Promotional Merchandise - Co-Branded Merchandise Order

Record the brief for both brand identities - logos, PMS colour references, decoration methods, placement positions, quantity, and delivery deadline. Confirm which stakeholder represents each brand and who has final decision-making authority if the two disagree.

Issue RFQs to approved decorator suppliers specifying both decoration methods and any multi-position complexity. Confirm blank goods availability, minimum order quantities, and production lead times before pricing.

Present a quote itemizing setup fees and run charges for each brand's decoration separately. Convert to a confirmed order on acceptance and issue a pro-forma invoice to secure the brief before committing to supplier costs.

Collect print-ready artwork from each brand stakeholder separately using digital forms. Maintain a clean record of who supplied which files and when, with file version references noted for each submission.

Submit combined artwork to the decorator for proofing. Send the proof to both stakeholders simultaneously and record each approval response with proof version numbers noted. Do not release to production until both confirmations are received in writing.

Raise the purchase order to the decorator once dual approvals are confirmed, including agreed production dates, delivery windows, and any PMS colour tolerance requirements flagged during proofing.

Track production progress and confirm dispatch with the decorator. Verify delivery addressing - split deliveries to different locations must be agreed and costed before dispatch, not after.

Raise the client invoice on dispatch and reconcile against the original quote. Record any additional charges - artwork amendments, express delivery, or split shipment costs - and review margin against the job.

Getting artwork files and formal approval from two separate stakeholders adds significant delay - when one side is slow to respond, the entire production timeline compresses and the delivery date comes under pressure.

Tracking which version of the co-branded proof has been formally approved by each brand owner is difficult without a structured sign-off process, leaving the distributor exposed if production starts on an unconfirmed brief.

When two different PMS colour sets appear on a single product, the risk of one brand's colours drifting out of tolerance during production is higher - catching the issue requires specific quality expectations to be stated clearly in the decorator brief.