We Have The Merch! The sports world, a fast-food giant and a pop music legend have all capitalized on promo this year. Compiled by Sarah Luna & Hanna Brookshire 1. Fast-Food Fashion Hits Peak Weird, Thanks To Arby’s Napkin Outfit Arby’s unveiled a saucy new promotional item – the “13-Hour Drip Fit,” an $85 limited-edition outfit made entirely of napkins. Yes, really – napkins. The outfit was designed to promote the fast-food chain’s new line of slow-smoked BBQ sandwiches, which take (you guessed it) 13 hours to cook, and debuted with perfect timing on National Barbecue Day (May 16). Developed in collaboration with Chain Brands, a creative collective known for food-inspired pop culture drops, the ensemble featured a patchwork Cuban-style shirt and relaxed-fit shorts, stitched together from 13 linen bistro napkins with a hidden pocket for extra sauce. The shorts feature an elastic waistband just in case you go a little too hard on the meats. To further the promo push, Arby’s brought in comedians and selfproclaimed grilling enthusiasts Anthony Anderson and Cedric the Entertainer, whose AC Barbecue sauces top the sandwiches. The duo even made an appearance on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert modeling the napkin-based ensemble – showing off what the cool kids call “drip” in a coordinated “fit” (that’s outfit, for anyone still catching up). And while it may look like a novelty product, this isn’t just a throwaway gag. The garments are made from 100% linen napkins and are machine washable, giving just a hint of real-world usefulness. But Arby’s is clear: The outfit is “decidedly not stain resistant.” And that’s the point – wearing a sauce stain is practically a badge of honor. It means you really did show up hungry, and everyone else gets to see it. 2. Half A Million Items, One Iconic Tent: U.S. Open Merch Mania The merch tent for the 125th U.S. Open – one of golf’s most prestigious tournaments – spanned 35,000 square feet and held half a million items, CBS News reported. Powered by Fanatics, the collection featured collabs with many popular brands, such as Nike, Adidas, Ralph Lauren and vineyard vines. The United States Golf Association’s merchandise team includes 17 people from the organization’s New Jersey headquarters, 23 interns, 250 sales vendors and 1,100 volunteers, TribLIVE.com reported. Interns began setting up the tent six weeks prior to the event, according to Mary Lopuszynski, senior director of licensing and U.S. Open merchandising at USGA. Lopuszynski told TribLIVE.com she believes this year had the second-best pre-championship sales in U.S. Open history. Hats were probably the most popular item sold during the tournament, she said. In addition to highlighting host site Oakmont County Club’s storied history with the tournament via squirrel mascot merch and vintage style designs like cross-stitched baseball caps and old-timey posters, the U.S. Open paid homage to its host city, Pittsburgh, with gold and black merch, seen in patterned shirts by Peter Millar. There was even a U.S. Open-themed Pittsburgh Penguins jersey and black-and-gold-themed golf balls for sale. https://stories.inspirebrands.com/arbys-drops-the-13-hour-drip-fit-an-outfitmade-out-of-napkins-to-perfectly-handle-bbq-drip/ https://www.usgashop.com/us-open-mens-2025-us-open-levelwear-light-blue-gambit-adjustablehat/o-3456391741+t-20764262+p-2438355863+z-9-883036607?_ref=p-DLP:m-GRID:i-r0c1:po-1 94 • SEPTEMBER 2025 • PPAI Community | Buzzworthy
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