Viral Merch Drops to Build Community

To wrap up 2021—a year of explosive growth for the still-Series A startup—I launched a merch drop that made a Chief sweatshirt go viral on LinkedIn. Our strategy was straightforward: send members a sweatshirt they’d love to wear, along with a note that read, “Together, we are Chief.” Within three days, over 500 members posted selfies wearing the sweatshirt, sharing their Chief experience and creating massive word-of-mouth and brand visibility on LinkedIn. The result? An surge in organic leads and a powerful sense of community across our network.

This work spurred a new lifecycle merch strategy and brand-forward merch drops (see: the Chief Tote that’s brought Chief Members together in airports, on subways, and more).