👋 Welcome back to This Week in Print-on-Demand Episode #66, where swag meets culture.

NEWS & NUGGETS: A DASH OF INDUSTRY INSIGHTS

🎓 Swag Masterclass Recap: We hosted a swag masterclass on Tuesday, and 100s of you showed up. If you missed it, you can still catch the good stuff. Just reply to this email saying “Masterclass”, and we’ll send you the recording.

🎉 Employee Appreciation Day (EAD): Invented by Dr. Bob Nelson, Employee Appreciation Day (March 6th) is the perfect opportunity to show your employees you care. Check out the store we built for achieve Engagement to make their EAD both effortless and unforgettable.

🏈 NFL X Bad Bunny Merch: Bad Bunny just dropped an NFL collab that blends team pride with his signature Bad Bunny flair, and it’s honestly some of the coolest football merch we’ve seen in a while. We’ll definitely be grabbing a few pieces. Big thanks to Steve Solberg for sharing this gem. Check it out here.

🏆 Guinness World Record: The promo industry kicked off 2026 by setting a Guinness World Record by gathering 511 different branded products into one massive display. It was a fitting finale for PSI’s last year in Düsseldorf, and a testament to what our industry can do when everyone collaborates Source.

⛳ MEGALODOME Tees Up Year-Round Play Coming 2027: the world’s first indoor 9-hole course hits Oswego, IL with a $50M footprint. Three domes, real turf, 275-yard range, full-swing ceilings, and a swanky clubhouse open till midnight. No rain checks, ever. Source.

 🎉 Giveaway Winner Alert: Shout-out to the winners from last week, Mary Colley and Charles Carrier,who scored theSERENE PACK from GOTBAG.We’ve got another giveaway below!

BEHIND THE SCENES

We just got back from PPAI (Promotional Products Association International), the biggest promotional products trade show in the world.

Instead of overwhelming you with thousands of options, we did the opposite.

With the help of our Chief Swag Officer, Madison Miller, we curated the best of the best from the show — the products that actually feel exciting, modern, and worth putting your logo on.

If something catches your eye, just add it to your cart and submit the form. We’ll either reach out or drop it straight into your company store.

👉You can check out the hottest products here.

P.S. The first 3 people to submit a form will get a complimentary product branded with your company logo!

WEEKLY POLL + GIVEAWAY

Giveaway Alert: Bluetooth Speaker with Camping Lantern

Light the trail, queue the playlist. This outdoor MVP does both. With warm/cool lighting modes, IPX5 waterproofing, and 8+ hours of battery life, it’s perfect for camping, porch hangs, or sneaky park happy hours. Swag that actually gets used? Yes, please.

Details:

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

CLIENT SPOTLIGHT

🤝 Meet Anika Systems

Meet Anika Systems – an innovative tech company on a mission to modernize the public sector. Based in Virginia, Anika specializes in AI-driven solutions and intelligent automation for federal agencies, helping Uncle Sam’s teams work smarter and faster.

But it’s not all code and algorithms. Anika’s culture puts people first. They pride themselves on honesty, autonomy, and collaboration, fostering a supportive workplace where ideas flow freely. (Fun fact: they’ve been recognized as a “Top Workplace,” which isn’t surprising when your team values include trust, transparency, and a healthy dose of nerding out over new tech.)

📣 Our Collaboration

When Anika Systems wanted to extend that forward-thinking spirit to their company culture, Brand Sauce stepped in to help. We partnered with Anika to launch their very own swag store – a one-stop shop for all things Anika-branded (think sleek apparel, tech accessories, and desk goodies sporting the Anika logo). Now, whether their consultants are working in D.C. or dialing in remotely, they can easily gear up and show off their team pride.

From comfy hoodies for those work-from-home days to stainless steel tumblers that fuel late-night coding sessions, we curated merch that reflects Anika’s modern, people-centric vibe. Best of all, Brand Sauce manages all the nitty-gritty – sourcing, printing, and shipping – so Anika’s leadership can focus on driving innovation (while their employees enjoy some seriously cool swag). It’s more than just a store; it’s a little boost to engagement and unity, helping a high-tech team stay connected and celebrate their brand in style.

🤝 Connect With Anika Systems

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

Diamonds & Denim

That was the theme of the Daddy–Daughter dance at Maxie’s school.

When you walked in, there was a cowboy hat–making station where dads and daughters could design their own hats. A photo booth. A DJ. All the usual stuff.

But what stood out most wasn’t any of that.

It was the looks on the dads’ faces.

Pure happiness.

There’s something uniquely magical about seeing your daughter all dressed up. Watching her dance with her friends, smiling ear to ear. Knowing, for one night, the world is small, simple, and centered on you and your baby girl.

We don’t get many moments like this.

At one point, I was dancing with Maxie and remembered bringing her to this same dance three years ago. Back then, she was the little kindergartener, surrounded by bigger kids. Now she’s one of the older ones, confident, coordinated, with dance moves that make her seem so grown up.

And that’s the thing, isn’t it? Kids grow up fast.

Before we know it, these girls will be teenagers. Then they’ll be dancing with boys instead of their dads. And we’ll be at home, hoping they’re safe, missing nights exactly like this one.

I know moments like this are fleeting. So I did my best to soak it all in. I’m incredibly proud of the girl Maxie is becoming. I don’t know how many more daddy–daughter dances we’ll get, but I do know I’ll never take these moments for granted.

To all the girl dads out there: I know we’re in the same boat. Holding on for dear life. Trying to slow time down. Doing our best to enjoy every special moment we’re lucky enough to get.

Because they don’t last forever. And they matter more than we realize while we’re in them.

I love you, Maxie. Thank you for giving me these special times. 

THAT’S A WRAP

That’s everything worth knowing this week in promo land.

Until next time, stay saucy! 👋

– Ross & the Brand Sauce Team