Commentary November 13, 2023
‘We Are Lew1ston’: Message Merch Can Play an Important Role Amid Tragedy
Merch-driven fundraisers, like those seen following the recent mass shooting in Lewiston, ME, help provide much-needed financial support and can foster a sense of togetherness.
When unimaginable tragedy struck Natalie Beaudoin’s hometown of Lewiston, ME, she turned to T-shirts to help.
The 17-year-old senior at Lewiston High School worked with a marketing firm that represents her – she’s an influential basketball star bound for Division 1 college ball – to create a line of T-shirts and sweatshirts printed with the message “We Are Lew1ston.”
One of the “We Are Lew1ston” shirts that Natalie Beaudoin is selling to support her community.
Beaudoin had the shirts made in the aftermath of the deadliest mass shooting in Maine’s 203-year history – a horror in which 18 people were slain in Lewiston by a murderer who later took his own life. The message on the tees – the “1” in place of the “i” – was to convey, as the Kennebec Journal reported, that “We Are Lewiston” and “We Are One.”
Furthermore, all proceeds from sales of the shirts are going to support families impacted by the shooting.
Beaudoin was certainly not the only Mainer using message merch to make a positive impact.
As the Kennebec Journal reported, a Maine-based minor league baseball team, the Portland Sea Dogs, was selling a special jersey that featured “Lewiston Strong,” a representation of the state’s original flag, and a depiction of Maine with a heart where Lewiston is located.
Proceeds from the replica Jersey will benefit the Lewiston/Auburn Response Fund, which helps the victims, survivors and communities affected by the Oct. 25 mass shooting.
The Portland Sea Dogs minor league baseball team has these Lewiston Strong jerseys on presale. The team plans to wear the jerseys at a game next season. (Courtesy of Portland Sea Dogs)
Rogue Life Maine, a brand that produces bags, apparel and headwear in the state, has been selling shirts, hats and beanies with “Lewiston Strong” and the original Maine flag. The company says it has raised $150,000 and counting for affected families.
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More examples of fundraising and community support through messages on merchandise are detailed in the Kennebec Journal article and other media reports.
From the standpoint of the promotional products industry, the initiatives cement an uncontestable fact: Merchandise, branded with empathetic and caring messaging, can be, to borrow a phrase from Top 40 supplier SanMar (asi/84863), a “canvas for good” amid some of the most harrowing trials communities may experience.
Clearly, sales of such products can serve an immediate, tangible purpose by helping to provide financial support to people directly impacted by tragedy, as seen in Lewiston. Examples abound in recent years of T-shirts, stickers, pins, hats and other products being sold – in the wake of a natural disaster or a horrific act of violence – that bear the name of the place affected followed by the word “strong” to help raise funds.
Still, message merch’s potential impact goes deeper than monetary support, important though that may be.
Jo-an Lantz, president/CEO of Lewiston-based Top 40 distributor Geiger (asi/202900), recently appeared on Promo Insiders to candidly discuss the impacts on her community and how to lead during a crisis.
It hits on an emotional level – a soul level. It can help act as a balm for people hurt and reeling, fostering a sense of togetherness, a bond that brings light amid the shadow of shared tragedy. By wearing such items, one shows they care, that they’re part of those affected or in sympathy and support of the suffering. Such outward displays matter, especially when feelings are still so raw, even if they can’t erase the terrible reality of the events themselves.
“I never really thought about the role promotional products can play in times of crisis” but they can be important, Geiger (asi/202900) CEO/President Jo-an Lantz told me during a recent Promo Insiders podcast.
Lantz is born and raised in Lewiston, the town where Top 40 promo products distributor Geiger is headquartered.
During the podcast, she held up a pin she’s been wearing that read “Lewiston Strong.” Said Lantz: “People want … to show their support for each other.” And that’s just what sensitive, thoughtful message merch helps them do.