To help you make the most of your T-shirt launcher, we’ve put together 10 practical ideas to make your giveaway more effective and memorable.
For more than 20 years, we’ve used T-shirt launchers at thousands of events and seen how effectively they boost audience engagement. From sports fixtures and festivals to promotions and conferences, they create excitement and give audiences something back.
1/ Keep the volume up
Don’t be too conservative with the number of T-shirts you give away. Launchers are most effective when the energy stays high. They can fire 4–6 T-shirts per minute, so a 10-minute pre-match or half-time activation could use 40–60 shirts per launcher. If you drop below that pace, the excitement can quickly fade.
2/ Create a design people will keep
Fans value a shirt they will want to wear again, whether it features a team logo, a one-off match design or a graphic celebrating a win or promotion. A thoughtful design makes the shirt more likely to become a favourite rather than something only worn at home or for DIY jobs.
3/ Offer a range of sizes
Your audience will include people of different ages and body types, so order a mix of sizes. The right balance will depend on your crowd, but it’s worth including children’s and women’s sizes rather than relying on a bulk order of large shirts.
4/ Bring in a sponsor
Working with a sponsor can help cover the cost of the T-shirts while giving the brand valuable visibility. If the design is strong, a sponsored shirt can continue promoting that brand
long after the event.
5/ Include signed merchandise
If you’re giving away promotional T-shirts at a sports event, consider mixing in a few signed official club shirts. It adds an extra level of excitement and gives fans the chance to catch something genuinely special.
6/ Add vouchers and prizes
You can place prize tickets or vouchers inside some or all of the T-shirts, such as offers for the club shop or food outlets.
Another option is to print the prize directly on the T-shirt so the winner can hold it up for the cameras and the big screen. It creates a memorable fan moment and works well at conferences too.
You could even hide a jackpot prize in one shirt—£1,000, a holiday, or even a car. The only real limit is your imagination and budget.
7/ Stress free promotion
Looking for an alternative to T-shirts? Our football launchers are designed to fire themed stress balls including American footballs, tennis balls, snowmen and Halloween pumpkins, all of which can be custom branded.
8/ Use QR codes to extend engagement
Many people put their T-shirt on as soon as they catch it, which makes it a great place for a QR code. Use it to direct people to your brand, a survey with live results on screen or even a competition where each shirt has a different code and the highest number of scans wins a prize.
9/ What else can T-shirt launchers fire?
T-shirt launchers can fire far more than just T-shirts. We’ve launched hats, flags, socks, scarves, sweets, logo bugs, pants and soft toys. Custom characters such as sausage dogs for Vitality, Colin the Caterpillar for M&S and zebras for Investec have all taken to the air and landed in the hands of delighted audience members.
We’re always happy to test new items, so if you have something in mind, just get in touch.
10/ Turn up the firepower
Want to make a bigger impact? A T-shirt Gatling Gun can fire twelve shots in seconds, covering a wide area of the crowd and creating a burst of excitement.
Add a custom-branded shield around the frame to make sure your message stands out alongside this fast-firing crowd pleaser.
