Brand Threads

Most companies waste their entire merch budget not because they pick bad items. Because they add merch like it’s an afterthought. Something to throw in because “everyone does it.”

Navy hoodies. Gray t-shirts. Maybe a branded tote if the accelerator is feeling fancy. Walk into any startup event and you’ll see fifty founders wearing the exact same uniform, like they all raided the same closet at a tech conference.

Kate Trumbull, Domino’s CMO, had a problem most CMOs dream about. Her brand was printing money. Thirteen straight years of growth. Nearly $20 billion in sales. Digital orders up 85%. They’d beaten Pizza Hut so badly it wasn’t even close anymore.

The guy on the phone sounded friendly enough. “We need some cheap swag for a trade show next month. What’s your best price on tote bags?”

Anthropic's team handed out branded hats last week. Limited edition. Good quality. The response? Exactly what you'd hope for. Trending hashtags. Photos everywhere. Recipients talking about meeting fellow fans and Anthropic team members in person.