# Sticker Mule commissioned a $2.7B economic impact study and turned manufacturing data into marketing leverage *The Amsterdam, NY manufacturer hired the firm that studies the Super Bowl to quantify its local footprint, then published the results.* By **Jenny Huang Goodman MPA MSc MHSA, Principal** — The Stash Edge, Hako Shikin LLC. Published 2026-10-12. Canonical: https://www.pops4.com/stash/articles/sticker-mule-2026-10-12t03-4 Subject: Sticker Mule Tags: economic impact, manufacturing, local sourcing, brand credibility, third-party validation, domestic production --- Sticker Mule, the custom printing manufacturer based in Amsterdam, New York, released an independent economic impact study in May 2025 showing the company generated **$2.7 billion** in cumulative economic impact for New York State and supported **9,500 jobs**, according to a PRNewswire release citing Epsilon Economics. The firm that produced the study has previously analyzed the Super Bowl, the Oscars, and the FIFA World Cup. The company paid **$681.5 million** in wages and engaged Epsilon Economics to quantify its manufacturing footprint in a state where domestic production narratives carry weight with customers, policymakers, and press. The study provides third-party validation of scale and local employment, packaged in a format that can be cited in sales conversations, community relations, and earned media. The play works because it converts operational reality into proof that a brand can reference without self-promotion. When a company states its own employee count or revenue, the claim carries the friction of marketing. When an independent economics firm that measures the Super Bowl publishes the same figures in a formal study, the data becomes citeable fact. Sticker Mule can now point customers, local officials, and trade press to **9,500 jobs** and **$2.7 billion** in impact without saying "we think" or "we estimate." The study structure removes skepticism from the conversation. Physical-product brands with domestic manufacturing can commission scaled-down versions of the same study through regional economics departments, business schools, or local consulting firms. A brand does not need **$2.7 billion** in impact to make the play work. A manufacturer employing **50 people** in a mid-sized town can hire a local economist or MBA program to calculate direct wages, supplier spend, and multiplier effects for **$3,000 to $8,000**. The resulting report quantifies jobs created, tax revenue contributed, and indirect economic activity, then gets formatted as a one-page summary with a credible third-party logo. The brand uses the study in three places. First, on the About page and in pitch decks, replacing "we support local jobs" with "an independent study found our operations support **87 jobs** and contribute **$4.2 million** annually to the regional economy." Second, in outreach to local press, chambers of commerce, and economic development offices, which cite the numbers in coverage and reports. Third, in B2B sales conversations where procurement teams prioritize domestic sourcing, particularly for corporate gifting, event merchandise, and branded materials where the made-local story justifies price. The cost per citation is low. Once commissioned, the study can be referenced for two to three years before an update is needed. The third-party structure allows the brand to repeat the figures across channels without sounding promotional. Local media will often cover the release as news, especially in smaller markets where manufacturing job numbers carry civic weight. The brand then reposts that coverage, creating a second layer of validation. The pattern extends beyond manufacturing. Service-based physical product businesses like fulfillment operations, packaging companies, and custom fabrication shops can quantify their supplier spend, real estate occupancy, and wage contributions in the same way. The economics firm or consultant models direct employment, calculates indirect and induced effects using standard multipliers, and delivers a report the brand can cite. The play does not require billions in impact. It requires a credible third party putting a number on what the brand already does, then making that number public in a format others will reference. ## The takeaway Commission a local economic impact study, get a third-party number on jobs and wages, then cite it everywhere you'd otherwise self-promote. --- ## Publisher **Hako Shikin LLC** — Virginia Beach, Virginia. Founded 1997. ASI 217876 · DUNS 18-204-6339. Principal and author: **Jenny Huang Goodman MPA MSc MHSA**. - Author: https://www.huanggoodman.com/about - LLM context: https://www.pops4.com/stash/llms.txt - MCP endpoint, for AI agents: https://mcp.pops4.com/mcp - Client dashboard: https://dashboard.pops4.com/ - Catalogue: 70,000+ products, 200+ brands