👋Welcome back to This Week in Print-on-Demand, Episode #57.We’re feeling festive and ready to sleigh this edition with a flavorful mix of HR insights, global trends, and swaggy holiday cheer. Pour yourself some hot cocoa, get comfy, and let’s dive in!

NEWS & NUGGETS: A DASH OF INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

Â đŸ€–Â AI + Custom Gifts: Meet “Maia” from startup Arcade, the world’s first AI product design agent. This conversational AI helps anyone design one-of-a-kind jewelry, home dĂ©cor, and gifts by chatting about their ideas. Then, it teams up with real luxury brands and artisans to create the item. From replicating a lost family heirloom to a silk scarf celebrating a favorite memory, AI is making it possible to dream up a gift and have it made in minutes. Source.

📅 Save the Date – PPAI Expo: The promo industry’s biggest event, PPAI Expo 2026, hits Las Vegas Jan 12–15. It’s the annual mega-trade show to kick off 2026 with fresh swag ideas and networking galore. If you’re planning your post-holiday strategy, this is the place to scope out new products (and maybe spot a Brand Sauce cameo). Registration is open – Vegas, here we come!

đŸ–„ïž HR Webinar – Future of Work: On Dec 10, the From Day One conference series is hosting a “Future of Work” virtual summit. Expect discussions on how work is evolving (again) in 2026. It’s free and streamable in your pajamas. Source.

📉 Layoffs Spike: U.S. companies announced 153,000 job cuts in October, the highest October total since 2003. Blame rising costs, weaker demand, and AI adoption streamlining roles. Tech and warehousing are especially feeling the pinch. The silver lining: a looser labor market could make hiring easier for employers, even as workers ride out the uncertainty. Source.

đŸŽ„Â Creator Economy Soars: In marketing news, brands are doubling down on influencers. U.S. ad spend on the creator economy is projected to hit $37 billion this year, a 26% jump over 2024 and nearly 3× the spend in 2021. The IAB’s new report shows nearly half of marketers now say creator content is a “must-have” in their strategy. From TikTok stars to LinkedIn thought leaders, creators offer that authentic, personalized touch at scale. Source.

🎄Holiday Fun Fact: Did you know “Jingle Bells” was the first song ever played in outer space? On Dec 16, 1965, during NASA’s Gemini 6A mission, two cheeky astronauts smuggled a harmonica onboard and broadcast the festive tune as a prank. Source.

🛁 Shower Thought: When you say the word “forward,” your lips move forward. And when you say “back,” your lips move back.

🎉 Giveaway Winner Alert: Shout out to the winners from last week: Kristen Harisay, GPHR, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, and Jennifer Catania,who won the Everett Bomber Jacket from Vantage Apparel by participating in our weekly poll. We’ve got another weekly poll & giveaway below! But first, check out the poll results from last week below.

BEHIND THE SCENES

Unwrapping the Brand Sauce Holiday Deck

It’s beginning to look a lot like swag-mas! Say hello to the Brand Sauce Holiday Deck – a curated bundle of seasonal merch designed to spark joy and connection this holiday season. Inside? Limited-edition apparel, cozy accessories, and yes, pet swag too. Think beanies, tumblers, and festive bandanas that bring cheer to every corner of your team.

This deck is perfect for teams navigating last-minute holiday gifting plans. Want access? Reply “Holiday” to unwrap it.

SWAG INSIDERS

🧱 When Swag Scores Big

Let’s talk about a team that really understands the assignment. On opening night, the Anaheim Ducks didn’t just hype the game; they handed fans a reason to care (and share). Each seat came with a larger-than-life Duck mask: bold, cheeky, impossible to ignore. You couldn’t walk five feet without seeing someone snap a pic or laugh with friends through a foam beak.

Then came the twist: Duck Clogs hit the merch line. Yes, actual clogs. Bright. Branded. Built for superfans. Suddenly, Ducks merch wasn’t just a souvenir; it was a conversation starter, a collectible, a part of the community.

This is the evolution of branded gear. It’s not just stuff anymore
 It’s media, storytelling, and identity. Great merch makes people feel something. Even better merch makes people post about it all over social media. The Ducks turned swag into a shared experience. That’s the real win. Source.

WEEKLY POLL + GIVEAWAY

🎁 Giveaway Alert: Vanilla Ridge Fur Blanket

Ready to bundle up in style? We’re giving away a luxurious Vanilla Ridge Fur Blanket. This ultra-soft faux-fur throw is basically a warm hug you can wear – perfect for chilly office days or curling up on your WFH couch during winter. It’s sustainably made (100% recycled polyester) and plush enough to make Ebenezer Scrooge feel cozy.

Details:

👉 To enter, just answer this week’s poll below.

📊 Poll of the Week

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CLIENT SPOTLIGHT

đŸ€Â Meet Clear Guidance Partners

Let’s roll out the welcome mat for Clear Guidance Partners, a boutique tech and operations consultancy born in Texas and built for law firms that want enterprise-grade IT without the enterprise ego. From Austin to Dallas to Houston, their team acts like the legal world’s most trusted sherpas, guiding firms through cybersecurity upgrades, IT management, AI adoption, and back-office optimization that actually makes attorneys’ lives easier. With 30-plus years spent inside law firms, they know the pain points intimately and build solutions that prevent the late-night “why is the server down again?” moments. What sets their culture apart is a commitment to right-sized support with no bloated retainers and no jargon, just real partnership rooted in responsiveness and Texas integrity.

📣 Our Collaboration

When Clear Guidance Partners wanted to elevate their brand and delight both their team and clients, they partnered with Brand Sauce for a fresh, modern swag experience. We launched a sleek storefront stocked with gear that reflects their approachable, tech-forward identity, from embroidered performance polos to laser-etched tumblers. Their team now wears the swag at the office and industry events, sparking conversations and boosting brand visibility. They also use the store to send thoughtful gifts like cozy blankets and gadget organizers, turning clients into enthusiastic brand advocates. Brand Sauce’s one-stop platform has helped Clear Guidance extend its culture of care into tangible items people enjoy and remember.

đŸ€ Connect With Clear Guidance Partners

Shoot me a note at Ross@brandsauce.io to get connected with the team.

WEEKEND UPDATE

Around the Water Cooler With Ross AKA The P.O.D. Guy

My Thanksgiving Birthday Wish (And No, It’s Not Money)

This year, my birthday lands exactly on Thanksgiving Day. And while most people will be settling in with family and stuffing, I’ll be on a flight from Atlanta to San Diego, because that’s life in a blended family. You get to celebrate with two families in two different cities. 

Normally, this is the time when people send a “Happy Birthday, Ross!” text, post something on social, or toss me a quick birthday shoutout. And trust me, I appreciate all of it.

But this year, I’m asking for something different.

Something a little uncomfortable.

Something that takes real courage.

**Here it is:

Invite someone to your Thanksgiving dinner who wouldn’t normally get an invite.**

You might be surprised how many people you know, friends, coworkers, neighbors, don’t actually have solid Thanksgiving plans. Some are too shy to ask. Some don’t want to feel like they’re inviting themselves over for free mashed potatoes. And some simply don’t have anywhere to go.

So here’s my birthday wish:

Over the next few days, start asking people what they’re doing for Thanksgiving.

If you ask ten people, at least one will say something like,

“Eh
 nothing special.”

And that’s your moment.

Invite them.

Invite their partner.

Invite their friend.

(Be the hero of their holiday.)

It genuinely breaks my heart to think of anyone eating alone on Thanksgiving. No one deserves that.

So in honor of my birthday, I’d love to see the Brand Sauce community make someone’s holiday a little brighter, especially someone who’d never ask for themselves.

Let’s make this Thanksgiving one full of food, family, friends, and maybe one or two pleasantly surprised guests who thought they were headed for a solo Boston Market turkey meal.

That’s the only gift I want this year.

đŸ‘„ Connect on LinkedIn

Not following Ross & Brand Sauce on socials yet? Let’s change that. Click the links below to stay connected for fresh ideas, behind-the-scenes content, and exclusive updates 👇

THAT’S A WRAP

And that’s a wrap on this week’s celebratory blend of HR wisdom and holiday swag-spiration!

Want to unwrap more ideas for your team’s engagement or gifting game? Simply reply to this email or book a quick demo.

Until next time, stay saucy! 👋

– Ross & the Brand Sauce Team.