Jackets That Built Themselves (Almost)
PMAlliance
The Challenge
Every November, PMAlliance pulls their people together for an offsite that’s part strategy, part motivation, part culture boost. The ask: give employees something that feels as special as the event itself. Not another water bottle. Not a sweatshirt destined for the bottom of the drawer. They wanted something personal, premium, and unmistakably PMA.
The Solution
We brought in our friends at Hexa Jackets — the mad scientists of outerwear — and built a branded “choose-your-own-adventure” jacket portal. Here’s how it worked:
-
Three styles, one brand story. Heavyweight (for the northerners), lightweight (for the southerners), and a vest (for the in-betweeners).
-
Total customization, within limits. Zippers, panels, hoods, pockets — all up for grabs. But colors? Only PMA’s signature orange-yellow, black, and white. Everyone got to play designer without going rogue in hot pink.
-
Smart decoration. A clean silver imprint that looked good on every possible design choice.
-
Delivery with impact. Employees designed their jackets ahead of time, then walked into the conference to find their custom builds waiting. Same but different. Unified but personal.
The Results
- Flawless execution: Every jacket showed up on size, on time. Not a single return.
- Worn then, worn now: Attendees put them on immediately — and they’re still rocking them today.
- The unexpected twist: PMA runs DISC assessments at its conference. Turns out? Each personality type designed their jackets almost identically to their DISC profile. D’s went bold, I’s went playful, S’s went balanced, C’s went practical. Instant personality test validation, via zippers.
- Culture amplified: Instead of “here’s your swag,” it was “here’s your statement piece.” People left feeling connected, recognized, and pretty damn cool.
Takeaway
A gift doesn’t have to be “stuff.” Done right, it’s an activation. A culture-builder. A walking billboard for your brand.
