Question

Topic: Advertising/PR

What Info Is Good/bad To Put On A Business Tshirt?

Posted by Anonymous on 5/29/2012 at 1:33 PM ET 250 Points
Back a number of years ago when I owned another company we had a local promotional tshirt place do shirts for our company. This was the guy's main business and he was very good. Anyway he helped us with the layout and design which was great since we were dessert makers, not marketing or graphics experts by any means. I remember at the time he had a few hard, fast rules for what info you should or shouldn't put on a tshirt. For example he said a phone number was not a good idea since most people wouldn't remember it and probably wouldn't stand in front of you with a pen an pad so they could write it down. He also said that generally you don't want a bunch of info on the front since people get uncomfortable staring at someone's chest, (especially a guy reading a girl's shirt :))but are ok reading the back of a shirt since it doesn't seem so confrontational.
I'm wondering if there is a good source for me to read up on on this subject. I'm thinking maybe a website might be a good thing to put on the back of the shirt if the web address is the name of the company and easy to remember.
I don't have a tagline for my company really since I can't find one I love and would rather have none than a bad one.
Or if anyone has any rules they have stuck with I'd love to hear them.
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RESPONSES

  • Posted by Gail@PUBLISIDE on 5/29/2012 at 1:57 PM Accepted
    I have no problem with including a phone number on a t-shirt, especially if it's memorable. Consider that someone who sees the shirt has to remember a website domain, too, which is recommended. I'd also add a Twitter handle and/or hashtag (easier to remember than any of the previously mentioned).

    If you don't have a memorable tagline, feature a super memorable graphic that relates to your business so that people take notice of the shirt (and its information, of course).

    I do agree with your former designer that the front should be simple, unless the info is designed as an art element.
  • Posted by Gary Bloomer on 5/29/2012 at 1:59 PM Accepted
    On the front, possibly your logo. On the back, stick with your company name, your website, and possibly a logo. Then stop. Unless your tag line extolls a major benefit, omit it. Keep the layout and design simple. I hope this helps. Good luck with your shirt, and with your business.
  • Posted by SteveByrneMarketing on 5/29/2012 at 2:02 PM Accepted
    Annette,

    Here's a link to a resource with some tips:
    https://t-shirtmagazineonline.com/7-legal-tips/

    Also, generally you want to limit copy to 5-7 words, there is a trend to silk screen the front of t-shirts with large graphic designs, if you put a domain name on the back just go with mybrand.com, no need for "https://".

    Lastly, rules are made to be broken, each design problem is unique.

    hope this helps,

    Steve
  • Posted on 5/29/2012 at 2:05 PM Author
    Thank you so much, Steve! My plan is to have a really nice colorful graphic on the back with maybe the website and on the front I'm doing a smaller thing that is just the name of the place done to complement the graphic on the back. I'm totally copying the style of a tshirt for a local pub that has a great shirt that I personally wear all the time. (I'm not copying the design, just the layout, small on front, big on back).
  • Posted on 5/29/2012 at 2:08 PM Author
    Gail, I think you're right. I'm going to concentrate on the graphic.
    I don't use Twitter (have never gotten into it) so will just stick with the domain.com.
  • Posted on 5/29/2012 at 2:10 PM Author
    Thanks, Gary. I think I'll keep it simple like you say. I was trying to decide whether to add some of our services in simple text but maybe that's useless. I was going to put "Training, Daycare, Boarding, Off-Leash Park" under the logo since our business name is somewhat broad (WolfBrook Dog Club and Park), but maybe I'll just do the website and leave it. Most people in the area have now heard of us so maybe I don't have to spell it out.
  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 5/29/2012 at 2:18 PM Accepted
    There's a difference between using the shirt as a walking billboard or for using the shirt to show (exclusive) "membership" in a club. The former is about information, the latter is about something that's attractive and perhaps mysterious (to spark a conversation).
  • Posted on 5/29/2012 at 4:25 PM Author
    Jay! That is what I was trying to determine.
    Dog people are very excited about their dogs and like to wear shirts that show places or events they've attended.So I wonder if I should just leave the information part off altogether?

    Here is the mockup I sent to our designer (I made this in a greeting card program so it is not at all finished).

    Front (the smaller print under is city, state)
    [URL=https://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v690/BoCRon/tshirts/?action=view&cur...

    Back-this says Training, Daycare, Boarding,Off Leash Park with the web address under[URL=https://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v690/BoCRon/tshirts/?action=view&cur...
  • Posted on 5/29/2012 at 4:48 PM Author
    Trying again-
    Back-text under image is-
    Training | Daycare | Boarding | Off Leash Park
    wolfbrook.com
    https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v690/BoCRon/tshirts/wm-back.jpg

    Front-small text says Milton, Georgia
    https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v690/BoCRon/tshirts/wm-front-8.jpg
  • Posted by SteveByrneMarketing on 5/29/2012 at 5:25 PM Accepted
    They look good to me Annette. Can't read the small copy on these small photos, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't good with it.

  • Posted by SteveByrneMarketing on 5/29/2012 at 5:27 PM Accepted
    Sorry, I meant "...go with it"
  • Posted on 5/29/2012 at 11:22 PM Author
    Here's a link to just the back graphic.
    https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v690/BoCRon/tshirts/angle5.jpg
  • Posted by SteveByrneMarketing on 5/30/2012 at 12:04 AM Accepted
    Looks great. For the T-shirt, if you add anything, just add the domain "wolfbrook.com' scaled by design under the graphic and let the folks discover the "Training | Daycare | Boarding | Off Leash Park" part later. And I probably wouldn't even add the domain. Just my opinion.


  • Posted on 5/30/2012 at 12:53 PM Author
    I'm thinking of just leaving the domain and other info off. If you do a search on wolfbrook and dog we come up first so it's not like most dog places with the word woof or paw in some way.
  • Posted by Jay Hamilton-Roth on 5/30/2012 at 4:05 PM Accepted
    Personally, I think less-is-more. For example, instead of the "sign", how about paw prints, as if the dog ran over the shirt (https://i1.cpcache.com/product/227249112/paw_prints_to_my_heart_tshirt.jpg or https://www.saintroch.co.uk/ebay/ebay_templates/Clothing/t_shirts/D070/blac...). That will spark a conversation with fellow dog lovers, and achieve your marketing goals more naturally.
  • Posted on 5/30/2012 at 8:59 PM Author
    Not to sound ungrateful for the response, Jay, but every dog daycare, training place or breed club uses paw prints on everything. If not actual paw prints, they use the word paw, woof, bark, or wag in some manner.
    Our club and clients tend to lean more toward K9 handlers and competitive working dogs (Schutzhund is our bailiwick), so they tend to eschew anything predictable or trite.
    And on the other end of the spectrum, most of the Schutzhund training clubs tend to go toward the macho, super cool tough end and most of their logos tend to look like a cheap tattoo. We are really trying to to be more middle of the road, dedicated to what makes dogs and working with dogs unique and rewarding. We don't treat them like cute "fur-babies" or need to dominate them to show how awesome we are, they are our partners in the training and work we do.
  • Posted on 6/1/2012 at 8:56 AM Author
    So I was on the t-shirt forum yesterday and saw a shirt someone was doing for a country club. The shirt had the name of the club and town and under it said "Members Only". I was thinking I could put that on our shirt back above the graphic, maybe put "Member" and also have the option of some that say "Staff" or "Staff Trainer". Or just put the Members Only and Est. 1996 under the graphic.
    Thoughts?
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