posted on March 10th, 2009 in Commerce, Merchandise, Tools 

Rizzo Tees gives a coupon code to every new Twitter follower. Smart.

Rizzo Tees followed Undependent on Twitter.  I followed back. Check this promotional offer within the Bio:
Follow me and I’ll auto-DM you a 10% off coupon code to my funny t-shirt website.
Smart stuff.
I can confirm the DM arrives. If this code also escapes into the coupon aggregators, that’s even better since more new [...]

posted on July 25th, 2008 in Content, Glennz Tees, Merchandise 

Glennz continues to Evolve

 Evolution

New Zealand T-Shirt Designer Glenn Jones has recently launched a blog.  In a world of copycats, Glenn stands out as a true original.  Seeing his work makes me very happy to NOT be a shirt designer.  Even if Glenn were simply illustrating other people’s ideas, his execution would be far better than almost anyone.  But when you consider that he’s the IDEA guy too, well, it’s almost too much.   He’s just so good at all aspects, concept, humor, execution.  If you’re remotely interested in T-Shirt design then it goes without saying you need to subscribe to his RSS Feed.

Deflating Defenses 

Endangered Species

Secret Habit

It’s a Bottle Jim

posted on April 3rd, 2008 in Content, Machinima, Merchandise, Monetizing, Rooster Teeth, Series 

Rooster Teeth’s New “Red vs. Blue” Boxed Set

You can say many things about the gang at Rooster Teeth. They own their medium. They’re funny. They’re continuously experimenting with new forms and permutations (Grifball!) And many more.

But they’re also just overkillers in the best way. They invest their DVDs not only with the classic Red vs Blue content, but with so much of the unrelenting absurdity that is their signature. So when they release the DVD BOXED SET of ALL 5 Seasons of RVB on 5 DVDs at $69, you’re already getting an enormous value. (The DVDs individually retail for $20) And each of those DVDs were packed with all the outtakes, missing scenes, bonus foo and so on.

But with this new boxed set they’ve now created 2 MORE hours of behind the scenes material, “making of” documentaries and all sorts of other stuff. So six DVDs for seventy bucks, it’s like $50 off. Plus you get the awesome black/blue and red all over double-box to carry them in.

We hope to have a more extensive writeup soon.  (we still have to watch through all this stuff!)

posted on January 26th, 2008 in Best Practices, Commerce, Merchandise, Monetizing, Podcast, Tiki Bar TV 

Tiki Bar TV introduces ‘The Drinkbot Decanter’

Previously in Undependent…

• We profiled Tiki Bar TV’s Lala Pinup Calendar and praised it for:
  • Its direct function as a wall calendar
  • Its value as a shibboleth for Tiki Bar TV fans…
  • Its deepening of the Tiki Bar TV brand thanks in part to its perfectly executed Vargas-style retro aesthetic

So now we’re introducing to Undependent readers Tiki Bar TV’s new “Drinkbot Decanter.”

Again, Tiki Bar has produced a genuinely original product here. Like the Lala Calendar and the Charooba Mug before it, Drinkbot Decanter scores a direct hit for true fans. But we at Undependent, presuming as we do to be experts, also have to praise Tiki Bar TV particularly their manufacturer Tiki Farm for a tiny detail which serves as the crowning achievement of this product. As this will factor into future merchandise profiles, we’ll call it the “You’ve Got to be Kidding Me” factor.

Drinkbot Decanter’s capstone is the tiny, detailed lampshade included with the order. If you haven’t done so already, watch the classic Drinkbot episode for this perfect bit of prop comedy. Being confident comedians, they don’t stop everything to ensure viewers see the lampshade on Drinkbot’s head. It’s just another example of theinspired lunacy that is the signature of Tiki Bar TV.

So, if you were making an expensive, completely custom mug, would you go to the trouble and add more cost to it for this small joke? Of course you wouldn’t. That’s why we’re not writing about you, we’re writing about someone who really gets how tangible the little intangibles ARE. Cheers and mahalo to Tiki Bar and Tiki Farm for really going the extra mile for a joke.

Now that you think about it, you agree, right? Buy a Drinkbot Decanter to say so!

posted on December 11th, 2007 in Content, Information Design, Merch, Merchandise, Monetizing, Podcast, Tiki Bar TV 

Tiki Bar TV launches the Lala Pinup Calendar

Tiki Bar TV’s Lala Fastwaster now has a pinup calendar. Artfully rendered by Vancouver visual effects artist and increasingly-popular pinup illustrator Kevin Genzel (thethirdsequence.com) this calendar achieves a lot more than meets the eye. For thousands of Internet Geeks, saying “Lala Pinup Calendar?!” will doubtless be more than enough to capture credit card numbers. But this hits a trifecta, well, ok, maybe a quadfecta.

• “Lala Pinup?!” - Understood
• Direct Function – By actually providing real utility, it increases the impulse purchase likelihood because “Hey, I need a calendar anyway…”
• Shibboleth – Tiki Bar TV now offers another product that lets fans identify themselves as “in the Tiki Bar TV Fan Club”
• Brand Deepening – The genuinely authentic rendering of these illustrations itself reinforces the cool retro vibe which spans other Tiki Bar TV elements.

All these elements together just deepen and expand the Tiki Bar TV brand. We’ve already mentioned their truly awesome original Charooba Mug here. Charooba is the Tiki Bar TV mascot made into an actual Tiki Mug. (A coffee table book that ITSELF becomes a coffee table!) This wicked, green glazed creature is a must own for any serious fan of the show and anyone who calls themselves a Tiki Collector. Buy them both and be done with it.

posted on November 9th, 2007 in Despair, Inc., Merchandise, Web Comics 

Great Minds Think Alike

Perhaps this kind of thinking is a byproduct of being undependent?

Diesel Sweeties and Despair

How about a Diesel Sweeties & Despair crossover? Metal Steve modeling for Despair, and Dr. Kersten giving Red Robot management lessons? Just saying.