As a web designer I work with many different types of businesses and have met many people who dream of owning their own business. I enjoy brainstorming with clients about their projects and working with new ideas. With this in mind I decided to practice what I preach and challenged myself to create my own project as a case study.
The objective of the case study was to: Create a project that met the following parameters:
- easy and affordable to reproduce.
- be sold online and through traditional retail outlets.
- be expanded beyond the initial concept.
- earn small, sustainable profits.
- and most importantly be something that was light-hearted and that I felt good about promoting.
Selecting a theme: Where did “don’t’ be chum” come from?
Last summer, while vacationing on Cape Cod, some friends and I were watching the skies off Nauset Beach for meteors and discussing the recent appearance of great white sharks off the beach. As a joke I made a comment about starting a company to create shark deterrent devices and sewing them in swimwear with the tagline of “don’t be chum.” While such a device was not feasible, the idea for a decal was.
The Result
Not Actual Sticker Size
The double entendre was employed to illustrate sharks in the water and those other sharks found in life. The concept of “not being chum” is intended to inspire a sense if adventure with a hint of caution.
The artwork of the shark and swimmer was drawn by Jan Marvel of Marvel Signs, Thornton, NH – who patiently listened to my “big idea” and drew exactly what I described to her.
The sticker was produced by Dekal in Plymouth, NH.
Resources used:
Tech Trek Media – New Project Worksheet -
Tech Trek Media – Development Model Worksheet
Research Used:
Seth Godin – Purple Cow – Transform Your Business by Being Remarkable
Hugh MacLeod - Evil Plans – Having Fun on the Road to World Domination
Josh Kaufman – The Personal MBA – Master The Art of Business
Chris Guillebeau – The $100 Startup: Reinvent the Way You Make a Living, Do What You Love and Create a New Future
Yes You Can Purchase a Sticker!
Visit the website!
