Intro – Soooo we are going to switch this up a bit because Mama needs to simplify… that’s right, I just referred to myself as “Mama”, which was super cringey to type out and I promise I’m using it ironically, but… yes… this means that I am pregnant and expecting child in May 2026. I still cannot entirely believe it, but I feel extremely appreciative all the growing I have had to do and all the growth that is to come with this new chapter… Moreso figuratively speaking… still coming to terms in the more literal/physical sense (I’m just a GIRLY).
Some of you are not entirely surprised by this, but for those that did not pick up on it, please know that it has been a pretty large secret to keep for the last 17 weeks. To be completely honest, I was not entirely sure how to share this news, because I did not have time to fully process this massive life change. I found out as soon as I got back from my trip to Italy and then had three work trips immediately after - 10 flights in my first trimester… which I recommend to no one. This kept my mind in a million places, while also trying to focus on the most important thing, taking care of myself while growing a human. With all this going on, I deeply struggled to get in front of a camera and not acknowledge the most exciting part of my life amidst the amazing professional accomplishments that were happening simultaneously. It did not feel genuine, so my avoidant self could not be coaxed into to showing up online every day, but rather here and there when I was feeling somewhat up for it. Because let me tell you, this whole pregnancy thing gives me a whole new respect for women. I may lose any male readers at this time, but the changes the body goes through, the mental gymnastics you must do to feel sane while navigating major hormonal shifts and hyping yourself up to just show up for the smallest tasks while your energy levels are at an all-time low, is not talked about enough.
I am very much looking forward to now being able to talk this personal evolution … but with that said, I need to restructure this blog a bit and simplify, by just giving you what is hot and what is not from my POV – Chic & Chit. This in no way will be my retirement from sharing my perspective on merch and marketing and I will not be changing from MERCH GIRLY to MERCH MAMA. Simply put, MERCH GIRLY is having a MERCH BABY and GIRLY is not limited to an age, or stage of an women’s life. A GIRLY is someone who remains in the know and constantly strives to become the most iconic version of herself while exuding confidence in exactly who she is at her core!
A Tasteful Truth – Cloud Dancer is the most iconic pantone color of the year!
Now, hear me out is the 2026 Pantone color of the year, Cloud Dancer, the most inspired “Color of the Year”? No… but is it the most versatile color to have been named “Color of the Year”? ABSO-FREAKING-LUTELY - Making it extremely iconic for us in the merch industry!!!
It is easy to hate on the “blandness” of the 2026 PMS color selection – White for Pantone color of the year.. Groundbreaking (True GIRLYs will understand The Devil Wears Prada reference). However, this is the first pantone color of the year that any brand can use in their merch strategy because it is accounted for in just about every brand guideline ever created. The past years’ selections have been very limiting. Please let me know many clients you could successfully pitch Mocha Mousse, Peach Fuzz, or Viva Magenta to?
Rather than being annoyed by this color, you can choose to be inspired by the opportunity it provides you. It is a color that not only many brands can get behind, but that many people feel comfortable sporting. With a quiet luxury trend still at the forefront, this color selection allows us to lean into the subtlety of a merch strategy, while also being able to sound like subject matter experts by pitching a PMS color of the year merch line. The products will most likely not be the biggest statement pieces in the brand’s capsule, but it just might become the most utilized and appreciated piece by a wider range of people because it is the least offensive color known to man.
Chic – New Years Gifts!
Even the best strategized holiday gifts can be less impressionable with all the noise around EOY gifting for clients. Since it is the time of year that everyone is trying to do the same thing by wanting to send out something with some sort of messaging of reflective gratitude, it creates less optionality between limited inventory, production times, and shipping delays. A few well-oiled machines start planning for holiday gifts mid-year, or even Q3, while many frantically flail and try to get their order in last minute.
When faced with a procrastinator, it is worth mentioning waiting for the craziness to settle down and send out a gift at the beginning of the year with a message of inspiration and support. New Year’s gifts provide an opportunity to stand out and send products with intention to help people show up as the best versions of themselves in this new year, without as much chaotic energy, which is CHIC!
Chit – Apparel in any heather color besides light heather gray!
Heather gray is a timeless color that exudes a very vintage feel and has been adopted by the retail market for quite some time. It is extremely popular, and does in fact look extremely chic. But leave it to our industry to take something cool and expand upon it in the wrong direction because then somewhere, someone said “let’s try this in every color for variation”, which should have worked in theory, but somehow is just giving tradeshow or corporate run. The problem is not only the tragic dimensional coloring of the garments, but the fact that the variation of the coloring will expose any sweat while worn. This makes it un-cool and inconvenient for any event that may get a bit heated… such as a tradeshow or corporate run, which is CHIT!
Mantra – I am not afraid to make a mistake.
Let’s be super clear… mistakes are not to be feared, but we can hold hands and admit they are extremely inconvenient. Mistakes are the inevitable headache that comes with learning any new skill. Whether it be an oversight or the unknown, it is the rite of passage while doing anything of value. When you make enough mistakes and overcome them with a combination of critical thinking and swift action, you start to realize the art is in the recovery and it will build your confidence in your ability to do hard things.
While you continue to do things outside of your comfort zone and grow, you will continue to make mistakes and then start to realize there are very few mistakes that cannot be fixed and there is often an abundance of value in getting through the experience of recovering from a mistake. This mindset shift allows you to not fear mistakes, but to see them as an evolution opportunity that shapes you into the most resilient version of yourself.
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.