Interview with Tanya Tereshchenko, Swag42 Chief Graphic Designer.
Clothing is a visual language that speaks much about the person and the brand—if we talk about corporate merchandise. Thus, merch design can either skyrocket or ruin a brand’s reputation and people’s loyalty. See the industry stats on reducing employee turnover with thoughtful swag.
Therefore, Swag42 approaches merchandise design carefully and individually for different people and occasions. We asked our Chief Graphic Designer, Tanya Tereshchenko, how to design merch that really works for every occasion.
Q: What’s the difference between event, client and team gifts?
A: Speaking about corporate gifts, we should focus on their purpose and our relationship with the gift owners. For coworkers, it’s about fostering a sense of belonging and pride in the brand. We want to create merch that employees feel excited to wear daily, not just as a promo item but as part of their identity.
With gifts for clients and partners, we enhance the brand perception and build stronger connections. We want to create a memorable and high-quality experience, so this merch should remind people of our relationship, strengthening loyalty and trust.
Regarding event merch, we aim to attract visitors and stand out from co-exhibitors to make our brand memorable. Event swag needs to be something people can remember and show off. Considering the merch purpose, we create designs that meet the goal.
Q: How are these differences reflected in merch design?
A: For coworkers, the merchandise design should reflect the company’s values and offer something useful, high-quality, and comfortable. It can be a T-shirt with a brand slogan or a hoodie with a mascot integrated into a creative design. The goal is for employees to feel that the merch is personalized and reflects the company they believe in.
Here, the gifts effect is multiplied when you create a swag collection. You gift not just one item a year but several matching products to express care and appreciation continuously.
The designs for clients and partners are different. We focus on a polished and sophisticated look, incorporating elements of luxury to make the recipients feel special. We select premium products from our collections and carefully approach the slogan—it should reflect the Swag42’s and partners’ matching values and have a personal touch with the owners.
Q: And what about merch for events?
A: As we want maximum effect in the short term, it should resonate with a large and diverse crowd. The merch design has to be trendy, fun, brave, reflective of the event itself.
Look at the photo below: thanks to the eye-catching neon prints on the contrasting background, our T-shirts attract conference guests. And we always get orders for similar T-shirts afterwards.
Q: Can you show how to design merch on examples?
A: Sure, let’s take real examples. For employees, we choose casual models with uniting and warm messages (“Swag42 family”, “Love what you do”, “If you can dream it, you can do it”).
To express even more appreciation, we create personalized designs for birthday gifts, highlighting the uniqueness of every Swag42 employee:
As for partners, we select products from our premium collections and embellish them with personalized prints. For example, recently we prepared the gift boxes for VIP clients. We included a trendy acid-washed hoodie with a print about leadership, confidence, and a balance of brave creativity and timeless elegance.
In contrast, let me show you a super-catching event giveaway—a large-scale DTG print made for BGaming in collaboration with an artist:
Q: How do you approach the design process?
A: The design process always starts with inspiration; for me, it’s always about the people—our team, our clients, and their stories. I’m inspired by the interplay of color and light, the texture of materials, and the energy that comes from merging different creative elements.
Within the Fashion Department, it’s a dynamic and collaborative process. We study the brand, build mood boards, experiment with colors, and explore unique textures. We treat merchandise as wearable art, blending trends with originality to create pieces that are not only stunning but also meaningful and functional.
Q: Can you share some creative customization ideas?
There are no limits to imagination, but to name a few:
- Integration with other brands sharing your values. For example, we created a limited drop with CoinsPaid and BGaming for the Champions Lounge event in the iconic Formula 1 home.
- Digital merchandise. Now, you can revolutionize your merch with NFC, QR codes, and AR (spoiler: new AR swag is about to appear in our catalog).
- Company merch shop is an innovative way of digital merch distribution.
- Invest in experience. For example, organize an on-site performance during the event, like real-time designing with an artist, or gift an advent calendar for partners or coworkers.
Q: Any final thoughts on merch design?
A: Merchandise is one of the most effective ways to communicate a brand’s identity. Today, a successful brand is not defined by its logo; it’s about the style and story it tells through every detail, including merch. The design can represent the mood, culture, and lifestyle the brand promotes.
For instance, a company that promotes sustainability would focus on eco-friendly materials and designs that reflect this value. Likewise, the merch would feature bold, forward-thinking designs for a brand that stands for creativity and innovation. When done right, merch isn’t just a product—it becomes a statement.