When Taylor Swift wore a vintage ‘90s Monterey Bay Aquarium T-shirt this fall, the world didn’t just notice. It clicked “buy.”

The aquarium hadn’t produced the design in decades, but when Swifties recognized it, demand surged. The organization reissued the tee as part of a fundraising effort for sea otter conservation, and donations poured in at roughly $100,000 every 15 minutes during the first eight hours. Swift’s influence created the spark, but the tinder was a timeless, well-designed piece of merchandise that resonated enough for the world’s biggest pop star to wear it.

Most brands won’t get a T-Swift moment. But they don’t need one when great branded merch—you might call it a promotional product or swag—can create influencers of us all.

When merch is treated as a performance channel, it produces results that rivaling any media, often at a fraction of the cost. This is because merch is beloved gear that travels, attracts attention and generates measurable engagement.

Here are five campaigns nominated for PPAI Pyramid Awards, the Oscars of promotional products, with data showing why merch matters.

Coors Light turns “the Mondays” into 672 million impressions

For Super Bowl LIX, Coors and its merch agency created a custom “Chill Face Roller,” a beauty-trend-inspired tool for a Coors Light can. Built for social, influencer and PR activations, the roller allowed Coors to engage health-and-wellness audiences the brand typically doesn’t reach.

The roller, featured an Ad Age roundup of unique Super Bowl campaigns, generated over 672 million impressions, with 99% positive sentiment, and drove over a hundred earned media stories. For about $150,000, the brand achieved a sub-$0.25 CPM.

The merch wasn’t an accessory; it was the cultural “hook” that made the campaign go viral.

MetLife makes sustainability measurable

This MetLife year-end gift wasn’t just another employee thank-you. The tech accessories kit came with a built-in environmental commitment: Each unit protected 1,000 square feet of endangered rainforest, tracked via a QR code that employees could check in real time.

Across 45,000 employees, the program protected 4.3 million square feet (costing 3.7 cents per saved square foot) and an estimated 20,700 trees. It prevented nearly a million pounds of annual CO₂ emissions. The campaign reinforced MetLife’s brand values while generating a tangible sustainability ROI that wouldn’t be possible through a digital-only message.

Dell’s personalized SXSW experience generates 1,355 leads

At SXSW Sydney, Dell needed to stand out in a competitive tech expo environment. Their solution was a live laser-engraving activation offering attendees a premium stainless-steel bottle personalized with their name. Before receiving it, each visitor completed a survey and opt-in form, turning the experience into a high-quality data capture funnel.

Over three days, Dell distributed 1,355 bottles and collected 1,355 qualified, fully opted-in leads. Over 6,000 attendees engaged with the booth, and the bottles quickly became visible throughout the venue, amplifying brand presence beyond the stand. The merch created dwell time, built anticipation, and encouraged deeper engagement with Dell’s sessions and content.

San Antonio’s River Walk campaign = 9 cent CPI

To promote summer travel, Visit San Antonio and its promo agency partner filled a River Walk section with 200 large, custom-branded inflatables, creating a vivid floating installation visible from every angle.

The travel bureau’s activation earned widespread media coverage. A local news clip surpassed 100,000 views, while Visit San Antonio’s Facebook post generated thousands of engagements and shares. The campaign’s visuals turned the river itself into a media channel, creating an earned media ROI of 186%.

Why these campaigns work

Each campaign shows the same pattern: Merch performs when it’s purposeful, well-designed and integrated into the marketing strategy. These are media units with longevity, emotional weight and measurable impact.

As digital channels grow noisier, brands are rediscovering that the most effective impressions are often the ones a person can hold in their hand.