👋 Welcome back to This Week in Print-on-Demand Episode #73, where swag meets culture.

NEWS & NUGGETS: A DASH OF INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

🍕 Pizza Hut x Space Jam Collaboration: The dynamic duo launched a Triple Treat Box during March Madness, plus limited-edition merch access via its rewards program. Say less… sign me up. Source.

🚢 Disney Does it Again: This is simply world class marketing by Disney. Watch here.

🥤 From Lemonade Stand to the Super Bowl: A young athlete and his dad were out selling lemonade to raise funds for his football team when @omar spotted their hustle. Moved by their effort, he surprised them with Super Bowl tickets, turning a simple fundraiser into a once-in-a-lifetime moment. Source.

🏀 A souvenir cup that’s basically a micro game: The Minnesota Timberwolves popped up on our social feed with a “playable pop-a-snack” souvenir cup that turns popcorn into a mini shooting contest. This is a real-time reminder that interactive merch wins. Source.

🌍 Jobs Update: Jobless claims fell to 205,000 last week. Meanwhile, the International Energy Agency urged short-term demand cuts like working from home and flying less as energy prices surge. Source.

🎉 Giveaway Winner Alert: Shout-out to the winner from last week, Lynn Sogi, who scored the Moonyx Utility Backpack from RUPT. We’ve got another giveaway below!

DO YOUR KIDS PLAY CLUB SPORTS?

Club Sports

Club sports parents know the drill.

Early mornings, folding chairs on the sideline, and a whole lot of team pride.

We’ve been helping more and more club teams launch their own Brand Sauce stores so athletes and families can grab everything from jerseys, hats, hoodies, socks, and practice gear to lawn chairs, tents, backpacks, water bottles, blankets, and travel bags.

The best part?

A percentage of every purchase goes right back to the team to help fund tournaments, travel, and gear for the kids.

VIDEO OF THE WEEK

The chef hat isn’t for show. The Sauce Boss is cooking up one of the ingredients for the perfect company store. 🍳

Minimum-of-one. No bulk. No leftover swag collecting dust.

Just exactly what you need, when you need it.

WEEKLY POLL + GIVEAWAY

Giveaway Alert: Crumbee Desktop Vacuum

Don’t let the size fool you, this mini vacuum packs serious cleaning power. It easily picks up crumbs and dust from your desk, keyboard, drawers, and more, making it a go-to for quick, everyday cleanups.

Details:

• Several lucky readers will score a Crumbee Desktop Vacuum custom-branded with their company logo.

• Winner announced in next week’s newsletter.

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

WEEKEND UPDATE

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

When I was a kid, many of my friends were older than me. By the time I got into middle school and high school, I was regularly playing tennis with guys who were years ahead of me, most of them already in high school or even college.

My dad would pay them to practice with me. It was cheaper than a private lesson, and the older kids were happy to make some extra money.

What my dad probably didn’t realize was that those practice sessions turned into something much bigger than tennis.

Many of those guys became like older brothers to me.

I looked up to them in a way only a younger kid can. They didn’t just teach me about tennis, they talked to me about life. About girls, music, parties, mistakes, decisions, and the world that was waiting just a few years ahead of me. For a young boy without an older brother, those moments meant more than they probably ever knew.

Looking back now, I realize how lucky I was to have those influences in my life. They helped shape the person I became.

And somewhere along the way, I made a quiet promise to myself: if I ever had the chance to be that person for someone else, I would.

Four years ago, pickleball gave me that opportunity.

I met a 22-year-old named Connor McCartney who had just graduated from SDSU and was trying to figure out his next chapter. He grew up in San Diego, played every sport he could, especially soccer, and like a lot of people in their early twenties, he was standing at that strange crossroads between who you’ve been and who you’re going to become.

When I first met Connor, he was single, learning pickleball, looking for a real job, and still trying to figure out where life was going to take him.

Over the last four years, I’ve had the privilege of watching that story unfold.

Connor is now a professional pickleball player. He built a thriving coaching business that employs other coaches. He found an amazing girlfriend. But more than any of those accomplishments, he grew into a thoughtful, hardworking, genuinely great young man.

And getting to watch that growth up close has meant a lot to me.

Next month, Connor is moving to the East Coast. I’m going to miss seeing him around the courts and catching up between games, but I know this move is another step forward in his journey.

The truth is, relationships like this don’t really end, they just evolve.

I know we’ll stay in touch. I’ll be watching his career, his life, and everything he builds from a distance, proud of the path he’s creating for himself.

I’m grateful for the chance he gave me to coach him, mentor him, and most importantly, call him a friend.

Something tells me that one day I’ll be sitting at his wedding… and maybe years from now his kids will call me Uncle Ross.

Connor, thank you for letting me be part of your story.

Good luck on this next chapter. I couldn’t be prouder of you.

👥 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 #72, we cover new PPAI data showing consumers expect better swag than ever, an AI-built pixel-art map of NYC, new EU rules ending the “burn the inventory” era for apparel, and workplace AI fatigue. Plus, we’re giving away the Moonyx Utility Backpack. We also highlight Ziegler and their company store, designed to give employees a wide range of apparel they’ll actually want to wear. And in Ross’ Water Cooler, he shares reflections from speaking at the Print on Demand Conference and how the expectations of today’s workforce are shaping the future of branded merchandise.

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.

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