Your brand voice is everywhere. Even your t-shirts!

Last week we talked about how brand voice can be found in everything you do, including your mistakes. This week we’re taking a more intentional spin on finding your brand voice everywhere: your t-shirts.

The Brand Voice of Panchero’s

We are a big fan of the Panchero’s brand, and not just because they have a Bob, too (see #4). In fact, you can expect them to be featured in this month’s edition of Brands We Love, which will post next week. We love how they instill their brand in everything they touch – t-shirts included.

Graphic tees are a great way for a laid-back brand to get its message across. In one small space, you can advertise words or pictures that speak your brand voice loud and clear. If t-shirts fit in your dress code, all the better – employees become walking billboards for your brand without having to say a word (although we do recommend training them in your brand voice in the likely event that they will be talking).

Some do’s and don’ts of the t-shirt

If you’re thinking about using graphic t-shirts to send your brand’s message, keep these tips in mind:

-DO make sure your t-shirt matches your brand (duh, right?). Colors, fonts, message – we should be able to associate the tee with your organization.
-DO print decent quality shirts. You’ll send the wrong message by having shirts that won’t fit right or will fade after one wash.
-DO involve the people who are going to wear them in the decisions. The last thing you want is to have your employees harbor ill-will toward the shirt (it will show).
-DO choose a message that supplements your brand in a new and interesting way. If humor is your style, be funny. If it’s not, you don’t have to try to be.

-DON’T forget that you are reaching more than your target market, especially if your shirt is available for sale (which should be in the DO category). Be wary of going extreme with language or graphics.
-DON’T stretch your dress code to include t-shirts if it’s going to hurt your image. If you’re in a suit environment, leave the t-shirts for people to wear at home.
-DON’T be afraid to change up the style of your t-shirt from time to time- it is such cheap advertising!

But the biggest DO is DO have fun with it. And if you need help coming up with a message or finding a t-shirt vendor, you know who to call (it’s us, in case you didn’t know).