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December 04, 2024

Subway’s New Free Merch Line ‘Sells’ Out Almost Instantly

The fast-food chain’s U.K./Ireland division launched the three-piece collection that consisted of an on-brand sweatshirt, T-shirt and tote bag. The campaign has useful takeaways for brands and merch pros alike.

By  Christopher Ruvo

Key Takeaways

• New Launch: Subway U.K./Ireland debuted what was reportedly its first-ever branded merchandise.

• Freebies: The collection, offered for free, disappeared almost instantly as fans flocked to a website to get the swag.

• Smart Merch Marketing: The campaign emphasized appealing designs, useful products and scarcity to boost engagement.

Subway’s slogan boasts that its ingredients are fresh; so, apparently, is its swag.

The United Kingdom/Ireland division for the Connecticut-headquartered fast-food sandwich chain launched what U.K. media described as its first-ever branded merchandise line.

And the real kicker? The streetwear-styled sweatshirt, T-shirt and tote bag were free – offered while supplies lasted at www.subway-merch.com. Spoiler: Supplies did not last long – as in they were gone almost immediately after going live Wednesday, Dec. 4.

“When creating this fresh new line, we wanted to offer our fans more than just branded merchandise, but items they actually want to wear,” said Kirstey Elston, Subway’s U.K. and Ireland marketing director. “And in the spirit of the holidays, we thought, ‘Why not give it to them for free?’”

The T-shirt celebrates Subway’s Meatball Marinara sub, while the sweatshirt is an ode to its Chipotle Southwest Sauce. The tote bag features the chain’s “Baked Fresh Daily” slogan. The designs, created by Ireland-based artist Stephen Heffernan, are pleasantly kitschy, conveying a retro cartoon aesthetic.

If you didn’t act fast, this was the message that greeted you at www.subway-merch.com if you visited in search of free Subway merch on Dec. 4. “BRB! Getting more merch. Fresh merch runs out fast!” a caption read. Subway directed folks to its socials, including Instagram, for information on future free merch drops.

“Illustrator Stephen Heffernan did a brilliant job bringing the vision for the line to life, creating a collection of unique designs that pay homage to some of our most popular menu items in a fresh and fun way,” Elston continued.

According to the swag shop website, the London, U.K.-headquartered firm Promo Veritas managed the merch collection promotion.

Subway’s swag campaign certainly has valuable takeaways for brands keen to make something special of their merch initiatives. They include:

  1. Offer products that will be useful/relevant to your audience.
  2. Ensure the graphics/messaging on the merch will appeal to that target market.
  3. Leverage scarcity. Making only a select number of products available on a “first come, first served” basis encouraged a rush on the merch.
  4. Promote the swag and any marketing initiatives related to it through on-brand social media efforts. Then, give people a next step to further increase engagement – as Subway did by directing people to its socials for information on future free merch drops.
  5. Make it free – everyone likes something for nothing, so to speak. The goodwill created from such an effort, along with the free marketing a brand can get from recipients wearing the swag and/or posting about it on social media, could well be worth the cost to produce and distribute the goods.