Forced to shut because of the COVID-19 pandemic, many restaurants are struggling to pay their staff and the rent. To make ends meet, some are selling themed merch, and devoted customers are more than happy to buy in, not just to save them but also to feel like a part of a community.

Branded merchandise was once solely found at business conventions and in the wardrobes of fervent fans, but it’s enjoying a renaissance as Gen Yers and Zers seek new ways of expressing their identity. What does this resurgence reveal of the shifting nature of consumer-brand relationships?

McDonald’s has launched an e-commerce store selling everything from fry-emblazoned hair ties to burger bun umbrellas – all branded with Golden Arches imagery. No longer just going to restaurants for the food, people want to buy into a lifestyle, especially if it lends itself to meme culture.

Though most of them weren’t alive to experience it first-hand, American Gen Zers are obsessed with ‘90s pop culture. Dumbgood is tapping into this ‘fauxstalgia’ with officially licensed streetwear featuring TV and film stills, turning its young customers into walking, talking, retro memes.