Counter-Print's new book argues merch is making a big comeback

Merchandise is like a quiet friend who's always there, but we've sadly forgotten about. Sure, we often brush shoulders with the tote bags and pin badges, but I remember the days when branding on mugs and lunchboxes was a huge part of our lives. Who doesn't smile fondly at the memory of a Mr T pencil case, a Weetabix Club tee or a flask paying tribute to Snoopy?

Ok, I'm showing my age. (I'm a Xennial, if you must know.) But merch hasn't been the same since the 1980s. Which is why a new book by Counter-Print shows that might be changing. It's launched its latest book, Merch: We Love Our Customers, arguing that it's no longer a forgettable giveaway but a powerful, intimate marketing channel. It says, "Physical, tactile and enduring, it places brands directly into people’s hands and daily routines. When approached with intention, merch becomes more than decoration – it becomes strategy: reinforcing identity, expressing values and building emotional connection through repeated use."

Founded in 2008 by Céline Leterme and Jon Dowling, Counter-Print is an independent publisher and online bookstore that has become a firm favourite amongst creatives. Their own titles often celebrate the work our industry creates, always with a clear theme.

Over 200 pages, Merch spotlights various projects by brands and agencies who have used merchandise to their advantage. There's the work Hey Studio did for Casa ñidro. In creating the restaurant's brand identity, Veronica and her team asked, "Can creativity be translated into tangible treasures?" The answer is yes. They leaned on vintage 1970s typography and a red-and-cream palette, then rolled the look out across everything from the restaurant's striped awning to tote bags and staff T-shirts.

Then there's Dirty Vegan, a Swedish restaurant and bar that's entirely plant-based but didn't want to look wholesome or twee. Their vegan junk food and craft beer demanded something funkier, so designer Jens Nilsson gave it an identity that looks better suited to a Berlin nightclub than a saintly food shop. An unforgettable lip-licking mouth logo appears on its neon sign, stickers... even a patch embroidered on sweatshirts and printed across brown paper bags that read 'Dirt Bag' and 'Little Dirt Never Hurt'.

My favourite, though, is probably Angel & Anchor's work for the 2023 World AeroPress Championship in Melbourne. For inspiration, the studio thought of the classic Australian milkbar, which was a corner shop selling sticky ice creams and sweets, now a rare find down under. It meant the merch went proper nostalgic, with mugs stamped 'Yeah Nah, Nah Yeah' and tote bags with a bottle-cap-style badge on one side.

I can't think of any creative who doesn't love a tote bag. I've got about 12 hanging on the bag of my office door. You have to be careful which one you choose. Case in point: I once went and did a campaign with a brand carrying a rival's logo without thinking. It caused a bit of a stir, to say the least. But it meant they booked us again.

And when I go to any events or festivals, I always grab a ton of stickers and badges, bookmarks and pencils – bringing them all home for my nephew to enjoy. (He thinks I'm amazing right now. He's 10 and couldn't believe the last haul. I returned from PictoPlasma in Berlin with about a hundred stickers.)

Flipping through the pages of Merch, I see the joy of physical branding everywhere. It's right there on the book's title and cover: 'We Love Our Customers'. Céline and Jon have understood the assignment, promising to give away bookmarks and badges with the first 100 copies sold.

A really nice touch is that you can choose what's on the book's cover. A shirt or balloon... even an umbrella. At just £25, it's an easy decision to support an independent and buy a copy; it's even harder to choose a cover. Personally, it's either the pencil or the basketball for me. I admit, I've not seen inside all of its pages yet. But does the basketball suggest Yinka Illori is in there, too?

I have to find out. You can, too, by grabbing a copy today. And if you enjoy flipping through books like this, then do check out Counter-Print's other titles. And if merch is your thing, its shop has a whole section dedicated to branded items, including mugs, badges, tote bags, and caps.

Which leaves me with one question: should Creative Boom launch its own merchandise? Our friendly (often cheeky) eyes on caps, badges and bookmarks? One to ponder. Watch this space.