Behind the Mic: Beyond Basic Band Merch

posted in: Features

No matter whose merch table you visit, chances are you will find t-shirts and CDs on display. They are both great promotional items and relatively inexpensive to mass produce. But music is a business, after all, and at the end of the day, your band is your brand. And, like a brand name, your band should do everything possible to stand out from the crowd. This means coming up with some slick designs and merch ideas. Here are some beyond-basic products that fans are lining up to grab.

Show some skin. Many people spend all day on their laptop. They use their iPod when they leave the house and spend a lot of time texting and making phone calls. How great would it be if your band could be promoted every time someone uses these three devices? Artists such as Fall Out Boy, Lady Gaga and No Doubt use Web sites like DingLife.com to sell band-customized “skins”- protective vinyl stickers that cover the entire back of a device. Your band can sell through these sites too, so design an awesome skin and start sticking!

Toys, toys, toys: Toys are not just for kids. In fact, they are making a huge comeback in beyond-basic band merch. From U2‘s Lego set to Cinematic Sunrise‘s coloring book lyric booklet, toys are both fan must-haves and cool collector items. Arts and crafts merch is becoming popular too, thanks to performers like OurStage artist NeverShoutNever, who sells a make-your-own-bracelet kit, and Kanye West, who had paper dolls of his album logo. Some more great ideas include Frisbees, coloring books and stuffed animals (wearing your band’s t-shirt, of course).

Badge of honor: The laminated tour pass is a triple threat. These limited-edition badges make fans feel as though they’re VIPs at your show. They also make great souvenirs that trump any collection of crumpled up concert tickets. The greatest part of the tour pass though, is that it can act as a real pass for fans, like a pass for an exclusive performance or a discount card for any purchase. VersaEmerge used this idea as a pre-order option for their latest album, Fixed at Zero. Fans could purchase the laminate, which had a download code on the back, and also use it to cut the line at the band’s merch table and signings at Bamboozle and Warped Tour. The possibilities for the tour pass are endless, so get creative with the design and make sure your fans feel like stars, too.

Merch is all about making your fans feel like they’re part of a community. The more creative and limited your merch is, the hotter an item it will be. Let us know what great ideas you come up with!