This time, the singer has partnered with Sony and the New York MTA to take over a whole subway train with a mix of print and promo.

At this point, we have to wonder whether Olivia Rodrigo has plans for world domination – or at least conquering New York City.

First, it was a building takeover in Manhattan last September through a partnership with American Express and Spotify, where walls were decorated with print displays and balloons, rooms were decorated to look like themed bedrooms, and fans left with plenty of special branded merchandise.

Now she’s partnering with Sony as well as the New York MTA to take the promotional campaign to the streets – or at least under them.

Commuters could take a special “O Line” subway car, which was decked out in Rodrigo and Sony co-branded print advertisements rather than the usual things like injury lawyers or reminders not to smoke on the train. Even the transit map was transformed, with each stop being renamed to reflect a Rodrigo song or lyric, like “Lacy Avenue” or “All-American B*tch Road.”

The whole thing took place at Bowery station, which was fully transformed into a purple color palette like her previous installment in 2023. Once fans actually got onto the cars, they could take pictures with props or in front of a selfie-friendly mirror, according to The Knockturnal.

Moving into the next car (which is typically a no-no during normal subway rides but encouraged during the promotional event), fans could try the Sony LinkBuds, which were supposedly set to two specific EQ settings by Rodrigo herself, perfect for listening to her albums GUTS and SOUR.

There was also a subway sketch artist, who would gift fans the drawings.

In the last car, fans could grab an “Obsessed” sash from the ceiling to take home or have their fortunes read by a tarot card reader.

When fans disembarked from the experience, they got a branded tote bag full of smaller gifts like candy, a beanie and a branded MetroCard.

MTA Co-Branding

This is sort of a continuation of what the MTA has been doing with co-branded initiatives, specifically with its printed MetroCards. Through the years, the MTA has worked with New York icons for limited runs of special MetroCards.

This might be one of the last times they print someone else’s brand on the paper cards, though. Back in May, the MTA partnered with indie rock band Vampire Weekend for branded cards and announced that there would only be two more co-branded cards until the program is phased out as digital payments become the norm.

MTA had only one more co-branded MetroCard up its sleeve, which it debuted this month: A collaboration with Instagram, featuring some New York creators.

But, just because the MetroCard program is over doesn’t mean that print products are on the way out.

Print-Heavy Promo for Digital Music

Even in a modern promotional campaign meant to advertise cutting-edge music technology and digital streaming, print was the star of the show. To create the immersive display and “take over” the subway, Sony and the MTA had to turn to print products to replace the standard advertisements and route maps.

And, as we’ve seen in other events like this, the brands use wide-format printing to cover walls or even things like vehicles to make sure no brandable space is left behind, as Rodrigo even did in the Paris Metro last year.

When thinking about blending print and promotional products together, it’s logical to think about the promo side first – especially if that’s the distributor’s background. This can mean putting together a gift set and then designing a branded box or bag. That’s a great idea, and is endlessly valuable in this day and age where kitting is so popular.

But there’s also plenty of space – literally – for print to be the focus and promo to serve as a complementary piece, like the branded gifts given out at the end of the “subway ride” here.

With a well-executed print display, you create one giant brand visibility exercise that continues after it’s over with thoughtful promotional gifts.

It’s time to literally think outside the box (or can, or bottle).

One of the oldest tricks in the book, or joke shop, is getting someone to open a jar of some antiquated treat like peanut brittle only to find spring-loaded snakes whizzing out of the jar. It scares the daylights out of the mark, and we all have a good laugh over it.

Society has mostly evolved past the old snakes-in-the-peanut-brittle can trick, but the idea of putting products into vessels where they might not “belong” is gaining steam in a trend that one marketing strategist is calling “Chaos Packaging.”

In short, the idea is to take a consumer product like, say, coffee, and put it into a package that instead of looking like a bag or jar of coffee looks like, say, a VHS tape in a paper sleeve.

That’s a real example, by the way.

You might’ve also seen it at the grocery store, where products like olive oil are packaged in aluminum cans with openers at the top just like a soda can.

There’s just something about the “something’s not right here” design aspect that appeals to consumers’ sense of whimsy and curiosity. For the brands, it’s a way to stand out on the shelf among the competition.

“Investing in design is even more important now that other forms of storytelling and awareness building have become not just expensive, but very crowded, so if the algorithm doesn’t find you, you’re in big trouble,” Craig Dubitsky, a former chief innovation strategist at Colgate-Palmolive and now co-founder of the coffee company Happy, told the Wall Street Journal. “But the shelf is curated.”

Happy, for another example of what coffee companies can do, packages its individual packs of beans in a plastic case that looks sort of like a mints container.

It’s a simple way for product designers to quite literally think outside of the box. You can look around at other forms of packaging or containers and think, “Does my product fit in there? Can I make it fit in there somehow?” With a bit of imagination and some clever engineering, the product could take on new life and become a conversation starter.

In the digital age, that’s crucial for brand awareness. When a product sparks conversation, the brand gets an extended lifespan through word of mouth and social media.

Lach Hall, co-founder of the sunscreen brand Vacation, which packages its products in cans that look like whipped cream, told the Wall Street Journal that this fun packaging idea made it so the company barely had to do any real marketing of its product.

“Classic Whip has done an extraordinary job for us in earned media,” Hall said. “We don’t necessarily have to do any paid promotion for it — just by having this product out in the world, it generates around 5 million views a week on TikTok [during the summer months].”

In the promotional space, creating clever packaging for a product enhances the first impression. The end-user is already smitten by the brand on display before it’s even in their hands or they’ve opened it up. Using a bit of imagination and taking the time to think about what a product could look like instead of relying on simply what it “should” or usually looks like can be enough to bring a promotional campaign to another level.

It might be as simple as changing the shape of the container to look like something else, or it might take more intricate product design and printing to use different artwork and motifs to evoke something else, playing on emotions like nostalgia or even taste to entice the end-user to your product.

Heck, I’m already thinking about which VHS coffee I want.

House and home items are surefire bets as promo products for their widespread daily use.

The diverse range of options in the house and home promo category presents a unique opportunity for gifting items that end-buyers can use every day, thereby enhancing clients’ brand reach. With the global home décor market on the rise, as noted by Allied Market Research, consumers are keen on stocking their homes with interesting but practical items. Use these picks as a starting point to make a lasting impression.

End-users can beautify their workspace with this succulent plant in a branded ceramic pot. Measuring about 2.5 inches, the potted succulents present a blend of gratitude and growth for your clients’ next promo campaign.

Crafted from recycled polyester, stainless steel, and ABS plastic, this charcuterie knife set is designed to complement any charcuterie board or serving platter. Includes a cleaver knife for meats, a cheese knife and a spreader for cheeses and jams, plus a convenient storage pouch for easy carrying.

This timeless keepsake brushed black steel 5” x 7” frame offers a blend of simplicity and sophistication, allowing recipients to personalize and cherish it for a lifetime. A great gift for clients or donors when paired with photos from a recent event, fundraiser or campaign.

Create an unforgettable sensory experience with these alcohol-free, naturally derived essential oil room sprays. Available in three curated options – lavender, citrus or cinnamon – these pocket-sized 0.33 oz. sprays are perfect for hospitality and real estate events.

This multifunction brush will be the recipient’s new cleaning companion. This three-in-one tool is ideal for cleaning all types of drinkware, from reusable bottles to tumblers to lids. Makes a spot-on gift for new renters and homeowners.

Infuse home or office space with 100% pure essential oils while enjoying a soft, ambient glow from the Vitruvi Glow Diffuser. With an eight-hour run time and coverage for rooms up to 300 square feet, this diffuser ensures long-lasting fragrance and a serene atmosphere throughout the day.

Morning coffee rituals just get better with the Corkcicle coffee set. Crafted for the coffee connoisseur, this kit includes everything needed for the perfect pour-over experience: a precision-engineered dripper and a double-walled thermal mug. Just add coffee grounds.

These natural wax candles are inspired by each of the 50 U.S. states and designed to enrich home or office décor. The Texas candle, for example, exudes leather, smoke and vanilla scents. Available in 16 oz. and 8 oz. sizes.

Home cooks and foodies will appreciate this electric salt and pepper grinder set. This countertop promo item features two refillable electric grinders and a fitted stand, ensuring your client’s brand captures plenty of logo impressions. Great as a unique gift or for restaurants to use tableside.

Advertisers will make a lasting impression with this cutting board. Crafted from rich medium-endgrain North American maple, this practical and memorable promotional item can feature messages either on a metal plate or engraved into the board.

The paint brand selected nine colors to make a design lookbook. Print and promo pros can use the palette to help craft colorful solutions for clients.

Annually, Pantone selects its Color of the Year – a particular shade the experts believe represents the forthcoming cultural zeitgeist through color.

In the past, Pantone has selected two colors that create a varied depiction of the state of things, but nine colors? No.

However, that’s exactly what paint purveyor Sherwin-Williams just did for its Colors of the Year, which it has dubbed the “2025 Color Capsule of the Year.”

The idea of a “capsule” is all the rage right now, especially in the apparel space, where streetwear brands and designers release small batches of products in well-timed “drops” to spread demand out over time and create scarcity. Many of these capsules even pull in other brands for co-merchandising efforts.

Sure, Sherwin-Williams is creating a color template for interior designers and painters. But it’s also showing how color schemes can work together for applications in the world of print products, apparel, hard-good promotional products, trade show displays and more.

The capsule includes the following colors:

Grounded: An earthy brown
Sunbleached: A light neutral gray
Chartreuse: A loud pop of color amid neutrals
Rain Cloud: A deep bluish-gray reminiscent of a storm rolling in
Clove: A dark brown to pull down the light tones
Malabar: A sandy shade with pink undertones
Bosc Pear: A warm orangey brown (or browny orange)
White Snow: Just a few notches below pure white, with a hint of pink
Mauve Finery: A chic light purple

When looked at as a cohesive unit, the capsule is something that product designers, printers and distributors putting together new items or a collection of goods can use for inspiration.

Washington, Missouri-headquartered The Chest (asi/44830) uses these annual color reports as a guiding force in their promotional products, which include branded kits and print solutions.

“Color can make or break a design,” says Sheila James, marketing manager at The Chest. “It is usually the first thing noticed. A lot of time can be spent using the best color to go with [an item], and when the ‘colors of the year’ come out, that can be a big help in making those decisions.”

Make an eco-conscious choice in one of promo’s biggest categories.

Sustainability is often a key product consideration for corporate campaigns. In fact, 86% of end-buyers said it’s an important factor when choosing their promotional products, according to recent end-buyer research from ASI – and more than 6 in 10 of them are willing to pay a premium for more environmentally friendly promo. Whether that’s using materials with lower carbon footprints or choosing products that reveal how much recycled material goes into their manufacturing, the apparel market has a wide variety of sustainable options.

Made from 25% recycled polyester, this modern quarter-zip features a varied jacquard knit that wicks moisture and side panel body mapping for ultimate comfort and style. Perfect for an active day outdoors, it offers hyper breathability and SPF 50 protection.

This versatile gender-neutral anorak packs into a functional fanny pack for easy storage and carrying. Made from 100% recycled nylon and featuring a water-repellent finish, it offers lightweight weather protection on the go.

Designed for comfort and performance, this tech performance polo is crafted from 100% recycled polyester piqué. Features both Coolcore technology to wick away sweat and built-in UPF protection.

A sustainable and high-quality choice for a winter campaign, this jacket is made from an average of 37 upcycled bottles. Features a fleece interior and sherpa-lined pockets for ultimate comfort, plus a sherpa three-piece scuba hood on the women’s style.

Made from 60% Polylana polyester – a combination of certified recycled polyester and modified polyester – and 40% acrylic, this knitted beanie offers warmth and comfort. Featuring a fully fashioned top and an elegant rib-knitted cuff, it’s a perfect giveaway for winter event attendees to stay cozy.

Wind- and water-resistant, ultra-lightweight and easily compressible, this quilted jacket packs into its side pocket for convenience. The 100% dobby polyester fabric, crafted from certified recycled PET bottles, is lined with PrimaLoft Silver Insulation for extra warmth.

Crafted from 95% recycled polyester, this unstructured, six-panel cap features a low-profile design with a pre-curved bill. The Stay-Dri performance sweatband keeps the wearer comfortable while the d-ring micro hook and loop closure ensures a perfect fit.

The “Espresso” singer teamed up with Cash App for three branded events in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles.

The best-case scenario for a brand is for their end-users to be thinking about them every night. Isn’t that sweet? I guess so.

For those who have lived under a rock since the summer, that’s a reference to Sabrina Carpenter’s enormous hit “Espresso.” And for everyone who knows the song, congratulations, it’s now stuck in your head, too.

The joke will make sense in a second. Walk with me here…

Carpenter, through a partnership with Cash App, is hosting three pop-up events in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, where her team is leaning into the theme of coffee and “Espresso” to create “Sabrina Carpenter’s Short n’ Sweet Café,” borrowing the title of her hit 2024 album.

This idea of a pop-up shop, complete with branded merchandise, for a pop star isn’t new. Olivia Rodrigo, for example, just partnered with Spotify for a branded experience in New York to commemorate the release of her album GUTS. And it’s not just musical artists – TV shows and streaming services get their own pop-up treatments, too.

However, what sets Carpenter’s campaign apart is the savvy angle of tying in the coffee pun with the coffee shop idea, bringing in another trend in experiential marketing. When you think of your local coffee shop, what do you picture aside from baristas in cool clothes and a display of baked goods? You can probably picture the merchandise for sale and branded packaging – things like T-shirts, mugs, tote bags, thermoses and packaging for coffee beans or tea.

A coffee shop lends itself nicely to merchandise, which is why the likes of Ralph Lauren has used it as a marketing medium in luxury getaway locations across the world.

By tapping into the coffee universe, Carpenter and her corporate partners find themselves at an intersection of different marketing avenues and seem to have accomplished everything you’d hope a branded pop-up of this nature can do. Those include wins promo pros working on experiential marketing initiatives can try to engineer for their clients too, such as:

Build the Brand’s Reach

The main goal of any branded campaign is to spread brand awareness. Thinking just of the promotional products space, you can see that the Carpenter team did that through things like drinkware, T-shirts and various print products.

The merchandise table works very much in the same way it would at a concert, but this way the brand –Sabrina Carpenter – comes to the fans rather than forcing them to pay any price of admission.

Drive Online Engagement

In an age where everything is online, tactile promotional products and experiences should be designed to have an extended life through social media sharing. There needs to be something that drives people to leave their homes and potentially wait in long lines for something. The opportunity to post fun pictures on social media can be significant motivation.

When done well, every conceivable photo angle in a pop-up experience is a good one. There are printed displays to be backdrops and walls, and plenty of eye-catching branded items within view or to be used as props for photos. There are QR codes aplenty. There are dedicated hashtags.

For sure, there should not be any forgetting whose event you’re at.

Strengthen Partner Brands

This café pop-up is, ostensibly, for Sabrina Carpenter. Still, it’s also for Cash App, which harnessed Carpenter’s social capital at the moment to gain some hip points with would-be users.

And of course, let’s not forget the actual coffee shops that transformed into this branded vehicle temporarily. They put their normal brands on hold for a minute, but it was a smart move: Crowds of people, many of them potentially first-time patrons, have experienced sitting in the café and could come back again.

In New York, Carpenter and Cash App took over Partners Coffee. In Chicago, it was Happy Monday. This week, Angelinos can visit Verve Coffee in West Hollywood.

To add to the Cash App integration, customers who use a Cash App Visa card to buy stuff will receive a 30% discount on their purchase – up to $40, according to Sprudge.

The music marketing landscape has changed drastically as a result of streaming, social media and the COVID-19 pandemic. Artists are meeting their fans in new ways. And, after all, an artist is a brand at the end of the day, and fans are customers. It sounds crass to put it so transactionally, but it’s the truth.

Looking beyond the music world, any brand can take a piece of their identity or their brand story, expand on it, and create a memorable experience out of it. If they can meet their customers and potential customers where they live, shop and eat, that’s even better. Finally, sparing no detail through print products, promotional giveaways and catchy design can turn something that feels like a sales pitch into a fun day out with memories to last a lifetime – both in their hearts and on their social media feeds.

End-buyers ages 55+ say they spend a quarter of their marketing budget on promo.

ASI’s exclusive research reveals client buying habits in eight markets and across multiple demographics.

ASI Research is wrapping up our new series profiling the people distributors work with most closely: end-buyers. Each week we released a new data set that spotlights one of eight markets and looks at end-buyers through demographics such as age, gender, region and company size.

This week, our research focuses on promotional products end-buyers ages 55+, the last of several age demographics surveyed throughout the United States.

The percentage of older Americans, particularly those older than 65, who hold a job today has nearly quadrupled since the mid-1980s, a Pew Research Center analysis found – meaning that this demographic is becoming a more important segment to consider in the corporate gifting market. According to ASI’s 2023 Ad Impressions Study, some of the most influential promotional products for consumers ages 55+ include outerwear, umbrellas and performance wear.

ASI’s 2024 end-buyer research reports that end-buyers in this demographic value a distributor that offers comprehensive services, with half naming “doing all the work” as an important distributor benefit – more than any other end-buyer segment surveyed. Additionally, promotional products end-buyers ages 55+ are the most likely age demographic to give promo to prospects and to pay a premium for Made-in-the-USA products.

98% of end-buyers ages 45-54 plan to increase or maintain their spending on promotional products in the next year.

ASI’s exclusive research reveals client buying habits in eight markets and across multiple demographics.

ASI Research has launched a new series profiling the people distributors work with most closely: end-buyers. Each week we’ll release a new data set that spotlights one of eight markets and looks at end-buyers through demographics such as gender, region and company size.

This week, our research focuses on promotional products end-buyers ages 45-54, the third of several age demographics surveyed throughout the United States.

Based on projections from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Americans ages 45-54 will make up the largest segment of the workforce within the next decade. ASI’s 2023 Ad Impressions Study notes the five most influential promotional products among consumers in this demographic are outerwear, performance wear, health & safety products, drinkware and polo shirts.

ASI’s 2024 end-buyer research reports that promotional products end-buyers ages 45-54 value trying out new types of products, with over half – more than other age demographics – naming “new products” as an important benefit in a distributor relationship. But they’re also more cost-conscious than other ages surveyed; one in five named price as their top feature consideration while purchasing promotional products.

The Counselor Top 40 supplier has donated a portion of sales to sponsor the rescue and training of service dogs for veterans at the nonprofit since 2020.

Logomark’s (asi/67866) latest ambassadors are furry and four-legged – and making a difference for veterans in Southern California.

The Counselor Top 40 supplier, based in Tustin, CA, has sponsored two more pups in its long-running partnership with the nonprofit Shelter to Soldier, which adopts dogs from rescue organizations and shelters in Southern California, training them to be service animals for veterans in need.

The pups, Hazel and Angus, will be a part of Shelter to Soldier’s team of nine canine ambassadors, traveling with their volunteer handlers to visit hundreds of veterans, active-duty military personnel and their families across Southern California.

Cutco Knives had their wares spread on a branded tablecloth.

“It’s been a heartwarming experience to witness these shelter dogs find their purpose and homes, while also supporting those who have bravely served our nation,” said Michael Bistocchi, Logomark’s chief revenue officer. “Our entire team is grateful to be part of this meaningful journey.”

Shelter to Solider specifically focuses on post-9/11 veterans suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), traumatic brain injury (TBI), military sexual trauma (MST) and other psychological injuries associated with traumatic experiences in the line of duty.

Both Hazel and Angus, trained as certified therapy dogs for the ambassador program, are known for their affectionate and compassionate natures. Hazel was named in honor of a young girl who lost her battle with neuroblastoma in 2018, and Angus is a former Shelter to Soldier psychiatric service dog who made his way back to STS when his veteran could no longer care for him.

Logomark – also named a Counselor 2024 Best Place to Work in part because of its dedication to philanthropy – has donated a portion of proceeds from its Perka, iCool and Work collections to the Shelter to Solder initiative since it first partnered with the nonprofit back in 2020. Since then, Logomark has sponsored several service dogs and emotional support animals to go through training at Shelter to Soldier and be matched with a veteran in need.

It’s never too early to start planning.

It’s never too soon to start planning for the holidays, particularly for the promo industry. As Q4 gifting gets underway, distributors should craft a solid marketing plan that helps them stand out from the crowd. Here are five strategies for taking advantage of this bustling season.

1. Start early.
Reach out to repeat clients well in advance of December to share gifting ideas and product suggestions. Encourage them to lock into their plans as early as possible to ensure that sourcing and fulfillment are a breeze. Create social media posts and other content now with gifting options that might spark a prospect’s interest as they finalize holiday plans.

2. Know your audience.
Clients want to be treated like humans, not leads. Knowing your audience will help you determine the best solutions in ways that other business-to-business marketing campaigns might overlook. In a sea of holiday marketing emails, a curated and personalized solution to a prospect’s needs will stand out and lead to higher sales at the end of the year.

3. Go mobile.
Since the holiday season tends to be a break for everyone, your clients are less likely to be at their desks. Consider sending marketing messages through SMS, as well as creating a mobile-friendly landing page in order to maintain touchpoints with clients while they’re away from their computers. But be cautious about overusing texts; a little goes a long way to help avoid annoying your customers.

4. Offer holiday bundles.
Kitting is a great way to get creative with holiday gifting opportunities. Offering a variety of items as part of holiday bundles – and including the option for themed custom packaging – is an upselling opportunity. Or work with suppliers and use their premade bundles to entice clients. Ask your trusted suppliers whether they have themed kits you can offer clients for holiday gifting.

$1.35 trillion

expected holiday sales in the U.S.

5. Take advantage of Cyber Monday.
Holiday discounts tend to be associated with business-to-consumer marketing, but they can also be applicable for the promo industry. “Just like in retail, the concept of urgency and exclusivity also work in B2B,” according to a LinkedIn post from software development firm UpLead. Consider offering limited-time deals and or flash sales.