rally to restore oddity

This weekend marks a “first” for “odd guy art:” We’re going to Washington, D.C. to attend Jon Stewart’s “Rally To Restore Sanity” and Stephen Colbert’s “March To Keep Fear Alive.” Woo hoo!

Then we thought, “While we’re there, why not hold our own little rally?” And that, dear friends, is how the “Rally To Restore Oddity” was born.

It was an easy birth. We came up with the idea earlier today, drew up a logo, and announced it via Facebook, Twitter, and this blog.

What do we have planned for our “Rally To Restore Oddity?” We intend to publish photos and footage throughout the day detailing our experiences as we sally about among throngs of adrenalized fans. If we see anything odd going on, we’ll publish it. If we witness spontaneous bursts of peculiarity, we’ll document it. If we spot Oprah, we’ll fall to our knees and flail. (And when we regain composure, we’ll post a photo).

So check back this Saturday for news and photos. Or, if you happen to be at the rally and you spot anything odd, feel free to share your photos with us.

Oddly yours,
Marie

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Rally To Restore Sanity
March To Keep Fear Alive

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TNN documentary Part 2: The Designing

The second part of the TNN (T-shirt News Network) documentary, “The Making of ‘odd guy art’ Part 2: The Designing,” aired at 1:27 this morning. If you missed it, we’re pleased to provide it for you here, so that you may watch two middle-aged entrepreneurs navigate their way through 21st century design:

Ancestors of Marie and Graham

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we’re goin’ wholesale

This is a big week for “odd guy art.”

We’ve decided to approach several stores in our county to see if they’d like to purchase shirts from us at wholesale pricing. We figured what we’d lose in profit, we’d gain in sales quantity. That’s the plan. Fingers crossed.

If that goes well, we have a list of more shops in the Milwaukee area. And if that works, we’re off to Madison. Then Minneapolis.

"Wholesale Or Bust!"

But I’m getting ahead of myself. The focus right now is on preparation. We’ve developed some glossy, full-color, T-shirt-shaped, tri-fold brochures depicting our designs; an over-sized postcard featuring all of our products; and a “line sheet” including product photos and information.

We’ve identified our target retail market based on our designs, so we plan to approach bicycle shops, coffee houses, boutiques (both art and clothing), and book stores.

We’ve been rehearsing our message; focusing on how our products have sold remarkably well at art fairs, and how that will equate to solid resale success – a classic win-win situation. For now, instead of cold-calling, we’re going to do something called “warm calling.” This involves walking into a shop and leaving behind our materials with the buyer (and perhaps chatting briefly, but never long enough to encroach on his or her time). We’ll then follow up with a phone call.

There are pros and cons, of course, to warm-calling versus cold-calling. But our research suggests that for us, the warm call is the best approach. We can always switch to the cold call if/when necessary.

So wish us luck. We’ll keep you posted, one way or the other. If you have any questions, feel free to contact us below.

And now… Road trip!

Marie

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middle-age moments

We’re six months into existence and it only now occurred to us to showcase our products on the “odd guy art” Facebook page. D-uh.

What other blatantly obvious opportunities might we have forgotten? Which glaring epiphanies will strike next? We shudder to think…

• Review “supply and demand” model, consider implementing
• Check on that guy who took some of our shirts into the dressing room to try on last week
• Pay government its share of sales tax (minus our share for not utilizing curbside garbage pick-up)
• Replenish XXXL merchandise prior to Mississippi trade show
• Promote holiday sales before the holiday
• Sell merchandise

Who knows what else will occur to us in the coming days? (“Practice fire escape route plan?” “Unplug the iron?” “Back up computer?” [D-oh!]).

As our brains continue to calcify, we look forward to serving you.

Marie

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“odd guy art” documentary airs on TNN!

Last night’s debut of “The Making of ‘odd guy art’ Part 1: The Beginning” aired on TNN (T-shirt News Network), to an audience consisting mainly of insomniacs and vagrants. Now’s YOUR chance to hear how our story began, so you can join the conversation tomorrow around the water cooler.

BONUS: Each time you hit “Like” and “Share” after the movie, you’ll earn another karmic point. (Collect 200 and you’ll score a set of “odd guy art” steak knives).

Click here: TNN’s “The Making of ‘odd guy art’ Part 1: The Beginning”

Enjoy!

Marie and Graham

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TNN to feature documentary… on “odd guy art!”

TNN (the T-shirt News Network) approached us last month, asking if we’d like to be the focus of a multi-segment documentary depicting “aging entrepreneurs” breaking into the business world. While we were mildly incensed by the “aging” remark (we are admittedly robust), we agreed. So we jacked up our orthopedic socks, tossed back a few prunes, and set out to tell our story.

The filming took place over several weeks. It felt awkward at first; telling our account in such great detail, camera crew in tow, while Chicago-based TNN commentator Guy Johnson grilled us about everything from “How do you make your shirts?” to “Boxers or briefs?” But we soon found our stride, and made it through the grueling interview process with a great sense of satisfaction and very few spit-takes.

I never thought to ask if we were being filmed in HD. I’m hoping not, because we both refused the pancake make-up they offered (even though they were strangely persistent on that point), preferring instead to present ourselves as we are.* We hope you appreciate our forthrightness.

TNN will broadcast the first segment (“The Making of ‘odd guy art’ Part 1: The Beginning”) later this week, and it will be subsequently available on a variety of social media, including Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. We’ll announce the air date as soon as we iron out a minor legal dispute (there was a miscommunication with TNN over who’d cover our contractual Diet Coke expenses), and then we’ll share our story with the world.

Marie

*I later learned that Graham asked production to airbrush away his neck waddle.

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