Branded merch strategies for college admissions

The ROI Case for Branded Merch, Even in Challenging Times

December 8, 2025

In a time when financial, political, and AI pressures on higher education seem to be at an all-time high, it makes sense for colleges to be cautious. When the future is uncertain, it is natural to approach marketing with caution.   During uncertain times, colleges naturally want to be cautious. But being overly careful with revenue-driving departments like admissions and advancement can be a penny-wise/pound-foolish strategy (one of my favorite phrases from a previous boss). Cutting marketing resources for areas that generate revenue can backfire, potentially creating a downward spiral. Of

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McJeans

When Merch Becomes a Movement

December 8, 2025

The best branded merch doesn’t just promote a logo – it captures a moment and turns it into meaning. When something feels special, people connect with it on a deeper level. They want to wear it, share it, and be part of the story it tells. That’s the power of merch that taps into emotion, not just logic. It leverages a few timeless principles: Exclusivity builds loyalty. Owning something “not everyone can get” makes people feel like insiders. Collaboration creates energy. Partnering with another brand, artist, or influencer brings audiences

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Titan 100 Hall of Fame Honoree

Captain and Founder, Michael Wolaver, Named to 2026 Wisconsin Titan 100 Hall of Fame

November 6, 2025

We’re proud to announce that Michael Wolaver, Captain and Founder of Magellan Promotions, has been named a 2026 Wisconsin Titan 100 recipient. The Titan 100 program recognizes Wisconsin’s top 100 CEOs and C-level executives who exemplify exceptional leadership, vision, and passion in their industries. Collectively, this year’s Titan 100 honorees employ over 64,000 individuals and generate more than $14 billion in annual revenue.   Michael founded Magellan Promotions in 2005 with a vision to help colleges use branded merchandise to build community and connection. Over the past two decades, Magellan

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Branded merch builds student belonging

The Connection Between Campus Sonar’s Insights and the Power of Branded Merch

October 30, 2025

One of my longest and closest higher ed connections is Liz Gross, Founder & CEO of Campus Sonar. We met when I was working to break into the higher ed space with the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee, our first collegiate client. At the time, Liz worked in Residence Life and helped us get our start there, and we’ve stayed close ever since. I love how Campus Sonar uses social media data to understand how students think about colleges and generates insights that help institutions reach the right prospects and boost enrollment.

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Holiday College Fundraising Merch Pop-Ups

Holiday Merch Fundraising For Colleges

October 8, 2025

Holiday College Fundraising Merch Pop-Ups The holidays are a perfect opportunity for colleges to implement a branded merch pop up shop as a fundraising opportunity.  Pop up shops are a way to connect with your donors, allow them to show their affinity and buy uniquely curated products. It is a warm pair of cozy branded wool socks with a snow covered depiction of campus or a fuzzy embroidered blanket for them to sit next to their fireplace while they drink cocoa from their ceramic spirited mug.  While the college is

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Greatest Companies to Work For

Magellan Promotions Named Greatest Companies to Work For, 3 Years in a Row

September 12, 2025

Of the 15,000 members represented by PPAI, 116 industry companies earned a coveted spot on PPAI’s annual Greatest Companies To Work For list. We’re proud to announce that Magellan Promotions has been honored with this title for the third consecutive year. As our industry expands with the growing number of companies, this recognition affirms the importance of strong workplace culture and employee well-being. This achievement carries great pride because it is a direct testament to the team culture at Magellan Promotions. The award is based on direct feedback from our

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Variable Data Best Practices

  • At the quoting stage of your project, please let us know how many fields of variable data your piece will have as this can affect pricing.
  • Data should be provided to us as an Excel spreadsheet with only the applicable data included.
  • Verbiage for variable data fields on artwork file should match up exactly with data fields on spreadsheet.
  • Spacing on artwork must allow for longest data entries. We recommend that your designer tests this in advance to confirm that the fields in the design can fit your longest pieces of data.

Postage Permits

We are happy to mail using a client’s USPS non-profit number. Here are a few best practices for this to go smoothly. Let our team know up front on the project so we can make sure to get the information we need right away. 

While our mail house does prefer to use their permit number for the mailing, we can use the client’s permit, If using their permit number, ensure there is enough postage to cover the mailing.

The information we need to in order to use a client’s nonprofit number includes the following:

  • CRID (customer registration ID)
  • Non-Profit Authorization Number (with USPS, not their nonprofit number for the university)
  • Non-profit indicia
  • Return address that is on file with USPS for the non-profit authorization number
  • Permit number

Formatting the Mailing List

Our account team will advise on specific requirements for your project’s mailing list.  We generally recommend these best practices to format the mailing list:
  • Send your data in a spreadsheet, saving it in the comma-separated values (CSV) format
  • International addresses must be separated from domestic addresses
  • Domestic addresses should at least contain data fields for “first name”, “last name”, “address 1”, “address 2”, “city”, “state” and “ZIP code”