👋 Welcome back to This Week in Print-on-Demand Episode #72, where swag meets culture.

NEWS & NUGGETS: A DASH OF INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

📊 Consumers Simply Want Better Swag: In PPAI’s Product Power 2026 study (5,000+ U.S. respondents), 83% said receiving a promo item makes them feel appreciated, and 90% said it improves their perception of the brand. Function + design + durability is the new baseline. Source.

🗺️ Internet Find of the Week: An artist-engineer built a massive isometric pixel-art map of New York City as a nostalgic nod to SimCity 2000 and RollerCoaster Tycoon. The wild part: he says he wrote “almost no code,” leaning on vibe-coding agents. See it here.

♻️ EU Ending “Burn the Inventory” Era: The European Commission says new EU rules will stop companies from destroying unsold clothes and shoes, with a ban for large companies starting in July. If you needed one more argument for made-to-order and smarter inventory. Source.

🧠 AI “Brain Fry” in the Workplace: A study covered by Harvard Business Review says overuse of multiple AI tools can create cognitive fatigue, with 14% of surveyed U.S. workers reporting significant strain. Time to consider pumping the brakes on AI rollout? Source.

🎉 Giveaway Winner Alert: Shout-out to the winners from last week, Kendra (Van Camp) Griffith and Allie Gamble, who scored the Fansee AI Sunglasses from RUPT. We’ve got another giveaway below!

SWAG INSIDERS

Masterclass in Sports Merch

The Lake Country DockHounds in Wisconsin are temporarily rebranding themselves as the “Wisconsin Dive Bars.” For three games this summer, the team will take the field in special jerseys, hats, and apparel celebrating the state’s legendary dive bar culture.

It’s a brilliant reminder of what great merch can do. Celebrate local culture, create buzz, and give fans something they’re proud to wear.

Whether it’s a club sports team, a company, or a minor league ball club, the formula is the same: build community first, then give people something great to rally around.

👉 You can read the full story here.

WEEKLY POLL + GIVEAWAY

Giveaway Alert: Moonyx Utility Backpack

Meet the Moonyx Utility Backpack. This 20L backpack is built for modern explorers and busy professionals, with smart features that make everyday travel easier. The removable front pocket doubles as a sleek crossbody when you want to travel light, while a luggage passthrough, hidden passport pocket, and padded laptop sleeve keep your essentials organized, secure, and ready for wherever the day takes you.

Details:

• Several lucky readers will score a Moonyx Utility Backpack with their company logo.

• Winner announced in next week’s newsletter.

👉 To enter, just answer this week’s poll below.

CLIENT SPOTLIGHT

🤝 Meet Ziegler

Ziegler is a financial services firm with over 120 years of service, positioning its work around community impact, capital, & investments. Their history goes back to 1902, when Ben Ziegler started an insurance business in West Bend, Wisconsin, and the timeline shows decades of evolution across lending and underwriting. In short: legacy brand, modern expectations, and a lot of teams that need to show up looking consistent

📣 Our Collaboration

The swag store is cleanly organized (men’s/women’s, outerwear, polos, woven shirts, bottoms) and shows a sizable assortment, so employees can find something that fits both job reality and personal taste. That’s the sweet spot where wearing the brand becomes voluntary, not mandatory.

🤝 Connect With Ziegler

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

Last month, I had the honor of speaking at the Print on Demand Conference hosted by Stahls in West Palm Beach. More than 250 people traveled from around the world to attend. It was one of those events where you look around the room and see both old friends and new faces, people who have all helped shape this industry in different ways.

The conference was full of fascinating ideas about where our industry is headed. Some speakers shared cutting-edge developments in AI. One presentation showed robots that may soon assist with screen printing t-shirts. Another explored how NIL is changing the game in college athletics through print-on-demand. We even heard from the person responsible for producing Atlanta Braves jerseys during games at the stadium, explaining how fans can have custom jerseys made right there in the ballpark.

I had the opportunity to close the event as the final speaker. I’ll admit, I was nervous. Speaking on behalf of Brand Sauce in a room filled with partners, customers, and even competitors is a unique experience. But it was also incredibly meaningful.

Instead of focusing only on our technology, I talked about someone we think about often at Brand Sauce, a persona we call Bailey. Bailey is a 29-year-old professional who represents the modern workforce. I described where Bailey works, where she shops, who she spends time with, and how the expectations of people like Bailey are quietly reshaping the way companies think about brands, merchandise, and culture.

Standing on that stage, it struck me how early we still are in this journey. Brand Sauce is just getting started. The ideas we are building toward today are only the beginning of what the next 30 years could become.

I’m grateful to Stahls for the opportunity to share our perspective. And I’m grateful to all of you, our partners, clients, and friends, who are building the future of this industry alongside us.

It’s a pretty special ride to be on together.

👥 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

⏪ Previous Episodes

In Print-on-Demand | EP #71, we cover ADP’s latest hiring data showing 63,000 new private-sector jobs, tariff shifts that could impact swag sourcing, Costco’s surprising Off-White hoodie drop, and why vintage Spice Girls merch is suddenly valuable again. Plus, we’re giving away Fansee AI Sunglasses by Rupt. We also highlight Old Wisconsin Sausage and the launch of their new Brand Sauce company store, which kicked off with a company-wide gift card drop to get the team exploring the store and celebrating the launch together. And in Ross’ Water Cooler, he shares a personal reflection on his step-daughter Kinsley turning five and how the quiet, everyday parenting moments often become the memories that matter most.

In Print-on-Demand | EP #70, we explored how appreciation, connection, and smart swag strategies are shaping modern workplace culture. From Employee Appreciation Day playbooks and new research showing work friendships drive engagement to the growing trend of across-the-board merit raises, this edition unpacks what HR teams are navigating right now. We also spotlighted Body By Heart’s intentional company store strategy, announced a new GOT BAG Puffer Moon Bag giveaway, and heard Ross reflect on how shared experiences build the kind of bonds that last a lifetime.

In Print-on-Demand | EP #69, we explored what meaningful appreciation actually looks like, from Delta’s $1.3B profit-sharing payout to the growing conversation around heartbreak leave and workplace empathy. We previewed our upcoming Masterclass on company store technology, spotlighted Teledyne’s precision-built branded store, and gave readers a shot at upgrading their workspace with a Sound Saber monitor speaker. And in this week’s Water Cooler, Ross shared a powerful reminder from a 200-person Shabbat dinner in Miami that connection, not algorithms, is what really brings people together.

In Print-on-Demand | EP #68, we leaned into smarter hiring, smoother swag experiences, and the systems behind both. From why candidates are skimming job posts to what makes HR transformation actually work, this edition explored clarity over clutter. We also spotlighted Patch My PC’s on-demand store, previewed POD Conference 2026 with Ross taking the stage, and asked a simple question: What if a better user experience is the real competitive edge in swag?

THAT’S A WRAP

That’s everything worth knowing this week in promo land.

Until next time, stay saucy! 👋

– Ross & the Brand Sauce Team

© 2025 On Demand Global, LLC, DBA Brand Sauce