Boston. Arguably the most resilient city in America. A year ago the unthinkable happened and tragedy struck with the bombing of the Boston Marathon on April 15, 2013. A couple of college kids, Nick Reynolds and Christopher Dobens, studying at local Emerson College wanted to help out and used the Ink to the People website to start a small fundraiser from their dorm room. They coined a simple phrase “Boston Strong”, because they liked the phrasing as it was similar to Army Strong or Livestrong. Boston Strong. It’s like you’ve heard it all of your life.
They didn’t trademark or copyright the phrase on purpose, and immediately the entire world would recognize these words as a character trait for the city in anguish. Dobens has said, “What we believe in is that this logo, this phrase, belongs to the city, not to us.”
Pairing the Ink to the People website and a dramatic flair for social media, the duo enlisted their friend Lane Brenner, and relentlessly pushed their fundraising efforts into hyperdrive. They originally just wanted to sell 110 shirts. That’s when things exploded for them. It went viral. It’s been a year, and they have raised over $1,000,000 for the One Fund for Boston selling their original Boston Strong t-shirt, and two others on our Ink to the People website. It has been a great journey and wonderful opportunity for everyone at Ink to the People to help them in their efforts. We’re like a company full of proud parents.
A year ago I wrote about the initial reaction and the emotional response of the tragedy with Boston Strong. Read the article here.
One Year Later
Across the country in Milwaukee, Wisconsin we’ve been printing the Boston Strong shirts off and on for a year now, and have been literally amazed at the incredible effort and response. We created Ink to the People to give people an outlet to sell t-shirts using social media. We have shipped these shirts all over America, and beyond. Every time these go to print, I’m happy to be associated with this effort, as I know the impact that this idea from a few college kids in Boston is having on the world. Who said that this generation is all narcissistic and self-centered? Not all evidently.
It doesn’t stop there either. Other groups have seen the success of the Boston Strong campaign and have started using the site to raise money for their causes. American Cancer Society, Make-A-Wish, Firefighters, High Schools, March of Dimes, Little Leagues, Political Issues, Animal Shelters…virtually any notion that you could think of someone has created a shirt and is raising money risk free. Boston Strong is leading the way for these groups to be successful in their efforts too. Think about all the good people can do with just a simple t-shirt. That’s what Ink to the People is all about.
Here’s a collection of recent media coverage for the Boston Strong or Ink to the People:
Boston Strong Creators Talk About Ink to the People –
Boston Strong Creators Talk About Their Future
Boston Strong Team’s Website – buy a shirt today!! Help their cause!!
Boston Strong One Year Later – Joe Water’s Blog –
How Boston Strong T-shirts Became a Rallying Cry for the City
A Year After the Bombings Some Say Boston Strong Has Gone Overboard
Students Behind Boston Strong Top $1M in Money Raised for the One Fund
Boston :: Stronger Than Ever – Ink to the People blog article
Milwaukee Company Prints Boston Strong T-shirts
7 Unique Fundraising Tools for Non-Profits – good article and lists Ink to the People fourth on their list –
10 Best Cause Marketing Promotions of 2013
Students Coin Boston Strong – Emerson College blog article
