Life on a Shirt

There are just some things you can’t talk about…

April 22nd, 2008

…but then when they are launched you can!

A good amount of my day is taken up with things I can’t talk about publicly. They would expose a person, an event, or an exciting new shop. For example… CNN launched little shirt icons next to their video icons on their homepage, so readers can buy headlines they like on t-shirts. I can say that now because — thanks to an awesome Spreadshirt team — this is live as of this morning.

My favorite review so far?

From Jossip: “It would’ve been so easy to harp on CNN.com for its new feature, which allows visitors to make any select headlines into a T-shirt. But also? It’s kinda the most brilliant Web 2.0 initiative we’ve seen from stodgy old Time Warner since … since.”

I also like that Wired led with “CNN.com Scampers Meekly Into the T-Shirt Game”, as imagining CNN scampering meekly anywhere with their large footprint just tickles me. And I am enjoying the commentary about the headlines people want to see… mostly around political statements with the election season heating up.

I get the confusion people have around “just tshirts” and how easy it is to dismiss them and this idea. Obviously I’m among the converted with Jossip in saying that it is “kinda” brilliant to do this. While not every headline will be a hit, the majority of headlines will have some group that feel close to that one headline, and they can now have their headline and wear it too. As Wired said a year ago:

In an age of media saturation, T-shirts are a tight-knit nano-statement.

I haven’t found my headline nano-statement just yet, but when I do, I’ll tell you. In the meantme, what is on my shirt today? Appropriately, since I just flew in this morning (overnight):

Modern Sandman
(Sorry that there are only S Women’s left)

P.S. If you are visiting CNN from outside of the US, you might be redirected to the International edition. If so, just click on the “US” link in the upper right hand corner, where it is labeled “Edition”.

Entry Filed under: spreadshop