What's Your Merch Strategy?

Merch used to be an afterthought of marketing; a PR tactic, tacked on at the end of a campaign, once all the more important parts were out of the way. It’s now EVERYWHERE.

Merch is the idea and if you don’t have it, you are missing out on one of the biggest brand opportunities.

Let’s dig into the three core elements of successful merch marketing and why they matter…

Aesthetics over Fandom

As writer Casey Lewis says in GQ, the people wearing Nirvana t-shirts and hoodies are hardly every actually fans of the band. And they don’t care that they know none of the songs, in a way that is in stark contrast to previous generations:

“… the ‘trending aesthetics’ we see are kind of the definition of poser… People are trying on these identities that they aren’t, but there’s no shame associated with it now.”

The lesson? It’s not just your core customer base who will wear your merch if you get it right.

Merch at the Centre

Gone are the days when merch was only available at live gigs or sporting events. Now, you can buy items via livestreams without getting close to the real-world experience (see: this year’s Coachella) and every fast fashion retailer is teeming with similar products.

To quote Marie Suter, Chief Creative Officer at beauty brand, Glossier (paywall):

“Merch isn’t this cherry-on-top marketing tool for us anymore; it has become an important part of our business. People expect it from us.”

She also added that the brand’s design team is solely dedicated to ideating new ideas within the category of merch.

The lesson? Merch should be an ongoing channel of consideration, not just an occasional one.

It Works for Every Brand

As Ana Andjelic, Global Chief Brand Officer of Esprit says, “Anything can be turned into merch if infused with enough symbolic value and cultural capital.”

She goes on to add that there are several types of merch, from toy merch (social objects meant to connect and invite play) to wearable puns (objects at odds with their context or meaning) and kitsch items that are calculated games to provoke through sentimentality and purposeful poor taste meant to be appreciated in an ironic way.

The lesson? Merch is often associated with brands that have long histories of cultural relevance (luxury and streetwear products, especially) but it is a tactic for any category.

Why does this matter for marketers?

Merch is one of the easiest ways to become a cultural brand.

Of course, there are pitfalls because when a tactic becomes popular, because it becomes harder to stand out.

But that is where smart collaborations with other brands and influencers helps, along with limited edition ranges and pop ups with carefully curated hype.