If you think fans will buy obscure, under-branded and highly unique items, think again…
I just read another great interview from Rick Goetz (Musician Coaching). This interview was with John Mathiason from Cinder Block. Cinder Block handles merch for artists like Kid Rock, the Dixie Chicks, the Pixies and many others.
It’s probably safe to say that John knows what he’s talking about when he claims fans prefer big logos. Here’s a quote:
I discovered something early on in terms of how product development works, and it was really interesting. Bands would over-think designs and what they wanted to present to their fan base, and it would always be something cool and indie and something somebody in the band would wear. The problem was, nobody would ever buy it. It looked cool, and it would be something somebody in the band would wear, but the fans weren’t interested in it. They wanted something that had a big giant logo on it and is some sort of statement about, “I’m a member of this club.” If you’re walking in with some t-shirt that doesn’t say the band’s name on it and is hidden someplace, you’re not really expressing that. What always ends up selling is a band’s logo.
The entire post is informative and worthwhile reading for any artist.