What is a merch-first company?

My Motto Me
Jul 24, 2017 · 2 min read

Merch-first is a post-capitalist business approach that recontextualizes entertainment.

The concept is simple. Instead of starting with the product itself, the company creates its merch first. If the merch sales are high enough, they are used to fund the production, otherwise, the project is abandoned in favor of another one, which is also evaluated based on how well its merch sells.

For a good example, look no further than the recently established Kojima Productions. Instead of showcasing a new Death Stranding trailer at the recent E3, Hideo Kojima and his crew went to Los Angeles to sell T-shirts and iPhone cases. The company web store also features the official goods set, with a reasonable value and the unfortunate ‘sold out’ status.

One particularly good approach is to see the product itself as a commercial for its merch. However, you should use this approach with care, as relying on it too much will turn the product into the merch of the merch, which becomes the actual product. So confusing!

Here at My Motto Me we strive for a future full of shareable merch sold at a subsidized monthly fee. It is a great way to decrease inequality and market your products at the same time.

We will be producing the first limited run of ‘Hare, Not a Rabbit’ company logo t-shirts of different color schemes later this year. If you are interested in purchasing one, write to hi at mymottome dot com. Don’t forget to mention the size, the preferred color scheme and where we are supposed to send it — or, if you live in Moscow, you can come and pick it up yourself!

We are also looking for Unity engineers and 3D artists, if you are into this kind of stuff.

Written by

We ship games, you ship characters.

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