The biggest brand in streetwear around Australia and the world has to be the brand "Supreme," So it comes as no surprise that they have come up with possibly the most odd branded piece of merchandise this year. They have come up with the "Promotional Brick," Not only is this very odd, the company is actually even charging customers for the right to purchase a branded brick!

Branded Merchandise to Create Controversy

The thing about this branded brick, which really is an actual brick (not merely a stressball brick), is that it is absolutely brilliant marketing. This weird little promotional product stunt has people talking about it, and because it is so utterly odd, it also adds to the mystique and humour of the brand.

The Brick, A Metaphor for Something Else?

But why a Brick I pondered? The thing with branded merchandise, is that other than the product being functional or being very useful, they can also be used to be loaded up with connotations and metaphors. Here are some theories on why a Brick can be used as a metaphor for other things that may add to the street credibility of a retail clothing brand:

• A bad boy image! A brick has the connotation of being used as a weapon in crime. So if a marketing image is needed with street cred, then crime is a good place to start.
• Still on the imagery of the brand, a brick can sometimes be referred to as drugs. Once again a street wear retailer would probably have branding benefits when associated with a brick.
• Brick in basketball means to miss a shot! This slang may also benefit the Supreme Brand name.

One last theory is that the bricks are used as a tribute to Eminem's latest music merchandise which is also (you guessed it).... also a range of bricks from his childhood home.

Images first seen on website: http://www.highsnobiety.com/2016/08/18/supreme-brick/