Sponsor the homeless

guylikeme

Always wondered why Nike/McDonalds and so on wouldnt donate hoods, blankets etc to the homeless with their logos on them. Win-win

Admittedly a Karl Pilkington idea but i honestly dont see a problem with it.

If i had a new business idea, id sooner splurge that as a marketing campaign. 100s of people on main thoroughfare promoting your product and getting something in return.

The King of Moo

"Wear Nike and live on the streets like this dirty person!"

Probably not the message they want to send.

seamus

Some manufacturers specifically refuse to sell their factory seconds and instead choose to burn/shred them in order to maintain a brand image.

There's no way the likes of Nike who already mark up their stuff by 1000% are going to allow their brand to be tainted by giving it away to homeless people.

Menas

Interesting idea, but many homeless people have addiction issues.
Would there not be a risk that giving them something with a market value just means they convert it to cash to find their habit?

A better idea would be you donating your unneeded clothes to them. I'm sure you have some.

mynameis905

Deleted User wrote: »

A better idea would be you donating your unneeded clothes to them. I'm sure you have some.

It's actually very hard to do - most places like St. Vincent De Paul only sell used clothes in their charity stores rather than give them directly to people in need.

Custardpi

It could probably be a good matchup for the right brand. A few years ago Vivienne Westwood brought out a collection dubbed "Homeless Chic" which was well received by the fashion world. There are probably lots of clothing & other goods manufacturers who would be delighted to have the "edginess" & "authenticity" associated with poverty. Nike & Adidas built their cool reputation by being the footwear of choice for poor black kids living in the ghetto.

seamus

^^
It's also worth noting that the vast majority of homeless people are capable of providing for themselves clothes-wise. Homeless doesn't mean penniless.

There's a tendancy to conflate "homeless" with sleeping rough. Practically all "homeless" people are not sleeping rough, but are being housed in temporary accommodation. Sleeping rough is by-and-large a matter of choice.

Penn

seamus wrote: »

Some manufacturers specifically refuse to sell their factory seconds and instead choose to burn/shred them in order to maintain a brand image.

There's no way the likes of Nike who already mark up their stuff by 1000% are going to allow their brand to be tainted by giving it away to homeless people.

Plus why would people pay the high prices for those clothes while homeless people get them for free? If anything, Nike (or similar) giving clothes to the homeless for free in the name of sponsorship would add the cost of manufacturing to those who want to buy Nike products in the shop.

Notavirus.exe

Nike wrote:

As seen on homeless people!

Nope.

the_syco

The King of Moo wrote: »

"Wear Nike and live on the streets like this dirty person!"

Look like a homeless person; wear Nike :P

kneemos

Get them to wear "say no to drugs" t.shirts or "drink responsibly".

CatFromHue

It's not a bad idea, they could call it Derelicte!

the groutch

CatFromHue wrote: »

It's not a bad idea, they could call it Derelicte!

But to wear that don't you need to be really really really really ridiculously good looking?

One eyed Jack

guylikeme wrote: »

Always wondered why Nike/McDonalds and so on wouldnt donate hoods, blankets etc to the homeless with their logos on them. Win-win

Admittedly a Karl Pilkington idea but i honestly dont see a problem with it.

If i had a new business idea, id sooner splurge that as a marketing campaign. 100s of people on main thoroughfare promoting your product and getting something in return.

In case you hadn't noticed, many people who are classified 'homeless', already wear branded lifestyle clothing. Next time you're up close to a homeless person, it shouldn't take genius level mathematics to price the value of their clothing. Tattoos are an extra €50 (at least!) here and there if they have them.

It frustrates me no end when homeless people try to point out that I wear a shirt and tie, until I point out to them that my whole outfit, including shoes, jocks and socks, cost less than the Nike or Addidas top they're wearing, or that fresh tattoo on their arm, etc.

Then again I was voted 'best dressed homeless person' on a recent sleepout, so there's that.

CatFromHue

the groutch wrote: »

But to wear that don't you need to be really really really really ridiculously good looking?

Problem? :cool: