Ink Is More Than You Think

Today, Custom Ink launches its first major brand refresh in 15 years, shifting beyond a custom t-shirt provider to a comprehensive team success engine. Created in partnership with Mekanism and titled “Ink Is More Than You Think,” the campaign taps into The Office-style humor, introducing a new brand character, Janine, who makes the inherently complex swag process look simple by treating Custom Ink as her cheat code for solving organizational challenges with absurd confidence.

The hero :30 film introduces us to a corporate team as their boss breaks the news that investors have pulled their funding. One employee says that she just bought a jet ski, while another states she will start a cash burn analysis in reaction. Meanwhile, Janine decides it’s the perfect moment to order Stanley tumblers for the team. She makes the point that the more water they have, the more productive the team will be, which will ultimately solve the funding problem. The film closes with the team cheering, holding their matching water bottles with custom t-shirts that say “Let’s Funding Go!” as a voiceover delivers the tagline: "With over 10,000 swag options... Ink is More Than You Think."

To further bring the campaign to life, Custom Ink is a participating partner at the Winter House - a community hub for the US Skating Association at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan. Throughout the duration of the Winter Olympics, the Custom Ink booth in the hotel lobby is selling U.S. Skating branded merch. “Ink Is More Than You Think” includes updates to the visual identity, messaging, architecture, and digital presence, reflecting the company’s evolution from its iconic “Thanks, Custom Ink” jingle era to a sophisticated end-to-end platform.

The work marks the first brand campaign from Mekanism since Custom Ink named the agency its agency of record in 2025. As the beginning of a new creative chapter for the brand, “Ink Is More Than You Think” establishes Mekanism’s role in leading Custom Ink’s strategic and creative evolution as it redefines what swag can do for teams of all sizes.

The campaign is live today across linear TV, OTV/OLV, Meta, email, and digital display. Please see below for quotes and team credits and let me know if you’re interested in covering. Thanks for your consideration!