The Backpack: Issue #4
The Backpack is a newsletter that features trends in merch, top articles and podcast episodes, and global news impacting merch life. Packed full of new content on the first and third Friday of each month by your friends at commonsku.
Friday, December 2
Will ChatGPT Disrupt Promo?
ChatGPT erupted onto the scene in December. Some are calling it the tipping point for AI. Why should we care? IG, TikTok, Google, and Twitter: they changed how we search, shop, create, and think. Tools like ChatGPT are ushering in an entirely new evolution in tech. Are these emerging technologies threats or opportunities? Will AI tools replace consultative salespeople in the promotional products industry? Will tools like chatGPT disrupt traditional search methods like ESP and Sage? Mark Graham and Bobby Lehew break it down (and provide real-time examples) in this bonus episode of the skucast.
We Predict: The Merch Boom for Auto
Yep, Tesla’s taking a whopping hit. But WSJ reports a wildly opposite trend: the US is entering its biggest auto-factory building boom in decades thanks to the shift to electric vehicles and new federal subsidies. Why care? Prospects. Besides the upsurge in hiring and onboarding kits for employees at these new factories, every downstream business impacted by this resurgence might look like a shiny new client for you (ahem, battery manufacturers). Never fear, Backpackers, we’ll keep an eye out on emerging markets for ya; you roll with the players.
The ‘Cast Celebrates Its 250th!
The skucast recently rocked its 250th episode! Thanks to you, over 50,000 listens funneled through the pipes to your ears in 2022. To celebrate our 250th, we invited co-founders Mark and Catherine Graham to join us to talk about what we love to chat about most: the future. Here are The Critical Changes Creating Our Industry's Bold Future.
Merch (Un)Wrapped
You know we love our merch+music connections. And though you likely got sick of all those Spotify Wrapped shares in your feed, one of the biggest stars was not SZA or Margo Price, or even Bad Bunny. No, the quiet hero of 2022’s Wrapped? The Artist currently known as: Merch. Seven days after launching Wrapped, Spotify saw the highest-grossing merch sales-week for artists in Spotify’s history. Even Amazon’s finally getting in on the merch game. Talk about style. Move over Harry, it’s not the same as it was.
Predict The Next Big Trend For Your Client
For the past three years, Pinterest (remember that ole’ social media sleeper?) has produced the “Pinterest Predicts” report, and get this: over 80% of their previous predictions have come true. Want to know what GenZ will be into in 2023? How about sustainability trends or inclusivity? We once chatted with our friend Jeremy Picker, founder of the brilliant branded merch brand AMB3R and he said that Pinterest was still his go-to for trends. Twitter might be loudest, but perhaps ye ole’ Pinterest might be truest?
领英推荐
Maybe the most elegant merch collab yet?
Rachel Comey, famed NYC designer, drops a stunning merch collab, and their brand partner? The New York Review of Books. (Don’t judge. Trust us.) Comey partnered with NYRB Art Editor Leann Shapton to create a gloriously rad merch collection featuring NYRB covers. Never judge a book by its cover; this ain’t your everyday logo drop on a polo. Somebody get me that $450 tote, stat!
The Politics of Rapid Response Koozies
Nope, we’re not gonna take sides. But if we’re forced to, we’ll side with the political people who power the merch, like Tim Sullivan. Tim’s the Deputy Digital Director for US Senator Michael Bennet from Colorado. Oh, and Tim’s also, apparently, a merch czar. Tim’s ability helped give “the Democratic incumbent’s campaign a secret weapon: merch that actually sold.” Learn how Tim + team use merch – like Rapid Response Koozies – (we just made that up) to win votes.
Your 2023 (Virtual) Firestarter!
You know what’s the best way to get your team fired up about 2023? Rally together for inspo + insight at skucon Virtual, and then huddle with your team (post-event) to discuss how to put inspo into action. skucon Virtual is a deep-impact event built for teams in that it allows high-level learning in one concentrated afternoon. You’ll hear Michael Bungay Stanier talk about sales coaching, Nick Casares talk about Web3 and ChatGPT, Ally Delgado on how to Merch Like a Bee, and Super Scaling with the founders of Imprint Engine, plus interviews and stories from the industry’s most maverick thinkers. Hop on over to skucon.com/virtual to register you and your team today!
Bright Lights, Big City! ???
Speaking of Viva… The commonsku team will be ON, Baz-Luhrmann-style, at The PPAI Expo in Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay and we have 3 fantabulous ways to connect: CSU (where you can get your learnin’ on), the decadent and palatial skuSuite (okay, maybe not palatial and perhaps only slight decadent), or swing by to see us on the Expo floor. And back by popular demand: A list of all the commonsku suppliers by booth # to make your swag treasure hunt the swaggiest. Sign up for it all here!
?? Kicking off a New Year meeting with your team? Check out our lessons learned and our Tips for Creating an Epic Annual Team Meeting!
?? The secret weapon to both distributor+supplier sales growth? ePO Power. Check out our chat with PCNA’s Erin Harris and Emily Douglas.
?? In case you missed it, over 4,000 shops were created through commonsku in 2022. And nearly 700,000 projects in 2022! Catch our 2022 recap with all the stats here.
?? Done beats better. Since it’s your 1st week into New Year, New You, we thought we’d help you skip all the research and jump to our favorite habit app: Done.