12 May
1MillionShirts in TIME Magazine
If this is the first blog post you’ve read on this site, please refer to “Listening, Learning and Shifting Focus” first before leaving any comments. Thank you.
Here’s the TIME Magazine article: Bad Charity? All I Got Was This Lousy T-Shirt!
What I’ve tried to stress to folks in the AID/Non-Profit world is that I am a marketer first and have never claimed to be something else. Does that mean I should stay away from trying to help other people? Some would say YES and some would say NO. Deep down inside my gut I feel like I can do something great and I firmly believe 1MillionShirts will do great things. Am I ever going to make everyone happy? No I am not. But have I already had 1MillionShirts written about in Mashable and TIME Magazine in the first couple weeks, yes I have.
Regardless of what some people want to think, 1MillionShirts is not a huge marketing scheme I cooked up to help my day job. It’s not. If you don’t believe me, I’m sorry and instead of wasting your time/energy being angry with me go do something that actually helps someone. I trust the people that I talk to and when TIME Magazine wants to talk about my project it means I am on to something. It means I really do understand marketing and I really do understand that the majority of people do not and don’t see it as useful.
I’ve never said I wanted to fix a broken system. I’ve never said I wanted to end an age-old argument about good aid, bad aid, bandaids or other words with aid in them (that’s having a sense of humor folks). People have told me I can help make a difference with the talents I have and I will use those talents with a process that gets others involved. I’m not a fundraiser, I’m a guy who wears t-shirts for a living. T-shirts are my “in” with a sizable audience and that’s how I honestly believe I can make an impact.
If you’re here to naysay, you’re wasting your time. I’m speaking with people that I trust, with people that matter to me and with people who understand I’m willing to listen and learn.
Comments
TIME magazine was talking about the reaction that came out of your project, not your project itself.
For a guy who doesn’t “drink hatorade,” you sure need to listen to what you have written with a cool head.