👋 Welcome back to This Week in Print-on-Demand Episode #64, where swag meets culture. We have a lot to cover, so let’s dive right in!

NEWS & NUGGETS: A DASH OF INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

📰 Tariffs...again?: President Trump threatened a 25% tariff on any country trading with Iran – a move that could hit promo product sourcing hard. China (a major merch supplier) is Iran’s top partner, so such tariffs might drive up costs and stress global swag supply lines. It’s all talk for now, but industry eyes are watching closely as trade tensions simmer. Source.

📈 Promo Industry Growth: The promotional products industry topped $27.1 billion in U.S. sales last year, edging to a new high. Source.

📅 Talent Acquisition Week: HR folks, San Diego is calling. Talent Acquisition Week 2026 runs Feb. 2–5, focusing on social recruiting, employer branding, and AI-powered hiring hacks. It’s a chance to swap strategies with talent leaders and future-proof your recruiting toolbox. Check it out here.

🤖 AI Job Candidates: A wild new Gartner prediction warns that by 2028, 25% of job candidates might be fake profiles engineered by AI. Source.

🎉 M&M’s + Marvel: In a crossover we didn’t know we needed, Mars announced a global 2026 campaign pairing M&M’s with Marvel superheroes. Source.

💡Did you know?: Bubble Wrap was initially inspired by a Swiss inventor who was trying to make textured wallpaper. Unsurprisingly, interior designers weren’t sold. It took a few years (and one IBM computer shipment) for Bubble Wrap’s inventors to realize its true calling as a protective wrap. Moral of the story: one man’s trash really is another man’s treasure.! Source.

 🎉 Giveaway Winner Alert: Shout-out to the winner from last week, Mary Gaulke, who scored the OGIO Transcend Full-Zip from SanMar. We’ve got another giveaway below!

WEEKLY POLL + GIVEAWAY

Giveaway Alert: Solar Qi 3.0

More and more manufacturers are leaning into eco-friendly materials, smarter sourcing, and products that do more with less. In that spirit, this week’s giveaway is all about sustainability that actually fits real life.

We’re giving away the Solar Qi 3.0 Wireless Charger, a solar-powered, eco-conscious charger designed to keep devices going without relying solely on the grid. Thoughtful, practical, and proof that sustainable swag does not have to feel like a compromise.

Details:

• Several lucky readers will score the Solar Qi 3.0

• Winner announced in next week’s newsletter.

👉 To enter, answer the poll below:

CLIENT SPOTLIGHT

🤝 Meet CareerPlug

CareerPlug is a fast-growing HR tech company on a mission to make hiring easier for everyone. CareerPlug provides user-friendly recruiting software used by over 60,000 companies to find and onboard the right people. But it’s not just about software… CareerPlug practices what they preach when it comes to culture. They’re a remote-first team with a vibrant, values-driven culture that’s collaborative and innovative. Their core values say it all: “Be Kind”, “Speak Up, Step Up”, “Keep Growing”, and “Work Together, Win Together”. From matching charitable donations to hosting virtual game nights, CareerPlug invests in its people and community.

📣 Our Collaboration

We partnered with CareerPlug to launch their very own swag store. The idea was to give CareerPlug’s team and partners an easy way to gear up with merch that reflects their fun, people-centric vibe. Think comfy tees, sleek water bottles for those Zoom meeting marathons, and even plush blankets. By curating products that align with CareerPlug’s values (sustainable materials, useful items, and a splash of playfulness), the CareerPlug Store has become more than a shop – it’s a cultural touchpoint.

🤝 Connect With CareerPlug

Shoot me a note at [email protected] to get connected with the team.

WEEKEND UPDATE

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

PPAI 2026 is officially in the books.

This year’s show featured 956 booths, some massive, some small, but every single one brought something unique to the table. Products were being manufactured across Canada, Europe, China, and India, showing just how global (and competitive) our industry has become.

Huge shoutout to my better half, Madison Miller. She walked the show floor for two full days and curated some of her favorite finds just for you. Madison is a professional shopper, so trust me, you’re going to love her picks from the show.

The Big Themes from PPAI 2026

1. Minimum of One is No Longer a Dream
Ten years ago, I had a vision: manufacturers with great products that could be purchased one unit at a time. Because the reality is simple, most clients don’t need 24 shirts, 48 hats, or 96 journals. They need one.

Even more important, those manufacturers needed APIs, so orders could flow automatically instead of relying on old-school, manual POs.

I’m happy to report: the industry is finally catching up.
This year, we saw more “minimum of one” booths and more API-enabled manufacturers than ever before. We still have work to do, but it was 100x better than 10 years ago and 10x better than last year. Real progress.

2. Eco-Friendly Is Becoming Real (Not Just a Buzzword)
Sustainability has been talked about for years, but this year it felt different. At least 10 booths had major signage highlighting their give-back and environmental programs.

Products are being made with better materials, and manufacturers are actively offsetting their carbon footprint by partnering with impactful organizations. This shift is accelerating, and it’s encouraging to see the industry taking responsibility in meaningful ways.

3. Interactive, Personalized Giveaways Are the Future
This was the biggest surprise of the show.

Booth after booth was running live, interactive giveaways:

• Marine Layer had a 30-minute line for free shirts with custom art designs.

• Ace High was laser-engraving portable chargers on the spot with names or initials.

• Many booths let attendees choose the product and how it was decorated in real time.

This, in my opinion, is the future of corporate events.
Instead of generic swag, events will feature machines where guests customize their gift and walk away with something personal, something they’ll actually keep and use for years.

If you’re curious about how these interactive event giveaways work and what they cost, let me know. I’m happy to share details.

Overall, it was a fantastic show filled with familiar faces, great conversations, and real momentum.

Here’s to a strong 2026, for the industry, the manufacturers pushing it forward, and the companies benefiting from all the great work we saw on the floor.

👥 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

THAT’S A WRAP

From quirky swag trends to surprisingly effective retention strategies, this week’s edition proved that building culture can be fun and strategic. Whether you’re an HR pro or a swag aficionado, we hope you’re leaving with a smile and a few new ideas.

Until next time, stay saucy! 👋 

– Ross & the Brand Sauce Team.

© 2025 On Demand Global, LLC, DBA Brand Sauce