Cloudflare's strategic merchandise transformation with Sunday

Cloudflare, a leading internet security and performance company, had been facing significant challenges with their promotional merchandise efforts. Their previous approach to swag distribution was fraught with quality issues, logistical inefficiencies, and inconsistent branding across different regions and events. After multiple instances of poor merchandise quality at key events, Cloudflare's internal teams—especially those in marketing—began to seek a better solution. This led them to partner with Sunday, a premium merchandise company that could provide the quality, consistency, and logistical support they needed.

Challenges

1. Quality issues: The quality of the previous merchandise was subpar, leading to dissatisfaction among employees and clients alike. This was particularly problematic at events where first impressions matter most.
2. Logistical inefficiencies: Managing the distribution of swag across the EMEA region was a logistical nightmare. Orders were often delayed, leading to last-minute rushes and stress. The distribution process lacked transparency, with little information on when and where items would be delivered.
3. Inconsistent branding: Cloudflare's previous merchandise efforts were fragmented, with different teams ordering and distributing items without a cohesive strategy. This led to inconsistent branding and missed opportunities to make a strong, unified impression.

The solution

1. Partnering with Sunday

Recognizing the need for a strategic overhaul, Cloudflare partnered with Sunday to streamline their merchandise operations. Sunday provided a comprehensive solution that addressed Cloudflare's pain points through quality merchandise, efficient logistics, and centralized management.

Cloudflare winter & summer ABM campaign

2. High-quality, customized merchandise

Sunday worked closely with Cloudflare to create high-quality, customized merchandise tailored to different needs and occasions. For instance:

• ABM Swag: Cloudflare developed two distinct seasonal boxes—a summer box with a t-shirt, snapback, and picnic blanket, and a winter box with a hoodie, fleece blanket, and socks. These were automatically sent out to their best customers, ensuring a personalized and timely touch.
• Event-Specific Items: To ensure consistency at events, Cloudflare ordered custom white t-shirts for their Klausweil booth staff, replacing the outdated polos and ensuring a professional and cohesive look.
• Custom Backpacks: In response to employee feedback, Cloudflare transitioned from limited ready-to-wear backpacks to fully customized designs, with an initial batch of 300 ordered.

Cloudlfare for Gaming merch collection

3. Centralized merchandise platform

Sunday's wardrobe platform allowed Cloudflare to manage all merchandise centrally. This included:

• Easy ordering and inventory management: All items, from hoodies to custom backpacks, were housed in the wardrobe, simplifying the process for Cloudflare's teams. Most items were ready to go, with new additions like the picnic blanket soon to follow.
• Automated distribution: The platform enabled automatic distribution of ABM swag and other promotional items, ensuring timely delivery to key customers without the hassle of manual intervention.
• Transparency and tracking: With enhanced tracking and data integration, Cloudflare could monitor the status of their orders in real-time, ensuring they had sufficient inventory for each quarter's needs.

Results

• Improved quality and satisfaction: By focusing on high-quality, customized merchandise, Cloudflare significantly improved satisfaction among both employees and customers. The switch to better materials and design has elevated their brand perception at events and in customer interactions.
• Streamlined logistics: Sunday's centralized approach eliminated the logistical headaches Cloudflare had faced. Orders are now fulfilled efficiently, with clear tracking and updates, ensuring that Cloudflare's teams are always prepared.
• Cohesive branding: With a unified strategy for merchandise across different departments and events, Cloudflare has achieved consistent branding, which has strengthened their presence in the market.

Future Plans

Looking ahead, Cloudflare is focused on scaling up their merchandise operations significantly. With the success of their initial projects, they plan to introduce a wider range of high-quality merchandise, ensuring that all departments—from marketing and sales to HR—can leverage these tools for maximum impact. By increasing the variety of items available through Sunday's wardrobe platform, Cloudflare aims to further enhance the reach and effectiveness of their swag strategy.

Additionally, Cloudflare will be leveraging the enhanced measurability features of the Wardrobe platform to gain deeper insights into the performance and ROI of their merchandise efforts. This data-driven approach will allow them to optimize distribution, tailor campaigns more precisely, and better understand the value that different items bring to their customer relationships.

As they continue to refine their strategy, Cloudflare is also looking to scale beyond the EMEA region, expanding their centralized merchandise operations globally. By involving more departments and extending their reach, Cloudflare aims to create a unified, consistent brand experience for their customers and prospects worldwide.