Friday Rewind

Patagonia Hid a Secret, R-Rated Message On Some of Its Clothing Tags
September 16, 2020 at 11:48 am

If you happened to have purchased Patagonia’s Road to Regenerative Stand Up Shorts, you might have noticed a tiny little message on a tag. Or, maybe you didn't notice it. To tie in with the shorts’ purpose of rehabilitating farmland through a partnership with organic farmers, Patagonia slipped a little message in on the tag...

Apple Designed Its Own Specialized Face Mask for Corporate Staff, Store Employees
September 10, 2020 at 8:35 am

Apple's latest launch isn't an upgraded operating system or a splashy new iPhone with, like, six cameras this time. It's the Apple Face Mask. The company designed and created the mask in-house and will begin rolling it out to corporate and retail staff. In typical Apple fashion, the mask has a few specialized features...

'It's a Very Confusing Process': The Payroll Tax Deferral, Explained
September 10, 2020 at 10:31 am

President Trump’s payroll tax deferral executive order went into effect on Sept. 1, meaning that employers can now temporarily suspend collection of the 6.2 percent federal tax for employees that goes toward social security. The suspension would last through the end of 2020. The details, though, are a bit unclear.

How One Distributor Turned Three Iconic Cup Brands Into Can't-Miss Branded Merchandise
September 3, 2020 at 11:09 am

When it comes to branding, it doesn't get more iconic than the Solo Cup. The secret lies in its simplicity. Sure, nowadays there's an embossed logo on there, but it's pretty much just a plain red cup. And yet, it's instantly recognizable. How do you turn that kind of design perfection into branded merchandise that does justice to the original?...

UCLA Sues Under Armour for $200M Over Breach of Record Apparel Contract
August 31, 2020 at 10:50 am

A lawsuit alleges that Under Armour misled UCLA about its financial standing—resulting in an enormous $280 million apparel contract in 2016—and then failed to make scheduled payments or deliver products as laid out in the contract. Under Armour informed UCLA two months ago that it was terminating the deal with more than $200 million still owed to UCLA...

Zoom Shirts and More: What's Trending in Women's Promotional Apparel
September 1, 2020 at 4:21 pm

While things are different right now, the entire universe hasn’t been upended to the point where we’re all going to start wearing drab jumpsuits. Fashion is still fashion, and thanks to the internet and TV, we can still keep track of the newest looks. We can use that as our primary yardstick for what people want...

Whataburger Launches Line of Branded Pet Merch in Most Adorable Way Possible
August 25, 2020 at 12:47 pm

Well, folks, Whataburger is at it again. The restaurant is making a strong case for being the fast food chain with the best promotional presence. After rebranding an entire Minor League Baseball team, Texas’s crown jewel of fast food is appealing to a different demographic of fans—pets...

'If Anything, We're Worse Off': What's Going On With America's PPE Supply Chain? (and How the Market Has Changed in Promo)
August 19, 2020 at 9:59 am

After shortages early in the coronavirus pandemic, America’s PPE supply seems to have caught up. But why do so many hospitals and frontline health workers say they still don’t have enough? In this story, we look at the disconnect between supply and demand, plus revisit PPE in the promotional products industry to see how the market has changed and where it might go...