End buyers were most likely to say merch is best at creating customer appreciation (62%). Brand recall or staying power followed at 58%, trust or credibility at 53% and likeability at 46%. Agencies, by contrast, leaned more toward the emotional and experiential side of the channel. When asked what merch is best at creating for clients, agencies selected emotional connection (40%), sense of community (38%), customer appreciation (36%) and likeability (35%). This distinction matters. End buyers appear to see merch as a practical brand tool, supporting appreciation, recall, trust and customer relationships. Meanwhile, agencies appear to see it more as an engagement tool, creating connection, community and emotional response. Both views are valuable. Together, they suggest that the strongest merch programs sit at the intersection of practical business value and emotional brand experience. Agencies Need Campaign-Ready Thinking Agencies often think in terms of campaign architecture: audience, channel mix, creative concept, timing, budget, measurement and client approval. In order for merch to earn more consistent consideration in that environment, it needs to be easier to bring into campaign planning. The survey found that agencies want resources such as campaign use case examples (44%), product trend reports (41%), audience persona guides (40%), budget planning tools (33%) and ROI or measurement examples (29%). Therefore, it’s important to consider planning capabilities rather than just expanding your catalog. Agencies need campaign-ready ideas they can take into client conversations and examples that show how merch works alongside events, digital campaigns, sales outreach, employee engagement, community activations or loyalty programs. “AI can help the industry move faster, but it shouldn’t replace human judgment. The real value is using technology to improve product fit, personalization, budget planning and measurement.” — Alok Bhat PPAI/113818 SAGE/56440 Pentelimprint.com Quality Counts When Your Name Is On It! Premium Gel Ink That Dries So Fast Even Left-Handers Love It! Below EQP Sale on Budget Gel Ink Retractable! No Smears No Smudges No Globs Scan to see all sale styles BL77N-AI Black/Black Ink BL77NC-AI Blue/Black Ink - BL77N-CI Blue/Blue Ink BL77B-AI Red/Black Ink BL77ND-AI Green/Black Ink Below EQP Sale! Must Read | Better Merch Is Better Marketing 48 • OCTOBER 2026 •
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