description page:

• Promotional Product Sales @ Brandwell

• Account Development Manager @ Staples Promo

• Branded Merchandise Project Coordinator @ One Hum, Inc.

• Graphic Designer Intern @ Totally Promotional

• Account Manager @ Brew City Brand

• Promotional Event Assistant @ A&Z Marketing

• Print Sales Rep @ RR Donnelley

We have so much more to say but we're saving some for next time. Reply back with your comments and/or questions and we’ll utilize them for the next issue!

Have a great rest of your week,

J.