T-shirts are the most common form of merchandizing, and special care should be taken to maximize the effectiveness of this merchandizing opportunity.
People will be more likely to wear and promote the Urban Underdogs brand if the t-shirts are attractive and fashionable.
As opposed to the corporate use of the Urban Underdogs logo, in merchandizing, a 2-color version of the logo is used against jewel-toned backgrounds. Acceptable background colors are Maroon, Forest, Navy, and Dark Chocolate. These colors correspond to t-shirt colors in the Ultra Cotton Tee by Gildan collection, making a coordinated color-scheme easily attainable.
As tempting as the notion may be, a t-shirt should not be viewed as a billboard, and care should be taken to avoid using all of the available space on the shirt. People will proudly wear their Urban Underdogs t-shirts when they are a reflection of their fashion-sense, as well as their social consciousness.
The first thing to consider is that much of the surface area of a t-shirt will be obstructed by folds in the fabric. People fit their t-shirts differently, and especially for those that prefer a baggy fit, much of the sides of the shirt will be hidden in folds.
Second, not all possible placements for artwork will be flattering to the wearer. This is a critical consideration when the potential for brand-building and creating brand promoters is so great. The most flattering area for artwork is centered on the chest without extending too far to the sides where the artwork would begin to fall into the folds around the underarms.
For the back of the shirt, the most effective placement for artwork is squarely across the shoulder blades. Printing on the sleeves can add an extra punch to the look of the shirt, but a good adage to consider is that less is more.
