The holiday season – and 2025 – may be behind us, but as the promo industry looks to 2026, there are certainly lessons to be gleaned from the multitude of December merch drops, seasonal launches and festive giveaways. Brands did not hold back with their campaigns, with everything from classic Dunkin’ apparel and Hi-Chew sweatsets to a “gingerBREAD” kit from King’s Hawaiian. (Full disclosure: I 100% thought this was a plush toy when I first saw the picture, until I realized it was literally just several packs of Hawaiian rolls.)

Welcome back to Best in Branding, the ASI Media series where we shout out some of our favorite recent “merch in the wild” moments. Happy 2026, and cheers to a year full of festive and fun promo coming our way.

Tim Hortons “Beary Kind” Drop

Photo courtesy of Tim Hortons

Canadian coffee chain Tim Hortons dropped its 2025 holiday merch line that centered around a “Beary Kind” theme. The resulting merch store was stacked with items largely featuring the chain’s Horton the Bear mascot – everything from festive tumblers to a “Beary Kind” puzzle to a bear ornament.

Promo Takeaway: Rationally, I know this drop must have been planned out well in advance of Starbucks’ “bearista” tumblers going viral (and subsequently selling for hundreds of dollars secondhand on eBay). Tim Hortons’ mascot is, in fact, a bear. But it’s impossible to argue with how impeccable the timing ended up being to capitalize on adjacent hype.

And, perhaps in a more actionable takeaway for promo pros, the entire merch line is a perfect example of moving beyond the logo while maintaining branding. With fun, creative drops like this one, playing with iconography like mascots is a growing – and effective – way for companies to express their branding. Would your favorite coffee lover want a Tim Hortons-branded mug? Maybe. Would they be more likely to want a cute brown bear mug that also happens to be Tim Hortons branded? I’d argue yes.

Collectible Convenience Stores

Photos courtesy of 7-Eleven and Stewart’s Shops, respectively

This one is a mashup from a few different corners of the Internet, but the unifying trend is mini replicas of convenience store locations – namely, 7-Eleven and New York regional chain Stewart’s Shops. The replicas are reminiscent of the ever popular (and often quite pricy) mini Christmas villages from brands like Department 56 and Lemax. 7-Eleven’s comes complete with Santa and his reindeer on top of the roof and retails for $45, while the Stewarts’ Shops version sells for $39.99 and features candy-cane striped columns and Christmas trees.

Promo Takeaway: To me, these replicas are a sign that any company, even a convenience store, can lean into a more-elevated promo project – especially around the holidays. I can hardly associate 7-Eleven with anything resembling department-store chic, but for a Christmas-village collector or regular energy-drink sipper, these replicas could represent anything from a perfectly themed White Elephant gift to a cheeky addition to holiday décor.

It’s no surprise to me that amid 7-Eleven’s and Stewart’s stocked holiday merch stores, it’s the mini replicas – and an equally cute toy delivery truck on Stewart’s site – that sold out. It’s a sign to think outside the box in 2026, no matter what vertical you’re primarily working with. A mini food truck for a local restaurant or chain? Desktop games inspired by mascots or key messaging? The possibilities are endless.

Denny’s Diner Drip

Photo courtesy of Denny’s

Ahead of the cold-weather rush, diner chain Denny’s unveiled a few winter-gear staples: a classic pom-pom beanie, reindeer-hoof mittens, and a wearable blanket (complete with antlers!) likely inspired by the Comfy brand. The small drop joined a vast array of quirky items on Denny’s online merch store – yes, it has one – including “Sticky Kicks,” a sneaker collab inspired by maple syrup.

Promo Takeaway: Their holiday-specific merch was fun, and I would, in fact, proudly wear that antler-blanket contraption, even though I’m not convinced I’ve ever stepped foot inside a Denny’s. However, the real star here is Denny’s Diner Drip, the chain’s ingeniously named merch store. And it’s not just peak alliteration – “drip” is doing double duty to connect the brand to both cool streetwear fashion and a Denny’s hallmark: sweet and sticky maple syrup. As the “Sticky Kicks” product listing says, it’s just “the drippiest drip.”

Fleshing out branding in this way makes the store feel far more cohesive and intentional than just, say, “[Insert Company Name Here] Merch.” As company stores continue to become a more essential offering for promo distributors, here’s your reminder to put those thinking caps on and have a little fun when the circumstance calls for it.