Is your hoodie too fluffy?

I love a gadget. Or a smart invention. And I’m a sucker for being enticed by social media advertising. Instagram should be held culpably responsible for my pizza oven, my combined apple watch, phone and air pods charging stand, my magic shower mat and my streak free window squeegee blade thing. I am merely the victim in this instance of dastardly algorithms.

Each purchase has infrequent use, performs okay but doesn’t live up to the hype I was drawn in by. Do I feel like I’ve wasted money on some of these things? It’s not on the scale of a KLF money burning stunt, but there is definitely plenty of buyer’s remorse and guilt each time I look at them. Imagine how much less shocking it would be to burn a million pounds in a smokeless fire pit. Yes, I have one of those too. The experience of cognitive dissonance does not sit well with someone who is prone to episodes of very poor mental health.

However, there’s one purchase that I’ve made that bucks the trend. The precision marketing or let’s call it ‘vindictive targeting’ served me the ad on Insta and I was immediately drawn in. But in a good way. It’s so simple, yet striking. So obvious, yet clever. A hoodie with a message.

Let me introduce you to LIVE2LIVE

At Live 2 Live we’re more than just a clothing brand—we’re a movement dedicated to making a difference in the lives of those who need it most. Born from a deep commitment to mental health awareness, our mission is to create apparel that saves lives. Each piece is thoughtfully designed with messages of hope, love, and encouragement, serving as a daily reminder that your story is still being written. We believe that even the smallest gestures, like a comforting hoodie, can make a big impact. Wear your strength, live your truth, and together, let’s spread the message that everyone deserves a reason to live.

This got me thinking. What if we reimagined the company Swag or Merch? Rather than bland, meaningless, cold corporate statements shouldn’t we be carrying a message that highlights the importance we place on the emotional environment? What better way to show that we’re fostering a culture that is human and kind than heartfelt words of empathy and understanding on cool clobber. And even better, we’re shining a light on the importance of looking after mental health. And best of all, we’d be supporting a charity helping vulnerable people. Seems like a win-win-win to me.

Now, I’m not necessarily advocating allowing employees to choose their own slogans; Dear person behind me, my coffee is white, no sugar…Love the person in front of you. Or a Christmas party version that just says, ‘Love the person in front of you’. A whole world of HR issues that are not being worn by ‘goodies in hoodies’. Maybe a voted for, non-Boaty McBoatface kind of poll with some options to select from to a shortlist is a sensible approach.

I recognise this won’t be a solution for all businesses. The hoodies may be just a little too fluffy for some but it is worth exploring how you can build a positive employer reputation by evidencing a commitment to the emotional environment.

What would be your message to show your colleagues you care?