👋 Welcome back to This Week in Print-on-Demand, Episode #60.

First off, thank you for being here. We don’t take your time or attention lightly.

Our goal is simple: to build the #1 newsletter in the industry. High-signal. No fluff. Worth your inbox space. And we genuinely couldn’t do it without this community.

So thank you for riding with us.

Let’s dive in.

NEWS & NUGGETS: A DASH OF INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

 🎁 7-Eleven’s Holiday Capsule: The iconic convenience chain is embracing seasonal swag: Slurpee knit sweaters, Big Bite hot-dog socks, and even mini 7‑Eleven store village kits for your decor. Source.

🏞️ Made-in-USA for National Parks: A new bipartisan bill in Congress (the American Products in Parks Act) would require all items sold at National Park gift shops to be American-made. Promo industry impact? Huge – suppliers of “Made in USA” merch could tap into the 331.9 million annual park visitors who spend $29B in and around parks. Source.

📅 Promo Pros Prep for Expo: PPAI Expo 2026 is just one month away in Las Vegas. Kicking off Jan. 13, it’s a four-day extravaganza of tens of thousands of products and 1,000+ exhibitors. If you’re attending, be sure to reach out so we can connect. Check out the event here.

🎟️ HR Virtual Retreat: Mark your calendar for Dec. 18: SHRM is hosting a “Best Webinars of 2025” virtual retreat featuring this year’s top HR sessions. Source.

🏦 Fed Cuts Rates (Again): In case you missed it, the U.S. Federal Reserve trimmed interest rates by 0.25% this week(its third cut this year), bringing the benchmark to ~3.5–3.75%. Source.

🍗 Kentucky-Fried Christmas: Did you know in Japan, KFC is the Christmas dinner of choice for millions. Every December 24th, an estimated 3.5 million Japanese families line up for “Kentucky for Christmas” buckets of fried chicken. The custom began in the 1970s and has become so popular that many people pre-order their holiday KFC months in advance. Source.

 🎉 Giveaway Winner Alert: Shoutout to the winner from last week: Yvonne Ceballos, who won the Mercer+Mettle® Puffy Parka from SANMAR by participating in our weekly poll. We’ve got another weekly poll & giveaway below! But first, check out the poll results from last week below.

LIGHTS, CAMERA, ACTION!

🎥 Ross's Video of the Week

This isn’t just a health episode. It’s a story about conviction. Dr. Annette Bosworth has taken on the medical establishment, endured 12 felony charges, and kept going. The science is compelling, but her resilience might be the most powerful takeaway of all.

SWAG Spotlight

👕 OpenAI’s Swag Store

For years, OpenAI’s merch was quietly employees-only, adding a layer of intrigue for anyone outside the company. The design philosophy was clear: a thoughtful balance of modern streetwear and tech vibes.

In celebration of OpenAI’s 10th anniversary, they made a notable shift by releasing a limited public merch drop, giving the outside world a glimpse into what had previously lived behind closed doors.

It’s a reminder that even at the cutting edge of AI, culture still matters. Well-designed merch isn’t just about hype, it’s about identity, pride, and belonging.

👉You can check out the swag store here.

WEEKLY POLL + GIVEAWAY

🚨 Giveaway Alert

This week’s giveaway is serving up a little bit of work hard, unwind harder. Winners will score either:

• 🥃 A set of Old Fashioned Whiskey Glasses, built for slow sips, end-of-day rituals, and looking effortlessly classy doing it.

• 💻 An Eco-Deluxe Tech Case, your new go-to for wrangling chargers, cords, and all the gadgets that keep you moving.

👉 To enter, reply to this email with a book you recommend. We’re always looking for great reads.

WEEKEND UPDATE

Around the Water Cooler With Ross AKA The P.O.D. Guy

Fantasy Football & Finding Meaning in the Mess

Back in September, I wrote a Water Cooler post about why I play fantasy football. I shared that, despite never winning, I keep showing up every season, not for trophies or bragging rights, but for the connection it brings. It’s one of those simple spaces in life where friends come together, laugh, talk trash, and forget about the real world for a little while.

Fantasy football, at its core, is really just an excuse to stay in touch with people you care about. And for me, that alone has always made it worth the buy‑in.

But this year reminded me of something deeper.

League One: When the Numbers Don’t Tell the Story

In one of my leagues, a 12‑team group where six make the playoffs, I finished 7–7, landing one spot out of contention. I put up 1,642.73 points, while the team ahead of me scored 1,416.35. By the numbers, I should’ve been in. I scored more than 200 points, and he is ahead of me? 

But life isn’t just numbers.

It doesn't always reward the people who deserve it on paper. Sometimes effort doesn’t translate to outcome. Sometimes the math simply doesn’t break your way.

League Two: Doing Everything Right and Still Coming Up Short

In my other league, the story got even more surreal. I scored the most points in the entire league, and still finished 9th out of 10 teams.

Week after week, I faced opponents who just happened to have their best game of the season against me. I couldn’t control it. No amount of preparation or smart decisions could change it.

ChatGPT estimated there was only about a 1.6% chance of finishing 9th while leading the league in points.

And somehow, that was my season.

The Heart of It: A Lesson I Needed

As frustrating as it was at times, the experience gave me a reminder I genuinely needed:

You can do everything right and still not get the outcome you hoped for.

And that doesn’t mean you failed.

So much of life is outside our control, other people’s decisions, timing, luck, and unexpected detours. What we can control is how we show up, how we treat people, how we respond, and how we carry ourselves when things don’t go our way.

Fantasy football, silly as it is, has a way of humbling you and teaching you perspective. It reminds you not to measure your value by wins and losses, but by how you play the game, how you support the people around you, and how you handle the moments that don’t make sense.

Grateful, Even in the Chaos

So yes, I had one of the strangest fantasy football seasons imaginable. But I’m grateful for it. Grateful for the friendships it strengthens. Grateful for the laughter during a long week. Grateful for a game that somehow reflects parts of life better than we expect.

Here’s to trying again next season and working to focus on what I can control. 

👥 Connect on Social Media

Not following Ross & Brand Sauce on social media yet? Let’s change that. Click the links below to stay connected for fresh ideas, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive updates 👇

• Ross’s LinkedIn

• BrandSauce LinkedIn

• BrandSauce YouTube Channel

• In Print on Demand | EP#59, we glided into December with fresh takeaways from our latest webinar, new swag stories shaping the industry, and a winter-ready giveaway that made bundling up look good. We dug into why appreciation is becoming the new retention strategy, spotlighted trends from Boston to Pantone, and served up a few fun moments along the way. It’s an episode that warms your brain and your inbox. Consider it your weekly nudge to slow down, get cozy, and swag smarter.

• In Print on Demand | EP#58, we charged into December with a mix of promo wins, HR truth bombs, and a retail season that crossed the trillion-dollar mark. We unpacked burnout trends, highlighted smart swag plays, and kept things festive with a holiday fun fact or two. It’s an episode that’ll spark ideas, lift moods, and maybe convince you to finally embrace that cozy office blanket.

• In Print on Demand | EP#57, we brought the holiday heat with burnout-busting HR tips, promo trends that prove swag still reigns, and a peek inside our Brand Sauce Holiday Deck (yes, pet swag too). Plus, the Ducks showed us how merch becomes movement. It's an episode that’ll recharge your strategy and your spirit. Maybe hum “Jingle Bells” into your next team meeting.

• In Print on Demand | EP#56, we mixed up a fresh batch of HR wisdom that keeps your people thriving, holiday swag ideas that remove every ounce of stress, and a behind-the-scenes look at our latest gifting webinar. It is the kind of episode that helps you plan smarter, gift better, and avoid December chaos entirely.

THAT’S A WRAP

As always, we’re grateful to have all of you join us every Sunday. Want to see what a custom merch program could look like for your team? Book a quick demo, we’ll make it fun, promise.

Until next time, stay saucy! 👋

– Ross & the Brand Sauce Team.

© 2025 On Demand Global, LLC, DBA Brand Sauce