The Ribbon Cutting

Like others who blog, I like to see what key words are used to find my blog.  Having “black” in my blog title leads to some fairly macabre searches.  Luckily these are few and far between.  However, one of the most common searches is the phrase “black is the new pink t-shirt.”  Such a search has been futile for months.  Until now.

After a nearly year long wait, I have finally opened up an online t-shirt store within zazzle.com.  Right now I only offer a few shirt designs and a coffee mug, but as time and inspiration permit, I hope to add more designs and products.  While I activated the store a couple weeks ago, I wanted to make sure I bought one shirt myself and checked the quality before I cut the online ribbon.  I’m happy to report that I’m pleased.  Here’s the first shirt “sold” to me:

I ordered a large, and I’m not a large guy.  I probably should have ordered an XL as I’m sure this 100% cotton shirt will shrink in the wash.  Still, I’m quite pleased.

Thus far, my only efforts to spread awareness have been through this blog and my Facebook page.  I made a few homemade BITNP t-shirts and wore them around…but otherwise my campaign has been strictly online.  I’m excited that I’ve started this new venture in spreading the word!

Let me be upfront about one thing.  “Black is the New Pink” is not a registered non-profit organization.  And Zazzle.com gets most of the money from the purchases due to them manufacturing and shipping the product.  (This would be true of every awareness campaign product that they sell…same with similar sites such as VistaPrint and CafePress.)  But BITNP will get a commission from each purchase. 

Again, I’m not a registered non-profit, but I plan to donate a sizable portion of my “cut” to various skin cancer and melanoma foundations.  Right now, my list would include AIM against Melanoma, the Melanoma Research Foundation, and the Skin Cancer Foundation.  There are many other worthy recipients that I’ll consider down the road.

The rest of my cut I plan to keep in a separate account and use it to further the BITNP efforts.  Such efforts might include paying for a URL and having a web designer help me set up a real website.  I may also use the money to file for a non-profit status (which will most likely include lawyer fees).  And I might use it to help attend skin cancer events that might be a bit farther away.  Rest assured I intend to use any of the money towards BITNP efforts and not to buy me a new HDTV.  You have my word on that!

So welcome to the new “Black is the New Pink” store.  Please go to www.zazzle.com/blackisthenewpink and browse around.  Tell others about it.  If you purchase something…thank you.  If you have suggestions…let me hear them!  Remember, you can send me email directly at fightmelanoma@live.com.

“SNIP”   The ribbon is cut.  Welcome to our store.

T-Shirt Update

UPDATE!

The T-shirts (and coffee mugs) are NOW AVAILABLE!  Please visit the store at www.zazzle.com/blackisthenewpink

When I first started this "Black is the New Pink" awareness campaign, I figured I'd just write a few words in a blog and that would be that.  But then I saw so many t-shirts announcing various causes and charities, so I thought a BITNP t-shirt would be a nice way to spread the word even more.  I bought a $2 black t-shirt from AC Moore and a pack of printable iron-on sheets from OfficeMax and made my first shirt.

Frankly, it looked like a home-made printable iron-on t-shirt, but others seemed to like the design and idea.  So I made another...this time with the BITNP header on the back and the black ribbon on the pink field on the front.  I liked this design...as did others, but it still had that iron-on look.

I had other ideas.  My "Skin Cancer IS Cancer" design seemed to get a lot of positive feedback as I've found it plastered proudly on many blogs and websites.  Unfornuately, I couldn't recreate that design successfully with an iron-on...I needed professional help.

In the meantime, I've been receiving inquiries..."Where can I get that shirt?"  "Are the t-shirts for sale?"

<sigh>

I was very frustrated.  I could think of no better way of spreading the BITMP message than with t-shirts, hats, or other such trinkets.  But frankly, I'm an engineer, dammit...not a marketing director.

I was told to visit CafePress...a website where one can set-up one's own online store.  They'd manufacture the merchandise, sell it, ship it, and offer a little commission, which I'd gladly forward onto MRF or the Skin Cancer Foundation.  It seemed like a winner to me, so I started to set it up.  I decied to go with my black design with the header on the back and the ribbon on the front.  I felt that this was the best design for mass appeal.  However, once I got it designed and set-up, CafePress assigned a price of $29.99.  Yikes!  I can't ask strangers to shell out nearly 30 bucks for such a shirt when I really don't know what the quality would be.  So, I decided to not pursue this particular site.

Ironically, I logged onto Blogger to share this evolution of the BITNP t-shirt, but was side-tracked by reading a couple of other blogs first.  And wouldn't you know it, on Chelsea's blog was an ad for VistaPint...a t-shirt and merchandise website.  I quickly submitted the same design and came up with a price of just over half of the other site!  Whoo hoo!  The only problem is, they don't seem to have an "online store" system set up like CafePress.  Not to be denied, I've emailed VistaPrint with my problem and hope to hear something positive soon.

Anyhow, my original intent was to petition you...the readers...and ask if any of you have any suggestions.  Personally, I don't have the time to hand-make every shirt...and I don't have the financial means to stock-pile and ship shirts myself.  The CafePress online store concept is ideal...but I can't very well charge $30 for a t-shirt...$20 maybe, but not $30.  Heck, I can get shoes cheaper than $30.  (Have I mentioned that I could use some fashion help?)

I look forward to your comments...and I really REALLY hope to have something soon so that you might be able to wear your BITNP message as much as I do!