Merch made live at a Detroit event does a different job from merch handed out of a box. Decide what it's supposed to do first, then decide what it is.
Why live merch works for Detroit events
At an auto-industry launch, a Detroit Auto Show booth or an Eastern Market pop-up, the value is attention. People stop because something is being made in front of them, and that stop turns into photos, a conversation and a reason to stay near your booth.
What to print
- Tees: the default, and the fastest to make at volume.
- Crewnecks & hoodies: the right call for a winter date, and they get worn longer.
- Caps: built by the guest at a hat bar, which photographs well.
- Totes: for crowds who already have plenty of shirts, like a big supplier expo.
How to plan the station
If it's a booth at Huntington Place, you want throughput and a line that reads from the aisle. If it's a private event in Midtown, you want personalization and something that feels like a keepsake. Tell us which one you're running and we'll size the station to it.
Detroit planning notes
Planning merch for a Detroit room
We look at the load-in, the power, the line path and where guests pick their garment before they reach the press. The questions are the same for an exhibit hall downtown and a party in Royal Oak; the answers aren't.