Betabrand is known for a slapstick approach to content creation and storytelling, so when it came to coming up with how to present a shirt literally covered with poop emojis, the brainstorming session consisted of all sorts of lowbrow concepts. One of them consisted of photoshopping studio photos of a model being flushed down a toilet.
Sick of the rampant potty humor, in the creative meeting I proposed a presentation that was almost a complete 180: let the product serve as the humorous element and do something not at all expected. Instead, I wanted to model the mood in the style of a tv novella or soap opera to create the narrative.
It took some convincing, but the concept paid off, as the internet took the queues provided and ran with as the major blogs picked up the story. (Julie at BuzzFeed, you get me) The launch proved successful, inspiring a number of follow-up products. Although some ‘photochop’ cheese was added to the gallery after the fact, it remains as some of the favorite work I did for Betabrand during my tenure.
Select Web Coverage:
Buzzfeed — This is the Classiest Poop Shirt You’ll Ever Wear
Gizmodo — This Poop Emoji Shirt is Crap
CNet — Poop Emoji button-up shirt makes your wardrobe stink
AdWeek — Betabrand’s Latest Stunt: The Poop Emoji Shirt
The Guardian — The Poo Shirt (or the rise of emoji fashion)
The Verge — Here’s that poop emoji button up shirt you always wanted
Thrillist — This Poop Emoji Button Up Shirt Smells Like Sucess
Daily News — Smiling poop emoji shirt, matching sneakers a hit with online shoppers