3. Newsom Engages In Merch Battle With MAGA-Style Promo Mocking Trump California Governor Gavin Newsom spent the end of August using promotional products to troll President Donald Trump. Newsom mimicked Trump’s signature brand, most notably his red “Make America Great Again” hats, with his own branding messages. The imitations feature hats, mugs, flags and even Bibles (referencing the controversial Bibles sold by Trump in 2024) with messages such as “Make America Gavin Again” or “Newsom Was Right About Everything.” Austin, Texas-based distributor Bright Blue Ink administered the website selling the merch on behalf of Campaign For Democracy Committee. Presumably, Newsom considers the merch more of a ploy to agitate Trump and poke fun at the Trump brand. However, the tactic, in its own way, showed the success of the merch strategy that helped fuel Trump’s rise. Newsom has said the products sold more than $100,000 in revenue in roughly 24 hours. This particular promo news cycle stands out in that it seems to be in anticipation of a presidential election that is still three years away. Newsom is still a long way away from being presumed the democratic candidate for president in the 2028 presidential election, but he is using promotional products now to generate buzz. 4. The ‘Happy Gilmore’ Putter Is Here For Your ‘Tap Tap Taparoo’ On the same day Happy Gilmore 2 hit Netflix, Callaway’s Odyssey brand dropped a limited-edition replica of Happy’s legendary hockey-blade putter – complete with bent shaft, oversized grip and a headcover that looks like it was stolen from a high school locker room. It retailed for $499.99, which felt steep until it sold out in under 15 minutes and started flipping online for more than double. The price may be wrong, Bob, but the demand was straight off the tee. While it may look like something you’d bring to a fight in a beer league hockey game, it’s built like a true Odyssey. The brand’s reputation for premium putters means even a joke club has to meet its visual and quality standards, which required actual R&D to ensure it performs like a real club, not just a prop. Callaway didn’t stop at the putter, though. It released matching Chrome Tour balls printed with classic one-liners like “It’s all in the hips” and “Tap tap taparoo,” ensuring that even your worst shots could be blamed on Happy instead of your appalling swing. And the best part? Golfers don’t hate it. It has been well received by players who care about specs and slapstick, and resale prices are already pushing four figures. Nostalgia sells. Adam Sandler sells harder. And the putter was surprisingly embraced by people who take the game way too seriously, proving once again that ’90s-core merch doesn’t have to make sense – it just has to hit the right memory. Photo courtesy of bigcommerce.com Photo courtesy of ECallaway PPAI • NOVEMBER 2025 • 77 Buzzworthy | Community
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