Buzzworthy: Super Fans
Nothing says fan like merch. Whether you wait in line for hours or spend thousands of dollars, branded gear shows how much you care. From sold-out concerts to the most-watched shows and movies of the year, merch keeps stardom alive. Get inspiration from these buzzworthy promos.
Apple x Nike Team Up For New Ted Lasso Apparel
To celebrate the final season of the critically acclaimed show, Apple partnered with Nike to create a line of Ted Lasso apparel. Since its debut, Ted Lasso has won four Emmy awards. This show’s fans “believe” it’s one of the greatest. The final episode streamed May 31, but the apparel was slated to hit (virtual) shelves in early June.
Before this, Nike was already selling Ted Lasso x AFC Richmond apparel, but this will be the first time fans can buy merchandise directly from Apple. Warner Bros., the show’s producer, also sells exclusive promo like jerseys, a soccer ball, a teacup & saucer set and dartboards.
Image: Warner Bros.
Beyoncé’s Renaissance World Tour Inspires Fan-made Merch
Superstar Beyoncé kicked off her Renaissance World Tour in mid-May, dazzling fans with out-of-this-world performances and fashion moments. Queen Bey left social media buzzing, inspiring fans to recreate her looks. Official merchandise could only be bought during the tour. Some VIP ticket holders received a chrome tote bag, a motorized fan that projects the phrase “fan me off” and a Renaissance tour hat.
But Beyoncé fans will do anything to get her merch – even make it themselves. Fans who missed the show can rely on the Beyhive for custom fan-made merch. These Renaissance-inspired sweatshirts, T-shirts, keychains, candles, hats and mugs feature song lyrics and tour elements.
Image: Etsy
Succession Lives On In Merch
HBO’s intense corporate drama Succession aired its last episode on May 28. Fans finally saw who ultimately succeeded in this über-rich modern family dynasty. No spoilers here!
While we say goodbye to Waystar and the Roy siblings, some things will last forever. The characters’ famous one-liners and appalling insults will live on in memes and pop culture. It’s not enough to retweet or post a clip from the Emmy-winning show. Fans want to wear it. Iconic moments, like Kendall Roy rapping “L to the OG” or Tom Wambsgans sending 67 emails in one evening with the title “You Can’t Make A Tomlette Without Breaking Some Greggs,” are memorialized in merch.
Image: Etsy
One Fan Spends $11k On Taylor Swift Tour Merch
Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour had a tumultuous start. But even after a ticket sale debacle, with lawsuits hurled at company Ticketmaster, fans remain undeterred. The Grammy-winning artist continues to sell out shows and amass hour-long lines for her exclusive merch. Before her tour even began, Swift released a collection of Eras Tour merch. But there are some items you can only get at the concert, like a blue crewneck that went viral on social media.
Cosmopolitan says it’s one of the reasons why fans are camping out for concert promo. One fan told the New York Times, “I’ve been having nightmares about getting this crew neck. I haven’t been sleeping.” At a Tampa show, Swifties lined up in the rain, with lawn chairs and blankets, 12 hours before merch trucks arrived. In Houston, the merch line could be seen from helicopters. But one mom in New Jersey takes the cake, spending $11,000 on concert merch for her daughter’s sweet 16.
Image: Taylor Swift Store
Politicians Auction Off Used Promo Lip Balm For Thousands
A used cherry-flavored lip balm fetched $100,000 – yes, you read that right – in May among House Republicans. The promo item, branded with a candidate’s name and produced from the pockets of Speaker Kevin McCarthy (and, ahem, already used by him), was purchased, along with a dinner invitation for supporters, by a pledge from Georgia Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene to the GOP campaign fund. The lip balm itself came from the campaign of first-time Florida Rep. Aaron Bean, who also served as auctioneer. The odd bidding is not uncommon for political promo. Some collectors will spend big on these little pieces of history.
Image: Twitter
