Design Takes On COVID Part 2: Proudly Vaccinated
On my April 2021 launch post I looked at COVID-related communications through a design lens - commenting on public service efforts to communicate often complicated data in meaningful and effective ways. So, with COVID still active in our daily news cycle and with design always top-of-mind for me; I was inspired by a phone call from my mother. Like many people, she was thrilled to receive her COVID vaccinations over the past few months. We’re all doing our part to ‘flatten the curve’. So she called me, excited about her idea: COVID t-shirts! My design-driven mind turned out some ideas: a steamroller flattening the curve seemed too literal, a sports metaphor seemed too obvious. What about a heavy-duty, Timberland-style construction boot - not just flattening the curve, but crushing it? Add a simple type treatment. Done. Then I thought ‘big picture’: What do millions of us share in common in this truly global epidemic-crushing immunization experience? A simple bandage. Once jabbed, the pharmacist applies a good-old bandage and we’re good-to-go. Done. A couple of crossed bandages, subtly creating an ‘x’ for the injection spot creatively printed on the sleeve complete the message. And why not get double-dosed to carry the metaphor one step more? Researching websites with simple drag-and-drop interactive templates, I prototyped the designs on different cotton t-shirts from various sources. Really impressed with Oakville-based entripy.com. Great print quality on a Gildan 100% cotton shirt, printed DTG (direct-to-garment). Great service and customer support plus close attention to quality control. And they’re partners with some of Toronto’s top pro sports teams! I’m hoping to produce new t-shirts in the future - not COVID-related stuff though, it’s time for something bright and cheerful - so watch for them in a future blog post.
Resource:
Printing - www.entripy.com - printed DTG on Gildan 5000 Heavy Cotton T-shirt/100% cotton