here are the two proposed crab city designs:

  got crabs?

  hover-dachshund

Keep in mind that we're going for something with universal appeal. I'm not sure if the universality of the first one trumps the joyous surreality of the second, or if people would even wear a shirt that said "got crabs?" on it.

Any feedback you guys have would be appreciated.

I personally wouldn't wear a shirt bearing the words, "got crabs?" However, I might be tempted to buy one for a friend as a joke.

The hover-dachshund is priceless. It'd be sure to have people look at it twise, just to make sure they were seeing correctly.

Maybe instead of "Got Crabs", "Certified Public Accountant" would work better as a tag line.

In Response to zamphir (#7868):

I had considered using a different tag line ("crab city" would be simple, descriptive, and intruguing to non-readers). I think "Certified Public Accountant" would only appeal to accountants, though. I'm looking for something that would sell to as wide an audience as possible (including folks at cons, who seem to dig on the universal appeal of a depressed lemon).

I had also considered just putting the first illustration on without any words at all.

If you guys can come up with a better tag line, I'll certainly consider it. But the litmus test for your suggestions is that it should be something that you would actually buy and wear.

In Response to jon (#7870):

I think "Certified Public Accountant" would only appeal to accountants, though.

I kinda figured the somewhat surreal conjuction of an image of a crab with the CPA tag would appeal to others.

As to what I would actually buy and wear... The Hover Daschund. Maybe with a tag line like "Bred for speed".

In Response to zamphir (#7871):

I kinda figured the somewhat surreal conjuction of an image of a crab with the CPA tag would appeal to others.

I get it, and I think it's funny, but my experience is that people buy shirts when they identify with the sentiment -- it's like wearing a label about yourself. People will say, "That's funny, but I don't want folks to think I am an accountant."

If we're going to do a tag line, we need to make it either something that identifies the subject matter clearly, or something that people will not mind as an identifier for themselves. That's one of the reasons I'm shying away from the "got crabs?" dealie. I still like the illustration, but I think I want something else to go under it.

"bred for speed" isn't bad, though. I wouldn't wear it, so it fails the litmus test, but it's getting there.

right now I'm leaning towards putting "crab city" under both of them (keeping the got milk font, 'cause I like it), offering them both for a limited time, and wiping my hands clean of the whole thing.

In Response to jon (#7870):

I like both pics but wouldn't wear a shirt saying "Got Crabs?". I like the "Crab City" text better. "Bred for Speed" is funny for the Hover-dog because I can see people asking me what is that all about. Then there's the decision of which to buy since they're both desirable.
I like the 'got milk' font too. Would it be a black shirt or another color? The black looks good.

In Response to jon (#7872):

I'm of the mind that the hover-dachshund needs no text. At the very least, nothing said here would so far improve my desire for the shirt nor anything I can come up with on my own.

I agree that "Crab City" would work better than "got crabs?" It seems to draw in attention and make me wonder about the image, even though I already know its background story. For the second image, I think adding "Crab City" would add too much to the image, but it wouldn't distract me from buying the shirt.

i like the "got crabs"

actually, i get tired of pointing to goats when people don't get my refferences....and them pointing them again, again, and again....(because they dont visit)

My vote is for the "got crabs?" I'd buy that. It's to the point, and you don't really have to know what Crab City or Goats is to get the punch-line.

"Crab city" is too much of an insider thing, I think. No one is going to understand it without an explanation ("Hey, is that a sea-food joint? I like crab legs!"). Unless you're trying to be like Nike and get people to pay you to do your advertising for you.

In Response to solar (#7881):

I like the idea of "Crab City" on the first illustration. The expression on his face with that line underneath would surely draw some interest. I'd definitely wonder what it was all about if I saw someone wearing it, and I think it has universal appeal.

I think the second one needs a tagline as well, but I don't think Crab City would work for that one. I think bred for speed is funny, but I think someone might be able to come up with something better.

In Response to jon (#7872):

"That's funny, but I don't want folks to think I am an accountant."

Solution: Samuel Greeley, CPA

(Most) people will know that I am not Samuel Greeley, so this should have the humor without the confusion...

(keeping the got milk font, 'cause I like it)

I personally would buy the "Got crabs?" shirt as is, largely because of the got milk font. I think any other message with the got milk font loses a LOT... (except maybe got CPAs?)

I'd buy the "Got Crabs?" shirt, mostly cause till the medicine kicks in I... well, you get it. Alternate text might be "Honey, forget the lobster, I'm coming home with crabs." But that's a little wordie (and ripped off from Hunter S. Thompson who I'm sure ripped it off from Nixion or someone like that).

In Response to jon (#7872):

right now I'm leaning towards putting "crab city" under both of them (keeping the got milk font, 'cause I like it)

I'd buy the first image with "crab city". Simple, stylish, I like. Not so keen on the hover-daschund myself. Works in the context of a comic strip, less well on a shirt, IMO. Wouldn't buy "got crabs?"

Cheers,
Graham

Accessibility > clever. At least from a sales viewpoint.

If you wanna make something clever that'll be appreciated, may I suggest making it a custom shirt to be packaged in SPEYs? We're the people who'd proudly wear the most obscure goats references, after all... ; )

How about....

Crabs? Accountantcy? It just gets your GOATS.COM(Goats symbol)

In Response to mjforbes666 (#7887):

Solution: Samuel Greeley, CPA

I started thinking about something like "This fall, on UPN... Crab City, CPA!"

In Response to jon (#7872):

"bred for speed" isn't bad, though. I wouldn't wear it, so it fails the litmus test, but it's getting there.

Howbout...
Bred for Speed and Comfort
Bred for Speed and Cuteness
Bred for Cuteness
Bred for Comfort
Bred for Hovering
Not your Father's Oldsmobile
Binford HoverDaschund 6100
Faster than your average Daschund

In Response to zamphir (#7898):

No, no, no. We're looking for better suggestions, not worse ones.

Bred for cuteness?

In Response to zamphir (#7871):

"Bred for speed"

Aaaarggghhhh you don't have the number of people wearing black t shirts proclaiming that "something is really fast" around you that I have obviously. That tag line would kill the shirt for me, I can just see people assuming it is a Ford or Holden shirt.

I like the simple "Hover Daschund" tag line idea though. And I definitely prefer that shirt over the got "crabs tag" line as we never had the got milk ads and so it loses a lot of humor.

Of course if the aim is to be mass market maybe you should do the opposite of what I say, I didn't like the overclocked lemon shirt much so my taste is obviously not the target audience.

In Response to jon (#7870):

Thinking from an 'uninitiated' persons point of view, the words 'Crab City' on you shirt would be much worse than 'Got Crabs?'. at least got crabs implies someone else has got them. Crab City makes the wearer sound REALLY bad.

I like the Got Crabs tagline. It's got style, it's got flair. It's there.

Personal opinion.

In Response to jon (#7903):

We're looking for better suggestions, not worse ones.

I had to clear the chaff. Like you with "Got crabs?".

Bred for cuteness?
I think it will appeal to 15 year old girls.

And Feminists.

How about on the front "He's never heard of you either" (in the ever popular milk font) and on the back the picture with "Samuel Greeley, CPA". This could also work for all sorts of goats stuff. "HNHOYE" and on the back Diablo or Fish.

In Response to jscott1617 (#7916):

very compelling idea....but i still like the 'got crabs?'

I'd prefer both ideas without tag lines of any sort and with the URL on the sleeve. Of the two prints, I'd be more likely to by the first one.

If the first one comes out as is (saying 'got crabs?'), I will buy it.