Transform Conference 2026 was the real deal.

With 186 speakers, a concierge team that would hand-deliver essentials throughout the show, and three social give-back opportunities, this wasn't a show people just attend to get out of the office. It was clear that everyone there was eager and ready to engage. 

That energy was the perfect fit for our team, who showed up ready to listen and connect. 

We built our booth around a simple idea: show the work, not just the product. We brought sample kits to demonstrate how product selection, packaging, and presentation come together, and what a well-executed kit looks and feels like in person. Sometimes the best way to explain what we do is to hand someone something and let them experience it.

We also showcased our employee engagement solution, which is a framework for organizations looking to build a consistent, scalable approach to recognizing and retaining their people.

One thing that came up again and again on the show floor: a lot of companies are managing their merch and recognition programs across multiple vendors, multiple contacts, multiple processes. When attendees learned that Stran handles it all —sourcing, kitting, fulfillment, strategy — it reframed what a vendor relationship could actually look like. That was one of the most meaningful parts of the show.

We also ran a listening tour at the booth with dedicated time to hear from attendees about their goals, challenges, and 2026 priorities. No sales pitch, just real conversation. And we handed out self-care kits to give people a small TLC moment in the middle of a packed week. 

If you're thinking about how merch fits into your people strategy for 2026, drop us a line — we're ready to talk!

When done right, merch builds more lasting impressions than almost any other marketing medium. When it's done wrong, it's just as memorable...for the wrong reasons.

Indiana University: Merch That Moved at the Speed of a Championship

When Indiana University won the Big Ten Championship in December, the Indiana Daily Student ran a front page that said everything: "FLIPPIN' CHAMPS" splashed across the top, an action shot of players hoisting the trophy underneath. It was an instant piece of history — and we saw the opportunity immediately.

We partnered with the IDS to produce a limited edition glossy reproduction poster of that front page, available for $29, with every purchase supporting the paper and their coverage of the IU community. It was an overnight success.

That's what championship merch is built for: an emotionally charged moment, a fan base ready to commemorate it, a mission worth supporting, and a product that shows up before the feeling fades.

The 2026 Winter Olympics: A Lesson in Reading the Room

At the Milan Cortina Winter Games, every medalist received the same gift alongside their hardware: a plush doll of Tina the Stoat, the official Olympic mascot. It's a charming tradition — and by most measures, a merch success. Tina sold out everywhere and became one of the most talked-about items of the Games.

But then cameras caught members of the Canada Women's Hockey team receiving their Tinas moments after losing gold to the USA in overtime, and the internet exploded. In one viral clip, forward Daryl Watts looked down at the small stuffed toy, sighed, and stared blankly into the crowd. 

The lesson wasn't that the product was wrong. The lesson was the timing.

Merch isn't neutral. It carries the emotional context of when and how it's given — and that's as true for a client gift or employee recognition moment as it is for an Olympic ceremony. The most successful brands strike the right emotional chord and at the right time with the right product. 

Phillips 66 Big 12 Championship: Stran on the Floor

The Phillips 66 Big 12 Conference Basketball Championships came to Kansas City's T-Mobile Center this March, and Stran was in the middle of it. As the agency behind the lead sponsor's activation, we built custom signage, a branded plush toy, and activations including custom claw machines on the tournament floor.

When a brand has been the title sponsor of an event for 36 consecutive years, the challenge isn't awareness; it's activation. Merch and physical touchpoints are how sponsorship dollars become memorable experiences.

March Madness: The Tradition of Merch as Belonging

The NCAA Tournament is one of the most merch-saturated moments in American sports, and the 2026 tournament has been no different. "Legacy on Lock" tees worn by every team and towels draped over winning players during post-game interviews are just two examples of highly visible tournament swag.

And that's just what the players wear. The number of brands that build their own tournament-inspired merch for fans grows every year. 

For events like this, merch is part of the experience. It creates a shared identity of the moment. and signals: you were here, you were part of this.

Coming Up: Kentucky Derby

May brings one of the most brand-forward events on the calendar. The Kentucky Derby is less a sporting event and more a cultural moment. When brands show up with intentional, on-brand merch, they get noticed and become part of the tradition.

For the 2025 Derby we helped longtime client Vineyard Vines take full advantage of the event by leveraging the Stran-designed whale hats to excite crowdgoers. We can't wait to see how creative swag shows up at the track this year.