campaign kickstarter: Are You in the Know?
It’s been a rough year for Livestrong. Just months after the nonprofit organization severed ties with founder Lance Armstrong in the wake of Armstrong’s doping admission, Nike announced it would cease production of Livestrong merchandise after 2013, effectively ending the partnership between the two organizations. While Livestrong has so far remained financially stable and indicated it will continue its cancer-awareness mission undeterred, it remains to be seen how the foundation will fare down the line without the backing of its two biggest partners in Armstrong and Nike.
So far, the demand for silicone bracelets hasn’t dropped. Much of this is due to the way silicone bracelets have transcended Livestrong. They’re no longer associated strictly with the Livestrong brand, but with awareness in general, shielding them from any negative backlash. In other words, even if the iconic yellow LIVESTRONG wristband loses its appeal, the blue ones and the red ones and the periwinkle ones will keep on selling.
Still, if your client isn’t fully sold on the silicone bracelet’s sustainability or just wants to change things up, you’ve got options. And with notable awareness months on deck (Breast Cancer Awareness, AIDS Awareness and Down Syndrome Awareness to name a few in October), the time to prepare is now.
NAILED IT!
Awareness Nail Polish from Diamond Cosmetics Inc. comes in 250 shades and includes a one-color imprint on the bottle. (It’s kind of like when we used to paint our fingernails black to promote Slayer awareness, only not as metal.) The nail polish comes in several sizes and is made in the USA. Pink and teal ribbon add-ons are available. For more information, visit www.justforwomenpromos.com.
A LAPEL A DAY
Like every movie Hollywood has released lately, lapel pins are now in 3-D. Unlike every movie Hollywood has released lately, EMT’s 3-D Ribbon Lapel Pins won’t give you motion sickness or feature Channing Tatum. The die-struck, gold-plated-metal lapel pins measure 1.135" and include a butterfly-clutch back. A variety of colors and enamel colorfill options are available. For more information, visit www.emteasy.com.
GRAPHIC, NOVEL
The Ribbon GraphicPad With Digital Insert from JournalBooks/Timeplanner Calendars includes 100 sheets of ruled filler, wire binding, a ribbon overlay and a custom, full-color insert or paperboard cover. The 5x7" cover is fully imprintable, but don’t make the mistake of decorating it with the words “SECRET DIARY: DO NOT OPEN” and expecting your classmates not to read it over the school PA. (Junior high was the worst.) For more information, visit www.journalbooks.com.
CANOPY FOR A CAUSE
The Pink Ribbon Umbrella from Southern Plus features a step-and-repeat, all-over print that reveals a breast cancer awareness ribbon pattern when the canopy gets wet. (Doesn’t rain enough in your area to make use of this cool trick? No worries, just come to Philadelphia on a summer weekend.) The auto-open, eight-panel umbrella has a 43" arc, a 6x6" panel imprint area and a 10x1" sleeve imprint area. For more information, visit www.southernplus.com.
- People:
- Sean Norris