Saturday, March 21, 2015

Peace, Love, Vegan for the Win

I was playing around with a new product grid generator that's default is set to pull the most popular products from a Zazzle shop. Without setting any additional parameters, I put the tool in motion and was surprised by the results.  Out of my top five products, three of them have the same design. Wow.

My Vegan Strong shop has over 500 products. That's a small number compared to many of the designers and shop owners I know but it's a relatively young project. Anyway, in the interest of getting my numbers right, I just counted how many vegan-related designs I've created over the life of the Vegan Strong shop. 57. Yep, that's the number. I've created 57 designs in total and the same one is on three out of my top five products. I don't know what to think of that. On the one hand, it must be a design with universal appeal (among us compassion-types). On the other hand, I have designs I think are far more 1) creative, 2) appealing, 3) striking, etc. This is a simple Peace, Love, Vegan design.

So, whattayathink? Do you like my Peace, Love, Vegan design? Yeah, but do you think it deserves three out of the top five spots? Honestly, I don't. But what do I know. The customer has voted with their wallets and for that, I'm grateful.        

A Selection of Popular Vegan-Themed Products

These are the top five items from my VeganStrong Zazzle Shop.
Vegan (in an elephant design) tee shirtVegan (in an elephant design) tee shirt
Vegan (in an elephant design) tee shirt
$22.95 USD

Simple and to the point, this design features an elephant silhouette with the word "V...more
Peace Love Vegan ShirtPeace Love Vegan Shirt
Peace Love Vegan Shirt
$25.95 USD

This is a perfect shirt for vegans. It features the caption Peace, Love, Vegan in thr...more
Peace Love Vegan MugsPeace Love Vegan Mugs
Peace Love Vegan Mugs
$17.95 USD

It's all about Peace, Love and Veganism. This bold graphic features the caption "Peac...more
Google this: Factory Farming Bumper StickerGoogle this: Factory Farming Bumper Sticker
Google this: Factory Farming Bumper Sticker
$4.45 USD

Let's help educate people about what "factory farming" actually means to animals with...more
Peace Love Vegan Canvas BagsPeace Love Vegan Canvas Bags
Peace Love Vegan Canvas Bags
$23.95 USD

It's all about Peace, Love and Veganism. This bold graphic features the caption "Peac...more
I hope you like them. Thanks for looking. Peace.

Thursday, March 5, 2015

Ringling Brothers Circus Eliminates Elephant Acts

Make note, today is a momentous day. It's March 5, 2015 and it's the day Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus announced they will eliminate elephants from their shows.

This is huge. Elephants have been part of Ringling Bros. since P.T. Barnum brought Jumbo, "a massive 12-foot African elephant," to America in 1882. If my math is correct, that means man has been abusing elephants and forcing them into unnatural circumstances and lifestyles for 136 years, after it's all said and done.

Feld Entertainment, the parent company for The Greatest Show on Earth, told the AP it would phase out elephants by 2018, citing animal welfare concerns. I'm delighted about this but wish they would act a little faster. The good news is that the herd of 43 elephants will retire to a 200-acre animal sanctuary in Florida. It's still not the wilds of Africa but it's better than what they have endured.

Some of my favorite quotes

The Humane Society of the United States said: “This is a startling and tremendously exciting announcement. With consumers now so alert to animal welfare issues, no business involved in any overt form of animal exploitation can survive in the long run.”

ASPCA President and CEO Matt Bershadker said: “This is a tremendous victory for the elephants ... as well as for everyone who fought for this change. We continue to oppose using elephants or any wild or exotic animals in circuses, carnivals and other traveling animal shows." 

A while back I designed this shirt and I'm happy to say it's been an excellent seller.
http://www.zazzle.com/end_circus_cruelty_shirts-235322076743771716

Today, in  celebration of this announcement, I designed this shirt.
http://www.zazzle.com/victory_in_an_elephant_silouette_tshirts-235093839450212788

(Click on images for product details)

Remember this, we ARE making a difference for these animals! I'm happy for what we’ve done and excited for what’s to come.

Peace.

Sunday, January 25, 2015

New "Friends, not Food" Design

Who doesn't love a cute cartoon pig, cow and chicken?

Recently, this old vegan adage scrolled through my feed: "A non-vegan sees a photograph of a pig and thinks bacon. A vegan sees a photo of bacon and thinks that's a pig." It's so true, and the message resonates with me every time I see it. In fact, it prompted me to create a new design in my Vegan Strong Zazzle shop that includes the cutest cartoon faces of a pig, a cow and a chicken accompanied by the words "Friends, not Food."

What's that? You'd like to see a few products with the design on it? Well okay then. Here you go...     

Friends, not Food Dinner Plate
A dinner plate is a provocative way to communicate the idea that farm animals should be free to live; that they are not a commodity to be inhumanely raised for your consumption. Adding this to your dining table is about as in your face as you can get. 

Friends, not Food Jigsaw Puzzle





 This colorful jigsaw puzzle would make a wonderful gift for a young, budding vegetarian or vegan. The cute, friendly animal faces are easy for young people opting for a plant-based diet. I chose green for the background but you change the color to whatever you like.


The ubiquitous t-shirt




You know I couldn't do a new design without putting it on a t-shirt. Here it is on a simple black tee but there are loads of t-shirt colors and styles for you to choose from.

Friends, not Food iPhone Case






The design is available on all types of cellphone cases; I'm showing it on an iPhone 6 + here.

In all cases (if I've done this correctly), the links below the product should take you right to them. If you'd like to check out my other cruelty-free designs then please pop over to the Vegan Strong Zazzle Shop.


And if you have a special cause or need for a design, I'd be honored to help you with it. Let's do everything we can to speak for those who cannot.

Peace.