This very well could be the last blog post before I give birth… To be completely honest, the next few blogs will probably be batched within the next few weeks. Despite landing my first brand deal, closing a massive partnership, and selling an onsite event that will be taking place a few weeks after I give birth, I am fully prepared to let the chips fall where they may. My biggest goal as I enter this journey of motherhood, is to be as present as possible in the birth/newborn bubble, so I can get my bearings about me, learn the ropes to the best of my ability, and recover. This is not going to be a season in which I push myself to wear a bunch of different hats. The focus is learning to wear one hat and figuring out how to best form an outfit around it that is not only sustainable, but one in which Miranda Priestly would approve of.
Many people have asked me if I am scared for birth, to which I respond, not really. Women have been doing this since the beginning of time. It is quite literally the most natural thing you can do. I am not denying that it will be one of the most intense challenges of my life, but fearing it does no good for me, rather this next month I am taking the time to prepare for it. Instead of letting the unknown of the future dictate my present, I am controlling what I can control in this moment, preparing what I can prepare for, and setting boundaries accordingly. I hustled hard, so I could have the freedom to spend this next month being as intentional with what I do and consume. This is going to be what determines how I can either show up as the best version of myself in chapter, or totally meltdown in what I can’t control…which is a lot.
Once I’m on the other side of it, I look forward to sharing my experience, what worked, what I’d do differently for the other GIRLYs that will go through it. In the meantime, I promise you won’t miss me too much. There is enough commentary for me to provide on RICH MOM MERCH, Coachella, Summer House Drama, and The Devil Wears Prada 2 to go around ;)
The Masters really Mastered the Merch Moment! As the MERCH GIRLY, I won’t LARP as a golf aficionado outside of an appreciation for the extremely chic WAG aesthetic, BUT I am someone who does live for a merch moment and am always happy to provide my GIRLYs who work in a male dominated industry a talking point… so I can’t help but do a deep dive into one of the most iconic events each year - The Masters, where onsite merch spend generates roughly $70M in revenue during a week-long event. Proving beyond the sporting event itself, the Masters has quietly perfected the formula for a fabulous, strategic merch experience and as a woman in STEM here is the formula I’ve found:
1. Branding That Actually Remains Consistency
Marketers throw around brand continuity” a lot, but Augusta delivers it at the highest level from an obvious marketer’s point of view: the green jacket, the perfectly restrained logo, even the now-infamous pimento cheese sandwich priced at $1.50. It’s not just branding, it's consistency and a communication of excellence as well as a top-tier athletes competing at the highest level of their sport adds another layer of prestige. You’re not just attending an event, you're witnessing excellence in real time in every aspect of the experience. And every piece of merch taps into that same aura of tradition, excellence, and legacy that is expected of the Master’s brand.
2. Exclusivity That Money Alone Can’t Buy
Like that of a Hermes Birkin, money isn’t the only thing that provides access to this event. Attendance isn’t just expensive, it's elusive. A lottery system, limited access, and insane resale prices create a level of scarcity most brands can only dream of. The result? Simply being there becomes part of the status. And when access is that restricted, merch becomes tangible proof you made it. The audience isn’t just affluent, they understand the value of the world they are experiencing, so they are more than willing to pay a premium for it.
3. Forced Presence
It seems counterintuitive as most of today’s brands and events are constantly trying to engineer virality. The Masters does the unthinkable… and prohibits phone usage creating a bubble, rather than a broadcast. It makes attendees be present in this curated moment without the ability to post or be distracted by the outside world as well as create an additional level of curiosity to outsiders about what exactly is going on. Ironically, making the merch even more valuable. Without an influencer’s immediate POV, the physical items become the primary way to capture and bring the event home.
In short, the formula is complete, the event is the moment, and the merch is something to commemorate a memory where you couldn’t sniff a struggle, or for those who weren’t able to get in. Because when there is an event known for a premium experience, there is limited access to, and attendees are forced to be present in it, the merch becomes the only way to take a piece of the moment home with you, making it both fabulous and strategic.
Mantra of the Month – We make decisions with clarity and confidence.
There is so much freedom in knowing that there is no such thing as a wrong decision. By giving ourselves the grace and respect to make decisions with confidence, we are providing ourselves more time and energy for what is next. Every action and step forward comes with its own unique set of consequences for the good and the bad, but second guessing, over-explaining, or even wondering how to make everyone involved happy sets a terrible precedent and will leave us depleted for the next step. With our heads and hearts in the right place, we will understand what exactly to prioritize and be able to course correct as we go. Not everyone needs to understand our decisions in the immediate and there is no need to overexplain it. Our actions and results will command respect and provide us with an abundance of relevant experiences to make us even more confident in our decision making in the future… That’s all!
XX,
MERCH GIRLY
Savannah Dmytriw — better known as MERCH GIRLY — didn’t exactly plan on joining the promotional products industry. (Thank you, pandemic layoffs.) Thrown into unprecedented times with even more unprecedented circumstances, Savannah built a thriving book of business while marketing budgets everywhere were frozen solid. Armed with creativity and sheer determination, she landed a $3.5M client in her first calendar year and continues to hunt whales as the VP of Marketing at TEAM SCG. Her approach isn’t to just “sell swag”, rather she sees herself as a brand connoisseur — someone who dives deep into a brand’s essence before suggesting a single product. When she’s not crafting fabulous campaigns, you’ll find her chronicling merch moments on her Instagram @MERCHGIRLY, pulling inspiration from the wellness, live event, hospitality, and luxury retail worlds. Her fresh perspective has earned her a spot as a Top 10 Influencer on PPAI’s Online 18 and a feature in The Marketing Millennials newsletter and podcast, cementing her status as the girly twirly authority in the merch game.