Brand Fuel

Nonprofits often underestimate one of their most powerful loyalty-building, storytelling, and fundraising tools: branded merchandise.

When done right, merch can create pride, deepen engagement, and generate meaningful revenue all at the same time. Here's how Boys & Girls Clubs of America is putting brand power to work.

Read more: https://brandfuel.com/fueling-the-future-at-boys-girls-clubs-national-conference/

Who's ready to party? We are! We're doing a happy dance after earning a spot on The PPAI 100!

Congrats to all the companies that made the list. We're proud to be with you, creating an even stronger industry.. Top 100 companies earn the distinction based on factors like revenue, innovation, responsibility, and industry influence.

Congrats to all the companies who made the list. We're proud to be with you, creating an even stronger industry.

Wh-Whhhhat! We are supremely proud to be a part of the DIELINE Awards for the Burt's Bees game we created!

Read more about The Merit Award for Best In-House Design Agency DIELINE Award here: https://brandfuel.com/burts-bees-award-winning-board-game/

Straight from our Merch Museum: This vintage Richard Simmons “GO TO HEALTH” magnet is like a tiny motivational speaker from another era. It's proof that the best branded merch doesn't just advertise… it survives long enough to become a cultural artifact.

RIP, Richard. "You were amazing."❤️

This Gumby lapel pin survived 41 years, seven company moves, and ... America’s 250th birthday.

We believe the best merch can be a tiny souvenir time machine.

Think about objects that survive long enough to carry stories. Things made with meaning, craftsmanship, and emotional connection are harder to throw away.

We are ecstatic about the future of branded merch. People will choose to keep merch if it is utilitarian, includes beautiful design (versus a logoslap), is sustainable, and not an advertisement.

Most branded merch doesn’t fail because of the product. It fails because adding a big logo often turns a gift into an ad, and ads don’t get kept, used, or loved.

Great design flips that. When merch is thoughtful, beautiful, and made for the receiver, it gets used, lasts longer, and becomes truly sustainable.

Start with ROE, return on emotion. And the ROI will follow.

Our trend forecast: polka dots.
Data source: a math rock duo named Angine de Poitrine.
Confidence level: aggressively high for absolutely no reason.

What would be possible if doing the right thing was also the most profitable thing?