We all think we understand the role of t-shirts in a marketing campaign; place the company logo somewhere prominent, beat the supplier down on price, order in bulk and give away randomly during the campaign. Accept that within weeks the recipients will be doing the gardening in them.
It doesn’t have to be that way. Think about your favourite t-shirt. The one you want to wear every time it’s clean. It’s probably a great fit, features an inspiring quote or design and makes you feel good. Surely this is what you want the t-shirt in your marketing campaign to be like? As we enter the second decade of the 21st century, savvy companies are now using t-shirts as much more than just a bulk-buy giveaway. T-shirts today can reward brand champions and provide an interactive consumer experience. They can now be a viral tool in your campaign.
A t-shirt which the consumer has had a hand in creating is one which will be kept. It’s something they will want to wear; taking your brand into buildings and spaces that you would not traditionally reach. A personalised t-shirt can go places a traditional promotional t-shirt cannot.
The print on demand technology which makes this possible also reduces the risk to marketeers. Bulk buying is no longer using the t-shirt to its full effect. With print on demand customers get to choose the size and style which suits them and the campaign isn’t left with lots of XXL and XXS. There’s almost no waste.
Of course, the quality has to be good; both the printing and the piece of clothing. If you don’t want throw-away merchandise, it has to feel like something people want to keep; they have to look forward to wearing it.
Not having to decide on a bulk order from the outset also means that the apparel offering can develop as the campaign goes on. New personalisable designs can be added and different forms of apparel and accessories can be included; hoodies, bags, even brand label clothing.
With the risk taken out and a seamless shop offering available, success then comes down to the good idea. We’ve recently seen a launch for a British bottled beer in the USA, which has already had thousands of consumers customise branded t-shirts with their own one-liners. Marathon organisers have offered runners a personalised t-shirt with their individual times on it, in a size that suits them. Even diet cereals can offer t-shirts advertising individuals weight loss!
Personalisation allows consumers to identify in their own way with your product. We’ve seen a car company offer a variety of subversive quotes on t-shirts, which are then lightly branded with the company’s logo. This has resulted in a huge take-up of wearers who might never have worn the t-shirt of a car brand, but identify with the quirky quote. It makes the consumers feel like they belong, whilst still being authentic.
It’s the possibility of personalisation and customisation which makes the new use of t-shirts in marketing campaigns so compelling. Brands can bond with their advocates through high-quality apparel. As the brand, you can create a t-shirt which reflects your values but which allows your champions to also show their individuality. It’s about letting customers create a one-of-a-kind, expressive piece of clothing, increasing the likelihood of it being worn more often.
So, the t-shirt should no longer be the throwaway part of your marketing campaign. It should be an integrated, personalised part of the consumer experience. It should give new excitement to your campaign and ensure that your message lives on in the wardrobes of your brand champions long after the original campaign has wound up. These are t-shirts with involvement.
