With augmented reality, real-life superheroes, epic drum solos and new 42% price drop…
News-meets-fashion brand, T-post, spreads oddly interesting world news by combining water cooler-worthy graphic tees, technology, and social media tactics.
What began in Umea, Sweden in 2004 as a fun media experiment amongst friends and just 5 shirts has become a buzz-worthy subscription business that currently spans over 50 countries.
T-post works a lot like a magazine subscription. Every five weeks, subscribers receive a new issue/T-shirt in the mail. The offbeat news story is printed on the inside back of the shirt. And a graphic artist’s interpretation of that news story is printed on the front. For subscribers, the comment “Nice shirt” now becomes an invitation to tell the story behind the design and create dialogue about an interesting world event.
(See the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vIFjwrUjDUQ)
With nearly 60 issues under T-post’s belt, extensive coverage in the media, and a loyal following of global subscribers, much of T-post’s success can be attributed to their simple mission: Spread the news.
In 2009, founder Peter Lundgren introduced T-post to the U.S. with the hire of former advertising agency owner and Creative Director, Chad Rea. In just over a year, the two marketing-savvy entrepreneurs have put their unconventional communication skills to test, successfully experimenting across a variety of media.
Whether the two decide to cover Avatar depression, the redesign of the hotdog, sleep sex, or Arizona’s immigration law, T-post manages to instigate meaningful thought, conversation, and action in a number of ways.
For example, for Issue 51 titled “Higher Education”, T-post commented on the number of ridiculous college classes available today by creating a T-shirt that uses Augmented Reality (AR), allowing subscribers to play a game of Rock, Paper, Scissors against a computer-generated arm that extends from the shirt itself.
(See the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tIof7yEsOn8)
For Issue 54, “I am Shining Star”, T-post created a real-life superhero-inspired graphic tee designed to awaken our inner superhero and gave away $1,000 to the costume-clad do-gooder whose YouTube video earned the most views.
(See the videos here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QDAZYL8NO98)
And for Issue 57, “Make or Amen Break It”, T-post celebrated the most important 6-second drum loop with a playable drum set graphic, an original song using the Amen Break, and a music video featuring dueling “air drummers”.
(See the videos here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wS583-5pqU)
Lundgren and Rea are constantly coming up with innovate ideas to spread the news. They’ve created T-shirt art exhibitions. Employed innovative product placement techniques. And even dressed city statues wearing T-post shirts. Most recently, the two decided to make T-post even more accessibly by dropping the price for U.S. subscribers from $36 to just $21, including shipping and handling.
