T shirt sayings, are they always funny?
The Level of humor on t shirts
I recently opened two POD's (Print on Demand) shops at Cafepress and Zazzle. Everyday I check what's on top.
What sold and what do people like and what's funny. Having "funny" in the name of
one my stores (Wu's cool and funny tees) means, I better know what funny is. so I thought, till I looked around
at the level of humor on today's t shirts. Don't get me wrong, there's some very funny t shirt sayings out there.
I just think some of the top sellers, aren't always that funny. Do you agree? Read on.
Are you kidding me?
I pooped today!
I recently opened a Cafepress store, a POD (Print on demand) store, where you create and sell your own designs on tee shirts and gifts. Judging from my title you might think this is a negative article about Cafepress, but it is not. It maybe a bit judgemental, but not negative. It's not even Cafepress, it's more of the "ranking system", or should I say, the unspoken code of who gets placed in front, by in front, I mean the first page of their marketplace, for any given item.
I would assume the people in front would represent the best of the best. I have to say, by my standards, I don't find that to be true, all the time. I'll give you an example. If you click on "funny tee shirts" the very first tee shirt you see is a plain tee shirt with the saying: "I POOPED TODAY!". I POOPED TODAY? That's one of the better selling sayings? The drawing is just a black stick figure raising it's arms in celebration. I used it as my sub- title, to get attention, did it work? Yeah, it might get your attention, but would you wear this on your chest ? Do you think this is clever ? Don't think for a minute I'm bitter, or jealous. My hat is off to the creator, not because they're clever or witty, but because the shirt is actually selling and pretty well, I'm guessing. I don't even blame Cafepress. why should I ? If something sells, it sells. I blame the people who eat this sort of thing up. I'm all for a good laugh, but usually that laugh is based on something funny, but "I POOPED TODAY ? Really ? That's one of your best sellers ? Maybe it's because I'm getting older and this is "todays" humor. I admit, I don't laugh that much at South Park, but I do laugh out loud at Family guy, so todays humour isn't totally lost on me.
If it was just that one saying, I wouldn't be writing this article, but it's more than that. There is another popular tee, that uses the stick figure, again, that says: "I GOT YOUR BACK" with two stick figures and one is holding a straight line, which is the other stick figures back. Now, that is a little more clever, but that's not the point. What happened to actually "drawing" a cartoon? It's the age of total minimalism, and it's working! That's the sad and scary part.
I just opened my store a month ago, so my expectations are not that high, at this time. I think I'll do well, eventually. Most of my designs are in the marketplace and some of my designs even show up after going two pages deep, so that's hopeful. However, I'm hoping I don't have to stoop to" I pooped". Is that the level that will put me on top? Am I willing to sell my dignity for top ranking? Then I can make a tee shirt that says: I STOOPED TODAY! I really rather not stoop. I like my designs, they are a litte different and quirky, but I like them. Of course, if I want to sell, it better be more than me that likes them.
I hope I don't come across as a disgruntled Cafepress "shopkeeper" as they call us, I'm not. Yup, I'm a shopkeeper. I'm an old man with white hair a white mustache and a denim smock. That's how I picture a "shopkeeper". I am 52 and have white in my hair, but I don't think of myself as a shopkeeper, or the shopkeeper type, but according to Cafepress, that's what I am. I'm Paul Ferland, the shopkeeper and I pooped today!
My stores can be found here:My Zazzle store : Cool Woo's
