3097: From T-Shirts to Influence: The Role of Campaign Merchandise in Elections

[00:00:03] How powerful can a T-Shirt or a coffee mug be in driving consumer engagement and influence?

[00:00:12] This is something I've not really thought about until today, and after speaking with my guest Rob Mobsby from Everything Branded,

[00:00:19] together we explored the surprising impact of branded merchandise, particularly within the realm of political campaigns.

[00:00:27] Whether that be influencing voter options to fostering brand loyalty, tangible products like hats, pins and T-Shirts

[00:00:36] offer a unique form of visibility and longevity, reaching far beyond the fleeting moments of digital marketing.

[00:00:45] Yeah, that's right, that LinkedIn post, Facebook post or tweets that you've just sent out, by this afternoon is completely forgotten about.

[00:00:53] And yet, that mug on your desk you've probably had for three years, and that Tech Conference T-Shirt, you've probably had that for two years too.

[00:01:01] So today I want to unpack the findings of Everything Branded's 2024 merch report,

[00:01:07] and learn more about how Americans are engaging with campaign merch this election season,

[00:01:14] and while the demand for branded items is crossing political and demographic lines.

[00:01:19] So how might this enduring power of merch or swag change the way we think about connecting with audiences?

[00:01:28] Well, hopefully after today's conversation, you can answer that question for me.

[00:01:32] But enough from me. Let's get Rob onto the podcast right now.

[00:01:37] A massive warm welcome to the show.

[00:01:40] Can you tell everyone listening a little about who you are and what you do?

[00:01:44] Yeah, hi. So firstly, thank you for inviting me onto this podcast. I'm quite excited to talk to you today.

[00:01:49] My name's Rob Mobsby. I'm a director and head of digital at Everything Branded.

[00:01:53] Branded are a global promotional partner, servicing sort of seven countries across three continents around the world.

[00:01:59] A little bit about a boring bit about me maybe. I'm a father of three kids all under five, so it's all chaos in my world.

[00:02:05] But I like to think that my head's just above the precipitate a little bit.

[00:02:10] So things like this help me relax and we can talk a bit more about business.

[00:02:14] Awesome. I'm looking forward to talking with you today.

[00:02:17] One of the things that put you on my radar was some of the insights from Everything Branded's 2024 political merch report,

[00:02:25] particularly as we're both here in the UK.

[00:02:27] One of the insights there was regarding how Americans perceive and use branded political merchandise.

[00:02:33] Can you expand on that for anyone that's not heard of this report?

[00:02:37] Yeah, so it's something that we've tried to work on across this year is sort of get into a bit more

[00:02:42] in the understanding around merchandise and promotional products and how that fits in today's society.

[00:02:48] So we commissioned a report, certainly around the election, just because we know from history that the American election can be an interesting melting pot of a lot of different things.

[00:02:58] We and we view it from this side of the pond and we're often drawn in because we find it quite fascinating how it works.

[00:03:06] It's very different to our system. And we also know that there's a real power of how merchandise can bring people together, right?

[00:03:16] From different political parties, whether you're red or blue or pink or white or whatever you might look like.

[00:03:21] Merchandise plays a much bigger role in most big events like this than fundamentally most people think about.

[00:03:27] Where promotional products are often the last thing that anybody thinks about before an event or doing something.

[00:03:33] Everyone today in today's world and today's tech world is all about, excuse me, the mobile phone or digital marketing

[00:03:40] or what can you know, how can we get our eyeballs on them on a million people tomorrow?

[00:03:46] Whereas a lot of the statistics you see in this report and other statistics around the old fashioned mug on a desk will be there for an average of three years.

[00:03:55] A social post will be there for five seconds. Right. All gone.

[00:03:59] So there is a real longevity and a real place for merchandise in today's marketing matrix.

[00:04:06] We'll call it that, right? Because it's not just one thing, but it's just a shame at the moment it's often the bottom or the last thing people identify.

[00:04:13] So as part of that, that's why we're doing these. We like to do these sort of reports with our PR team just to sort of start to highlight and flesh out some of those really interesting facts,

[00:04:23] which you've highlighted and probably picked up on and we'll talk about and actually might resonate with a few people.

[00:04:29] Hopefully you listen to this.

[00:04:31] A hundred percent.

[00:04:32] And when I was reading that report, much of what you just said really made me think differently about this.

[00:04:37] So you said the mug on the desk is going to be there for three years where there's a social media post is going to be gone by the afternoon.

[00:04:43] And with so many different advertising options from TV to traditional media, social media,

[00:04:50] why do you think it is branded merchandise that still resonates so strongly, especially in political campaigns since we're in that election season right now?

[00:04:59] Well, I think you can see from some of the statistics around, you know, that it's quite evenly split of people that were sort of expecting to buy

[00:05:07] merchandise whether you were a Democrat or a Republican.

[00:05:11] And even from that, you can see that, you know, above 7% of people will be quite proud to wear their colours in arms, so to speak.

[00:05:18] You know, and we're planning on hopefully part of that would influence others in their decision making process.

[00:05:24] But it's I'm a bit biased. Obviously, I come we're coming from a although I'm a digital guy, I'm coming from a promotional products world.

[00:05:32] So sort of I'm in both camps, if you like. But I think, you know, fundamentally, this day and age, people like something tangible.

[00:05:41] So they like to feel something they might want to pick something up. They want to drink out of it.

[00:05:45] They might want to wave it. They might want to wear it. They might want to hang it in there, put on their bumper sticker.

[00:05:49] They might want to put it on their rearview mirror. They might want to throw it in the air. They might want to pop it, blow it, blow it up.

[00:05:55] They might want to do whatever they want to. But, you know, we can do that with promotional merchandise very easily.

[00:06:00] And I'm a real cost effective basis. We're not talking hundreds and thousands of pounds for a lot of this stuff.

[00:06:05] Depending on a balloon, it's sense. Right. You can buy a thousand balloons very quickly.

[00:06:10] And that can have sometimes just a big impact as spending a thousand pounds on a on a paid advertising campaign through social media.

[00:06:18] So I think when people can physically see it, hear it and have it, I think most people listening here and certainly you, if you've ever been to an exhibition,

[00:06:28] you're probably 90 percent of people first in the day is given a bag.

[00:06:31] Yes, a promotional bag. And then they run around filling it and they fill it with stuff that they don't really need.

[00:06:37] Yeah, I have 20 pens. But, you know, there'll be something in there that they'll go.

[00:06:42] Oh, I like that because, again, promotional products covers such a huge raft of different things from it's not just pens, bags and mugs.

[00:06:50] It can be a million other things that are very tech orientated for your Bluetooth or charging a phone while you're at your desk to whatever that might look like.

[00:06:58] So there's always something in there that someone will end up keeping.

[00:07:01] And nine times out of 10, it's probably the bag. I'm totally truthful.

[00:07:05] Yeah, 100 percent. I'm someone who goes to tech conferences all around the world and I'm a big believer in the swag bag.

[00:07:11] I like to hunt that stuff down.

[00:07:13] There's things that I use even now, like a MagSafe charger, for example, nice little foldable one I can take with me on my travels and charge my watch and headphones and phone at the same time.

[00:07:23] Things like that are really useful.

[00:07:24] Yeah, I mean, and that's what promotional products used to be a little bit.

[00:07:29] It's cheap. It's naff. It's a gimmick.

[00:07:31] It's a giveaway.

[00:07:32] Now, there is still the element.

[00:07:34] But things, if you're talking about tech orientated power bank nowadays, you just talked about it.

[00:07:39] They're so useful because what don't you need to charge anymore?

[00:07:42] You've probably got five or six devices that will need some sort of power at some point.

[00:07:45] And if you've got one in the middle of nowhere, good old power banks will come in very, very handy.

[00:07:50] Yeah, man.

[00:07:51] The report also highlighted another stat.

[00:07:53] I think it was 63 percent have been more likely to engage with a business if they see it on a friend's merchandise compared to other forms of marketing.

[00:08:02] So what do you think that tells us also about the power of human connection in advertising?

[00:08:07] Which again, I think is quite fascinating, especially because we're in such a technology and digital dominated world.

[00:08:14] It's kind of nice to know it's still there in a way, this human connection.

[00:08:19] We found even since COVID, right, that people like to belong to things a little bit more than they used to these days.

[00:08:26] And they're quite happy to wear it and share it, like it and everything else and comment on it.

[00:08:31] But if you've got something that's a new starter packs, for example, the new starter pack wasn't really a thing for new employees pre COVID.

[00:08:39] You might have got a pen and a note, more traditional things.

[00:08:42] But now when you start the job, you might have on your desk a nice parcel and it will have everything you possibly need and it will be personalized.

[00:08:51] Right.

[00:08:51] And we even commissioned a report, I think, and maybe not quote me on this, but I think 17 to 19% of people made a decision based on what merchandise they were going to get when they started the job.

[00:09:04] And often that can be, again, we've moved on from pens, bags and mugs.

[00:09:08] It could have been a hoodie or a T-shirt or something for your car or a nice laptop bag.

[00:09:12] There's a lot of people more mobile these days.

[00:09:14] So the quality of promotional products is on the rise all the time.

[00:09:19] Tech is on the rise.

[00:09:19] So people are making decisions about their future based on promotional or swag or merchandise, which is bonkers, but it's there.

[00:09:28] Right. And to show you that the people are looking for something other than necessarily scrolling or swiping left and they're looking for something else.

[00:09:36] And that goes back to my point around that if you have something that's tangible and you can wear it and you can see it and feel it and hold it, then you're part of something, a business.

[00:09:45] It might be a business or a team or society or whatever, or a political party.

[00:09:50] It's there. Right. And I think that's what's powerful.

[00:09:53] And then that also can have an impact on if I'm happy to wear a blue T-shirt and I see other people wearing blue T-shirts, then I sort of might physically hone in on those people because they might have the same beliefs and likings and think like me.

[00:10:08] I think that's very powerful, especially when I don't think anybody looks up anymore.

[00:10:12] It's more down and swiping. We need to start a lookup campaign, I think.

[00:10:17] I love the example you used there of a new starter.

[00:10:20] And if I'm a new starter in a new business and I'm feeling a little bit overwhelmed and a little bit nervous on that first day and I arrive at my desk and there's a personalized pack of swag and goodies and stuff.

[00:10:30] The first thing I'm going to be doing is I'm going to be sharing that on LinkedIn and Facebook and tagging the company and saying how welcome I feel, which again, a word like that can spread far and wide on what a good place it is to work for too.

[00:10:43] Correct. Yeah. And if you're in the tech world, for example, my history, I went to Amazon many moons ago and their location was poor versus the apples of Google.

[00:10:52] So how could you attract talent? How can a tech world do you recruit the best of the best?

[00:10:56] So if 15 to 20% of people are deciding on what you might get on day one, then yeah, I'm going to go and buy some really nice promotional stuff, make it personalized.

[00:11:03] So you come and join me and then hopefully you stay. So it has a real big bearing these days.

[00:11:09] As I said a few months ago, we are in the political season about a lot of US listeners.

[00:11:13] So in terms of political merchandise, clothing like T-shirts and hats seem to be more popular than ever.

[00:11:20] Why is it that you think wearable merchandise remains such a powerful tool for political expression, shall we say?

[00:11:27] I think the quality of the product is on the rise.

[00:11:31] It used to be 50p for a T-shirt. You'd wear it once. You might wash it and it would probably disintegrate.

[00:11:37] Right. Those days are now gone.

[00:11:39] So I think the hoodies, the T-shirts, the hats, the caps, they're all par people's sort of looking for.

[00:11:46] I don't want to say fashion sense, but they're everyday wearable items.

[00:11:51] Now, whether it's an event that happens for a week, a month, a year or whatever, and from a political perspective,

[00:11:56] it's once every sort of four years, you've bought that hoodie, you've worn it.

[00:12:01] People know sort of maybe a bit more about you because of what you're wearing, but you're proud to still wear that post that.

[00:12:07] Your decision doesn't stop once that day or that event happens.

[00:12:10] You'll have that hoodie forever.

[00:12:11] And I suppose I liken it to more the American college scene and universities where, you know,

[00:12:19] 10, 20 years later, after someone's graduated, they're still quite wearing,

[00:12:22] they're wearing their Harvard hoodie or their Yale T-shirt still to that day because they probably haven't grown or got any bigger, for example.

[00:12:30] But again, it's something that they keep as a keepsake.

[00:12:34] And I think, well, why don't we wear it?

[00:12:35] Because the quality is still there.

[00:12:37] Yeah.

[00:12:38] And I was just thinking, as you were talking there,

[00:12:40] the amount of conference T-shirts that I have from a few years ago that I still wear around the house and things and that thing that's still with me.

[00:12:46] And going back to the report, I mean, it also revealed that on the political side of things, when a candidate loses, most people still keep that political merch.

[00:12:55] So what is it, do you think, that drives that attachment to campaign memorabilia, even if the outcome isn't favourable for what they were supporting?

[00:13:03] Well, I suppose once you've sort of, say, set that fork in the ground and you've made a decision that you might want to vote for

[00:13:09] and you've gone through that emotional rollercoaster ride, let's call it, because the US is a little bit more rollercoaster than, say, the British political system.

[00:13:17] I think at that point, you sort of made your point and you are still quite happy and proud to be a supporter of that particular party.

[00:13:26] And again, to my previous point with the last question, I think that it's still a nice item to wear.

[00:13:30] Yeah, even if you take quality out of it, the designs of them are a lot nicer and a lot smarter than they used to be, not just the name.

[00:13:38] People are thinking about longevity because there's so much money to be made in promotional merchandise, probably for these political parties.

[00:13:45] Consumer or the voters will also see these as the reports sort of suggest that they're donating part of their money.

[00:13:52] If they're buying a blue hoodie or a red hoodie, part of that is sort of a donation, if you like, to that political party.

[00:13:59] So again, sort of reaffirming what their political aspirations or their voting rights is going to look like.

[00:14:05] I think that people are also loathe to throw things away these days.

[00:14:09] And I know from a person with three children that we upcycle all our clothes.

[00:14:13] We don't throw anything away anymore because there's always someone having another one.

[00:14:16] And again, I think that might be the same with clothes.

[00:14:18] It's not just a landfill product anymore.

[00:14:21] They bought it, they paid for it, they're emotionally attached.

[00:14:23] So why not continue to wear it?

[00:14:25] And the data also showed that men are more likely to buy political merchandise than women and are willing to spend more.

[00:14:32] I'm curious, do you think that reflects broader trends in how men and women engage with branded merchandise?

[00:14:37] Or is there something else going on there?

[00:14:39] I think, to be fair, that's a bit of an anomaly because it's not something that we would look at.

[00:14:42] From my perspective, we focus on more like the type of business, the size of it, the scale of it, what industry it's in.

[00:14:50] Not necessarily the gender of the person buying it.

[00:14:53] Because ultimately, 99% of the time, the people buying promotional products and merchandise from us are a CEO or an SME person.

[00:15:02] Or they are a procurement team or they're a secretary.

[00:15:05] And they're buying it for particular events.

[00:15:06] So it's never actually been something that we've recorded or analysed on a deeper level.

[00:15:12] But we will do moving forward because we'll have another election in four years' time.

[00:15:17] And if we can furnish ourselves with information now, then we can plan and probably influence, let's say,

[00:15:22] maybe more purchases of promotional products based on gender rather than political party.

[00:15:27] And given the popularity of political merch right across party lines with similar purchase rates between Republicans and Democrats,

[00:15:35] everyone picks their side, how do you at Everything Branded navigate creating products that cater to these distinct political demographics?

[00:15:43] It must be a nice problem to have for you there.

[00:15:45] Yeah, it is.

[00:15:46] I mean, internally, we have discussions before we're going to do anything of this sort of magnitude.

[00:15:52] It doesn't happen that often.

[00:15:54] Certainly from America, we have Super Bowl, right?

[00:15:56] Do things around there.

[00:15:57] But it's a little bit easier because there's two teams.

[00:15:59] And again, it's not the whole country necessarily who are involved in that particular event.

[00:16:05] But the way we look at it is we try and take a neutral approach, right?

[00:16:09] Because we're not affiliated or we don't sway to one particular party.

[00:16:13] So 95% of the time, we'll do some standard products that we know will sell regardless, right?

[00:16:18] We know from historical data that they sell.

[00:16:21] They'll always be part of our supply chain who throw a few curveballs with different type of merchandise.

[00:16:26] And we'll look to introduce those, but they'll be marketed slightly different because nine times out of 10, your flags, your stickers, etc., they're going to sell.

[00:16:34] Every single time, it's like the UK market, pens, bags and mugs.

[00:16:38] You're going to sell 90% of that.

[00:16:39] So every day, every election items, which will cover 85%, 90%.

[00:16:44] You'll have a few left field ones.

[00:16:46] And also what you'll get is you will get quite a few requests.

[00:16:50] And what we do with those requests, we tend to analyze those requests based on what they're asking for versus whether we can do it or not.

[00:16:58] And also whether we want to do it or not.

[00:17:01] Because depending on what the request is, we may feel comfortable doing it or we may not feel comfortable as a business doing it because of what it may reflect to the outside world.

[00:17:10] And that stems a bit from my sort of background with Amazon is that we wanted to stay politically neutral.

[00:17:18] And we have turned down requests for one party or the other based on what they wanted to say.

[00:17:23] We don't want to promote, how should I put it, profanity on items or direct insults is another thing that we have had requests about, which we've decided, no, that's not for us.

[00:17:35] And if someone else wants to do it, that's fine, no problem.

[00:17:37] But we made that decision that we weren't there to do that, to try and stay as neutral as we possibly could.

[00:17:43] And one of the things I try and do on this podcast every day is highlight how technology is impacting every business out there.

[00:17:50] Every company is a tech business almost as well, and especially areas that you don't automatically associate with tech.

[00:17:56] So a question for you I've got to ask.

[00:17:57] I mean, as the world becomes more digital, how are you at Everything Branded continuing to evolve and integrate digital experiences?

[00:18:04] With tangible products to stay relevant here?

[00:18:08] Yeah, it's a really good question.

[00:18:09] And you think of promotional products and swag a bit more old fashioned, right?

[00:18:13] Yeah.

[00:18:13] As an industry.

[00:18:14] And to be fair, we are.

[00:18:16] Certainly in the UK, we're probably seen as a cottage style type of industry.

[00:18:19] But we, at Everything Branded personally and with our founder, we're very big into tech and how tech can improve,

[00:18:28] not just operation from an internal perspective, but also from a customer experience.

[00:18:33] If we can provide a better solution using AI integrated tools, for example, or a different type of software that helps capture data

[00:18:42] or provide the customer with enough information for them to purchase, then we'll explore it and we'll investigate.

[00:18:48] Because part of my job is to not just drive traffic to the site, but it's also what's the experience of the customer?

[00:18:54] How do I get the customer to buy more often?

[00:18:56] What's their lifetime value?

[00:18:58] And often tech can be the catalyst in order to do that, especially in the internet world we're now.

[00:19:03] Most people want you to sign up an account, right?

[00:19:06] And everyone's quite used to that.

[00:19:07] And everyone's quite used to giving their email address away in the hope that they might get 10% off next time they buy.

[00:19:12] So there's sort of a layer or a benchmark of integrations out there and tech out there that is creeping up every year.

[00:19:19] It gets better and better and better.

[00:19:19] And it's how do we navigate those so they become a standard plus how do we then get that extra 10% over our competitors?

[00:19:26] So, Joachim, we're big on tech.

[00:19:29] AI is currently, I think, my friend, not my enemy.

[00:19:33] People might find it the enemy and to some people it will be.

[00:19:36] But it's how we can utilize it to benefit not just business internally, but also how does it help our customers externally?

[00:19:43] Because ultimately that's my aim is to help the customer, but technology will also help us internally.

[00:19:49] And the real pressure on everyone to be in a state of continuous learning.

[00:19:53] And you mentioned that you see AI as a friend, not a threat.

[00:19:56] So how or where do you self-educate?

[00:19:59] How do you arm yourself with that information to open up new opportunities?

[00:20:03] Any secrets you can share there?

[00:20:05] Yeah.

[00:20:05] I'm not sure there's any particular secrets, but, you know, there's that.

[00:20:08] Well, I like to talk about that story about those two, I don't know, the two lumberjacks that are chopping trees.

[00:20:13] I don't know if you're familiar with it, but, you know, every day at lunchtime, one of them goes, disappears for an hour.

[00:20:19] Right.

[00:20:19] And then comes back and starts chopping wood.

[00:20:21] But he always chops more wood than the other guy.

[00:20:24] And eventually one of the guy goes, I've got to ask, where do you go for that hour?

[00:20:27] And basically he just says, I go home and sharpen my axe.

[00:20:30] And you sort of take that view, my perspective, that the world I live in from a digital perspective is changing every single day.

[00:20:38] AI is being a big driver of that.

[00:20:39] So it's important that I sharpen my own axe, so to speak, and with my team by seeing what's out there.

[00:20:45] It's very easy to find the information that you want to.

[00:20:48] I very simply now sign up to a number of different outlets that provide me every single day.

[00:20:52] Now, some people might find it bombards you with it, but every single day I'm reading some sort of report about how Google's impacted AI

[00:20:59] or chat GDP, how that's working, or how Google are changing their methodology of how their algorithm works

[00:21:05] and what's the next update.

[00:21:07] So the information is out there.

[00:21:09] As long as you cast your net far and wide, you'll get every version of what that looks like sent to you,

[00:21:15] and then you just digest it and filter it.

[00:21:16] And that tends to be what I do.

[00:21:18] And I just have to have my ear to the ground.

[00:21:20] So there's no real secrets.

[00:21:21] It's just a bit of a continuous update.

[00:21:25] Love that.

[00:21:26] And I can't thank you enough for coming on here and sharing your insights with me today.

[00:21:29] But before I let you go, I'm going to ask you to leave one final gift for everyone listening.

[00:21:33] And that is a song to add to our Spotify playlist.

[00:21:36] All I'm going to ask is, what would you like to add and why?

[00:21:39] And your pleasures are allowed.

[00:21:41] No judgment here.

[00:21:42] What would you like to leave?

[00:21:43] Just lots of songs.

[00:21:45] But there's a song, TQ Westside, right?

[00:21:48] It's probably a one-hit wonder.

[00:21:49] But it just takes that song, you know, when a song just takes you to a place of not quite tranquility,

[00:21:55] but it's sort of, I think I'd just passed my driving test.

[00:21:58] I was in my own car.

[00:22:00] And I think one night I must have just gone for a drive on that sort of a cold evening and sunroof opening.

[00:22:05] And I was just listening to this song.

[00:22:06] And it's sort of, life could have been, anything could have been happening.

[00:22:09] And I was quite, you know, happy in my car, probably singing along slightly to it.

[00:22:13] And I imagine that's probably not on your playlist as well.

[00:22:16] No, I don't think it is, but it will be within the next few minutes.

[00:22:20] So I'll get that added and other people can share that.

[00:22:24] Yes, and judge me.

[00:22:26] Well, I had a guy suggest a pirate metal song a few weeks ago.

[00:22:30] I didn't even know pirate metal existed.

[00:22:31] Okay, no, that's gone over my head.

[00:22:34] But anyone listening just wanting to find out more information about everything branded,

[00:22:39] maybe the report we mentioned, or just connect with you or your team.

[00:22:42] Where would you like to point everyone?

[00:22:43] Yeah, no, look, they can go to my LinkedIn account.

[00:22:46] That's no problem at all if they want to ask any questions or find information.

[00:22:49] But they can go to everythingbranded.com or .co.uk to find out more about everything branded.

[00:22:55] Awesome.

[00:22:55] I'll make sure these links are added to everything there.

[00:22:58] You've certainly got me thinking differently about branded products there.

[00:23:02] And hopefully everyone listening.

[00:23:03] So I do urge people listening to connect with you as well.

[00:23:06] But more than anything, thank you for your time today.

[00:23:08] No, pleasure.

[00:23:09] I really enjoyed my time.

[00:23:10] Thank you so much, Neil.

[00:23:10] I think my conversation with Rob has illuminated the evolving role of branded merchandise in both political and commercial spaces.

[00:23:20] And as we've heard, items like T-shirts, mugs, power banks, hats are so much more than products.

[00:23:27] They're actually creating lasting impressions, sparking connections and reflecting personal and political allegiances.

[00:23:34] And bring that into the corporate world.

[00:23:37] It's exactly the same.

[00:23:38] I know I have more than a few tech conference T-shirts, backpacks, water bottles, journals, and even a MagSafe charger that follows me everywhere around the world.

[00:23:48] And I think a combination of my conversation today with the amount of swag that I have in my life really brought that home to me.

[00:23:56] And I think as we step into this digital age, could merch be the authentic touch that keeps us all engaged and coming back for more?

[00:24:04] Let me know your thoughts.

[00:24:06] Please, let's keep this conversation alive.

[00:24:08] You can email me, techblogwriter at outlook.com, LinkedIn, Instagram, X, just at Neil C. Hughes.

[00:24:14] Love to hear your thoughts on this one.

[00:24:15] And also, let's have a little competition here.

[00:24:18] I do have a lot of tech swag lying around.

[00:24:21] And maybe I can send some your way, whether they be books or tech gadgets, whatever it might be.

[00:24:27] All I want you to do is email me or DM me on whatever platform that you follow me on.

[00:24:33] And just tell me what is the oldest merch you've got or your favorite merch that you've got.

[00:24:39] Let's do a quick straw poll and maybe I can send a few things your way.

[00:24:42] Let me know.

[00:24:43] I really, genuinely want to hear this.

[00:24:45] Whether it be a water bottle, a T-shirt or anything.

[00:24:48] Or just let me know what is the oldest merch, the most fun merch you've got or maybe the most unusual merch.

[00:24:54] Let me know.

[00:24:55] That's it though.

[00:24:56] We're out of time for today.

[00:24:57] I'll be back again tomorrow with another guest.

[00:25:00] Hopefully, you'll join me again then.

[00:25:01] But bye for now.