If you’ve ever gone to watch a family member or friend run a 5K for charity, you might have noticed something unique. The runners are different heights, weights, and speeds. The shoes are different brands, as are the running shorts. But all the t-shirts they wear are identical. Despite a desire for individuals to win the race, the text on their torso garments displays a message of what this charity is all about. These custom t-shirts make it clear the runners are all in this together, unified for something bigger than themselves.
Fundraising Messages:
As it should be, there are fundraisers for numerous causes. Many of them involve running, jogging, or walking. One very nice aspect of fundraising messages on the custom t-shirts participants wear—these runs for charity last a while, and people are on hand watching as the runners pass by. It means there is quite a lot of visibility for the printed apparel to be seen. With it, a powerful, resonating message is delivered. It is now engrained in the minds of those on hand who see hundreds or thousands of runners pass by. Those in attendance will remember, and they may very well act on donating or volunteering toward said cause.
Visual Cues:
Humans have five senses. This isn’t ground-breaking information. It may not even surprise you as to which sense is the most dominant. According to the Department of Education in Australia, our dominant sense is that of sight. Yes, that sentiment is from the opposite side of the world. Bringing it closer to home, Family Eye Care in New Jersey denotes that about 80% of what we learn from the world around us is due to perception, learning, cognition, and activities which are mediated through vision. These two sources are not alone in their assessment. A quick Google search will confirm it. The point is that seeing a message will make it more memorable than hearing one. In fact, 10% of information is recalled three days after hearing it. A visual cue boosts that number to 65%. Add to that, 65% of the country’s population say they are visual learners. The myriad participants in custom t-shirts are running by the audience. The name of the charity printed on their apparel seeps into the viewers’ minds. It most definitely has an effect, and will bring about action.
Student-Athletes in Action:
At Auburn University in Alabama, the Student-Athlete Advisory Committee (SAAC) held its annual t-shirt designing contest. Track and Field’s Jack Rogers won the competition with a message about the unprecedented year of 2020. A keenly- designed custom shirt with words of power earned Rogers the win. His message was this, “A spirit that is undivided & unafraid.” Below the Auburn logo and power stripe, words in light text read, “pain, unrest, COVID-19, racism, anxiety, prejudice, disconnect, chaos and injustice.” As the words begin to offer hope, the text becomes bolder: “equality, peace, equity, justice, unity, family, respect, harmony, freedom, diversity and inclusion.”
Christy Greene is the wife of Auburn’s Director of Athletics. She helped contribute to Rogers’ project, and she said this, “Student-athletes are bearing heavy burdens. What I loved about all of the conversations surrounding social injustice was that they knew if they were complacent in this moment, then they were also complicit. This is their first opportunity to really be invested in a movement that can bring about necessary change for their generation. Their energy left me inspired.” Greene believes that t-shirts are an excellent medium for people to share a message that’s important to them.
As a symbol of unity, Auburn coaches and staff will also receive t-shirts, representing a family that stands together in victory, defeat, and unprecedented times. In a word, Wow!
People run for a variety of reasons, including for charity or for a college track team. Their steps are many, but with their t-shirts that have a voice, their footprints in messaging are immeasurable.