All 144 NikeTalk New Era fitted caps have been SOLD. Thank you for your support!

[redsfan3]

Looks nice.

 

[Methodical Management]

Pardon me if already answered, but will the decision of which charity the proceeds go to be made and revealed before the hat goes on sale?Any charity is good charity, but there are always some that hit more close to home.

I struggle with this, because if the goal is to support a worthy charity then the last thing I want to do with an offering like this is 1) exploit the charity to increase sales  2) reduce outright donations in favor of product purchases.  

In a December thread encouraging Chrome users to participate in their tabs for charity program, I posted a criticism of "Product RED" that I feel applies here, because it's exactly what I DON'T want our products to be:  

For consumers AND corporations, the whole point of Product Red is to make it LOOK like you care.  You get to do whatever selfish, wasteful thing you were going to do anyway, but because you've slapped a coat of red paint on it and a sliver of the proceeds might potentially benefit those afflicted with AIDS, you get to assuage your guilt and feel like a hero.  
Apologists look at it and say, "well, they raised $x million for AIDS" and prop that up as though the alternative is for NO such initiative to exist and, therefore, something is better than nothing.  The problem is that any SINCERE effort would be preferable and, now that Project Red exists and it's backed by a colossal marketing campaign, you, as an AIDS fund-raiser, suddenly have to COMPETE against this behemoth for brand identification.  For legitimate charities, it's a nightmare.  Why would someone donate $20 to you when they can spend the same money to buy some self-indulgent, materialistic crap and get the warm fuzzy feeling for free?
If you had even a fraction of the money and renown of those behind Product Red and wanted to do something actually meaningful, why wouldn't you start a social business based in Botswana, which suffers from the worst AIDS rate in the world, whose purpose is three-fold:  

1.  It employs people in Botswana.

2.  Its products, like apparel, can be given away or sold at below-cost prices that even the poor can afford.

3.  Through cross-subsidization, you finance AIDS prevention and treatment initiatives using the profits from product sales in affluent markets.  

Unlike a traditional charity, it's totally self-sustaining and, unlike a business, it doesn't exist to create profits but, rather, social benefits.  If your goal is to maximize profits, the incentive exists to minimize labor costs.  If your goal is to maximize social benefits, the incentive exists to ensure that the community in which you're based becomes more prosperous and your workers are able to lift themselves and their families out of poverty.

Isn't that a hell of a lot more effective than just helping Converse etc. make money by exploiting public concern and then kicking the scraps to a vague AIDS relief effort that exists as much to market Product Red as to accomplish anything else?  

Instead, you're sitting here building a brand that, to the consumer, will be synonymous with AIDS relief, which lends a great deal of value to each participating brand and all associated products.  

If you were to license a university name and logo for a sweatshirt, you'd pay a licensing fee that would include a 10-20% royalty on each product sold.  In effect, Project RED has spent millions and millions of dollars to build up a brand that allows companies to essentially LICENSE AIDS RELIEF for under 5%.  So, for FAR less than you'd have to pay to print up a University of Idaho t-shirt, you get to USE AIDS to sell your product.  I'd say that AIDS relief helps give you access to a bigger market than the University of Idaho license, wouldn't you?  

The disparity exists for two reasons:

1)  The University of Idaho isn't a charity.  They haven't assumed a beggar's mentality.  When it comes to determining the market value of their brand for licensing purposes, I can guarantee you they didn't say to themselves, "Well, ANYTHING is better than nothing."  They, at the very least, used other collegiate licensing deals to help establish their value.  They went out and got the best deal they could.  If the value of the license were to increase over time, they would raise the cost of the license when negotiating the renewal of an existing deal.  That's just common sense.  

2)  The University of Idaho was actually involved in selling its own licensing rights.  It's not like, by contracting AIDS, you gain one share of ownership in the pandemic.  

Since nobody "owns" AIDS, that gave a bunch of corporate jackasses the ability to invent the license out of thin air, sell it to THEMSELVES for next to nothing, and then spend the proceeds to continually build the value of that license without ever raising the fee.  (In fact, a lot of companies, like Apple, that USED to disclose the percentage of the product price that would go to the Global Fund no longer do so - implying that they're paying LESS for the license.)

It's difficult for me to even imagine a more cynical, exploitive marketing scheme.  

We actually try to do things the right way, but it's tough when you have people out there poisoning the well.  It's no wonder nobody believes that we actually give our ad revenue to charity when garbage like Product Red defines how people view commercial fund-raising efforts. 
Our goal isn't to make people feel better about NOT donating to charity by buying something for themselves that also has the effect of raising money for a good cause.  Rather, we want to divert what would normally be profits for streetwear companies etc. to a worthy charity.  So, the target consumer is the person who wanted to buy a cap - not the person who kind of wants to donate but needs an extra push.  If you fall into the latter category, I'd much prefer that you donate the $36 to charity.   
See what I'm saying?

Damn Meth you've got me looking at my clothes differently.

I appreciate that.  We're all trying to use the opportunity we have with NikeTalk to make a positive difference.  Seemingly every other site in this sector is devoted to the promotion of blind consumerism.  We'd prefer that our users share their knowledge with one another and walk away from the experience as more conscious and better informed consumers.  

I think just about all of us got into sneakers in part as a form of self expression.  To me, the best products allow us not only to express our individual sense of style, but our values as well. 

Also there are other great designers on NT, not just yoRAJAH. No diss but as a community you all can open up your design opinions to others who are professionals in the field. #justsayin

Obviously all of us on the staff are appreciative of the extraordinary range of talent on NikeTalk, but Rajah really was the perfect person to pull this entire project together.  He's been a part of the NT family for years, he's responsible for establishing the look and feel that people currently associate with NikeTalk gear, he's one of very few people with the connections and drive to handle the logistics of a collaboration with New Era and Cap City, and I think you'd be truly hard pressed to find anyone who's more passionate about fitted caps in general.  He's proven himself year after year and he's never exploited these opportunities for personal gain.  

It's possible that we might one day accept submissions for this type of thing, but there's no one I'd rather have overseeing this particular project than Rajah and I think he, New Era, and ecapcity.com have all come through for us with flying colors.  Our fellow users had the highest expectations for this product and I think Rajah & co. truly delivered.  

I'm proud of what they were able to accomplish for our community and I hope you will be, too. 

 

[mykickzareag21]

if ya want a discount code on the NT Fitted juss sign into Facebook and search up ECapCity and like there page...... wen the reach 8000 likes there giving away a promo code......

BTW- there already at 7,295 Likes...... we just need 705 likes more before the 12th

 

[yorajah]

Originally Posted by ninjahood

yeah..cuz that only 8 size 8's....

The original order had 3. 

<>

 

[onhollowedground821]

My Vision has come to pass!!!!.......I cant believe it!!!!

 

[mykickzareag21]

Fellow NTers...... Thoses of you asking for discount promo codes LOOK NO FURTHER!!.... all you gotta do is sign on to your Facebook Account... search up ECapCity... and then finally... "Like" There Page!! When they reach 8000 "Likes" they will release a 20%-30% OFF Code!!

BTW- there already at 7,295 "Likes".....

PS- Sz 8 is ALL Mine!!

 

[ninjahood]

Originally Posted by yoRAJAH

Originally Posted by ninjahood

yeah..cuz that only 8 size 8's....

The original order had 3. 

<>

ya yo veo que la medida ocho el para compra y vende

translation:

there's should've been more 8's and less 7 1/2...but with that said...

ill see ya size 8 NTers at da finishline

 

[DYNAMICS]

Glad I stopped wearing 8's.

 

[guttagetsbusy]

This might be slightly off-topic, but I was wondering, why aren't there any bigger hat sizes than size 8? I mean I feel like I've seen a few hats with like an 8 1/2 or something but that was mad long ago.

Are there certain rules as to why they can't go bigger? For people with hair I mean

 

[johngotty]

Pretty cool. I still have my OG NT shirt and probably will forever.

And damn @ Meth's Product Red breakdown. I skimmed but I'll come back to read in full later.

 

[GTA 809]

I really hope 7 5/8 doesnt sell out.
I havent read the entire thread but with such limited quantities I also hope Mods will not tolerate reselling in sigs and the B/S forum. Permabans on sight.

 

[air max 87]

7 1/2 is a more common size than size 8...

its like sneaker sizing, you order or are allocated common sizes.

 

[nyrican23]

I need that 7 3/8 

 

[iamlegend]

^ same here

 

[mo greene]

i like it but couldve done without the 99-09 patch (considering it's 2011)

 

[retroisback2008]

Originally Posted by Mo Greene

i like it but couldve done without the 99-09 patch (considering it's 2011)

10 years was a big milestone. 

 

[Nujavez]

fitted is dope 

but I don't know if it's worth the risk of ordering a hat that says it's my size but then fit 1 to 2 sizes bigger. Been having that problem for the past 6-8 months ordering New era fitteds online...

 

[mo greene]

Originally Posted by Retroisback2008

Originally Posted by Mo Greene

i like it but couldve done without the 99-09 patch (considering it's 2011)

10 years was a big milestone. 

it is.  but i'm just saying i couldve done without it altogether cause i prefer the cleaner look.

 

[youngcurse]

i think the hat is dope now if only  i can luck up and copp 2 ill be happy.

 

[toy collector123]

hey are they sold out yet? i cant find em on the site

 

[Versailles]

Originally Posted by Toy Collector123

hey are they sold out yet? i cant find em on the site

aint out yet.

 

[doin90onthefreeway]

Originally Posted by Toy Collector123

hey are they sold out yet? i cant find em on the site

 

[i am knowledge]

Appreciate the explanation. Makes a lot of sense.

 

[stockholm patriot]

Wanted to post last night, but Yuku played me, copping.
 Just hope these hats don't do to NT what BET did to Rap City and UnCut.
Meaning, disrupt the nice little secret society we got going on...

 

[captinstabbin]

Originally Posted by Method Man

Also there are other great designers on NT, not just yoRAJAH. No diss but as a community you all can open up your design opinions to others who are professionals in the field. #justsayin

Obviously all of us on the staff are appreciative of the extraordinary range of talent on NikeTalk, but Rajah really was the perfect person to pull this entire project together.  He's been a part of the NT family for years, he's responsible for establishing the look and feel that people currently associate with NikeTalk gear, he's one of very few people with the connections and drive to handle the logistics of a collaboration with New Era and Cap City, and I think you'd be truly hard pressed to find anyone who's more passionate about fitted caps in general.  He's proven himself year after year and he's never exploited these opportunities for personal gain.  

It's possible that we might one day accept submissions for this type of thing, but there's no one I'd rather have overseeing this particular project than Rajah and I think he, New Era, and ecapcity.com have all come through for us with flying colors.  Our fellow users had the highest expectations for this product and I think Rajah & co. truly delivered.  

I'm proud of what they were able to accomplish for our community and I hope you will be, too. 

He is associated with NT gear...because he was the designer YOU guys picked. Aside from fitted caps, there are other professional designers here on NT that I think you all should consulte. When a company seeks out for an ad or a web design they either go to a design firm or contact a person directly, but they ALWAYS try out other designers. Would it be that much of a stretch to have another designer to collaborate on t-shirts? You keep saying rajah delivered but what about a person like Wong Fremont? He could deliver as well if you gave him the keys to drive.

-The Juice