In the past few years it seems like the “local” movement has grown stronger than ever. We’re encouraged to eat local, shop local and support local endeavors in any way we can.
To be honest, I’m not convinced you should buy something just because it was made in your state, or even your hometown. However, being an Ohioan and an author I was very interested to stumble on a “Read Local” campaign.
The idea is simple.
For every “Read Local” T-shirt sold by Outfit Good, a Columbus, OH based T-shirt company, part of the proceeds goes to support Columbus Creative Cooperative, a local resource for writers.
According to their website, Columbus Creative Cooperative holds writers’ workshops, publishes anthologies and hosts other writer oriented events.
What I find interesting is that there is no branding at all on these T-shirts. There’s no self-promotion, no logo and no website. The shirts simply bear the message– “Read Local.”
Check it out for yourself here.
I think that’s what caught my eye about this campaign. While most people use the “Local” idea to sell a product, Columbus Creative Cooperative is trying to use a product to support an idea–“Read Local.”
I still don’t expect someone from Cincinnati to buy one of my books just because I grew up there, but I am grateful for every local reader I have.
What do you think about “Reading Local”?