I received a T-shirt at a recent fundraiser. Smart, I thought. What a nice, useful thank you for my donation. More important, it gave me a way to further the cause. Wear the T-shirt the next time I went to the gym and chat up the event when I got the inevitable question. And, honestly, I would have. The color was good. The design was nice. But the size appeared to be XXXL and the neckline was humongous. Not crew. Not v-neck. But a deep, wide scoop. A man couldn’t wear it. And most woman wouldn’t want to.

So, what I’d like to say is if you’re developing a branded piece of clothing or a specialty item – sweat the details. Do all you can in the hopes the recipient will use it – and love it.

You Know You Want It

Every year when we arrive at Signature Flight Support’s NBAA booth, we say our hellos – then head to the counter for a new pen. Not just because we like writing with a nice black fountain pen with our client’s logo on it – but because this pen glides, baby. If they tried to stop giving it out, people would howl. Signature has us right where they want us. Hooked.

When you source that long-sleeve thermal shirt for your logo, get a sample. Put it on. Do you like the cut, the color, the cotton? Look for the smartest options in everything from men’s ball caps to infant hoodies. And, if you have the chance to do more than just apply your logo, all the better.

Design Driven

We recently designed a high-end cycling jersey and shorts to showcase Bombardier’s complete range of private jet solutions – from fractional ownership and pre-owned to whole aircraft. And the jets that make grounded mortals swoon: Learjet, Challenger, Global. Our artists and resourcing team went off the beaten path to meet this challenge. Ensuring materials and construction equaled the high-performance design. This number won’t just hit the road. It promises to set the wearer apart from the pack.

Ensure your wearables and specialty items are more than afterthoughts. Imbue them with the brand’s personality. Create that emotional link. Make them favored go-to items. So your brand is out there. Visible. Proudly identified with the image of the user.