Insights from working with hundreds of companies and thousands of merchandise projects.
“After working with thousands of brands, you start to see the same patterns. The merchandise people keep is never accidental. It’s always the result of brands thinking about the product properly.”
That’s something our founder often says when reflecting on the projects we’ve worked on at Splssh.
Over time, certain patterns become clear. Some merchandise stays in people’s lives for years, while other products quietly disappear not long after they are distributed. The difference rarely comes down to the product alone. It usually comes down to how the brand approaches the entire idea of merchandise.
After producing merchandise for more than a thousand brands, a few lessons have become very clear.
The Best Merch Reflects the Brand
The most successful merchandise projects begin with a strong understanding of the brand itself.
When a product reflects the identity, personality, and positioning of the company, it feels cohesive. The merchandise becomes part of the same visual and cultural language the brand already uses.
When this alignment is missing, the product can feel disconnected from the brand. Even a well-made item can struggle to create the right impression if it does not match how the brand presents itself elsewhere.
Simplicity Usually Wins
Some brands try to communicate too much through merchandise.
Large graphics, multiple messages, and heavy branding can quickly make a product feel overwhelming. In contrast, products built around simple design decisions tend to feel far more refined. Clear design, balanced branding, and subtle details usually produce items people are more comfortable using in everyday environments.
Distribution Does Not Equal Impact
Many organisations measure merchandise by the number of units they distribute.
However, experience shows that quantity does not necessarily lead to meaningful brand exposure. Large volumes of generic products tend to disappear quickly. When fewer products are produced with stronger design and better quality, they tend to remain visible for much longer. This extended presence creates far more brand recognition over time.
“One of the biggest misconceptions about merchandise is that more products create more impact. In reality, the products people keep are the ones that continue representing the brand.”
The Experience Around the Product Matters
Another pattern becomes clear when looking at hundreds of merchandise projects.
The way a product is presented can influence how people perceive it. Packaging, presentation, and the context in which the product is introduced all shape the experience. When a product is delivered as part of a well thought out story inside the brand, people tend to remember it more clearly.
Merch Works Best When It Feels Natural
The merchandise that lasts tends to feel like something that belongs in someone’s life rather than something they were simply given.
Products that integrate naturally into daily routines remain visible without requiring effort from the brand. Over time, this presence builds familiarity and recognition.
This is where merchandise becomes more than a promotional tool. It becomes part of how the brand appears in the real world.
What These Lessons Reveal
Working with hundreds of brands provides a useful perspective on how merchandise functions in practice.
The projects that succeed are rarely the ones that chase the lowest price or the largest quantity. They are usually the ones where the brand treats merchandise as part of its identity rather than a separate marketing activity. This shift in thinking is becoming increasingly visible across South Africa. Merchandise is no longer viewed purely as a giveaway. It is becoming another way for companies to express who they are.
And when that approach is taken seriously, the results tend to last far longer than the campaign that introduced the product.
Ready to rethink what company merchandise could look like?
→ Let’s design something unordinary.
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How Luxury Brands Approach Merchandise