Every time I attend one of our event activations, I find myself watching the line.
Not the activation itself. The line. People willingly queue up for something they could probably buy online in two clicks. Why?
Because they aren’t waiting for a product. They’re waiting to become part of the experience.
Put free merchandise on a table and people will take it. Create an opportunity to choose their product, personalize it and experience a special moment uniquely created for them, and they’ll gladly stand in line. The product may cost the same, but it carries far more meaning because they experienced it.
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That simple observation reinforced something I’ve believed for a long time: branded merchandise becomes more valuable when people become part of the story.
IRL Is Where It’s At
As our industry continues to embrace the idea that merch is a true marketing medium, in-real-life merch experiences represent one of our biggest opportunities.
Brands are investing heavily in conferences, sponsorships, employee and customer events and immersive pop-ups because live experiences deliver something digital marketing often can’t: attention, participation and genuine human connection. Merchandise has always belonged in these moments, and its role is evolving. It shouldn’t simply commemorate the experience. It should become part of the experience itself.
The best activations deliver four things at once:
- They create memorable interactions.
- They give attendees something tangible tied to that memory.
- They generate content people naturally want to photograph and share.
- They create data that extends the relationship long after the event ends.
That’s a much bigger value proposition than supplying products for a trade show.
Whether it’s a live embroidery station, an artist creating destination-inspired prints, a sustainability-focused upcycling bar or personalized gifting, the most successful activations connect with the audience, the brand and the experience. The merchandise matters because the experience gives it meaning.
Andrea Stoll
CMO, Boundless
This is where our industry is uniquely positioned.
We already know how to translate brands into physical experiences. We understand sourcing, decoration, inventory, fulfillment and impossible deadlines. We know which products people will actually wear, keep and remember.
What many of us are learning is that event activations require another layer of expertise. Throughput and staffing matter alongside venue logistics. Power, décor, fabrication, insurance and contingency planning all matters. A brilliant idea can quickly become a frustrating client experience if the operational details aren’t equally well designed.
Create A Sense Of Ownership
One lesson we’ve learned as we’ve expanded our own activation capabilities is that clients increasingly want one partner who can connect the creative idea with flawless execution.
Too often, event experiences are fragmented across agencies, fabricators, staffing companies and merchandise suppliers, leaving clients to manage the gaps. Whether distributors build these capabilities internally, acquire them or develop trusted partnerships, the opportunity is the same: own more of the experience.
The economics are different, too.
A $40 item may feel expensive as a giveaway. That same product feels very different when it anchors a 10-minute brand interaction, generates social content, creates meaningful conversations and builds lasting memories. Clients rarely remember what the product costs. They remember the line at the activation, the excitement it created and the stories attendees continued sharing long after the event ended.
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The biggest activation isn’t necessarily the best one. The most memorable experiences are often surprisingly simple. Choosing a color, adding initials or watching something come to life creates a sense of ownership that people never forget.
For years, our industry has often been invited into the conversation after the event strategy was already decided. That’s changing.
The opportunity isn’t to wait for the merchandise order. It’s to help shape the experience from the very beginning by asking bigger questions about the audience, objectives and outcomes.
We’ve spent decades supplying products to events.
The future is designing experiences where merchandise becomes an essential part of the story. As brands continue investing in authentic, in-person connections, our industry has an opportunity to move beyond products and become a strategic partner in creating moments people genuinely remember.
The line is already forming. The question is whether we’re willing to lead it.
Stoll is chief marketing officer at Boundless, PPAI 100’s No. 21 distributor.
