CustomInk Announces “Be Good To Each Other” Campaign in Support of National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month

CustomInk, the “design online” custom t-shirt company, today announced the launch of its “Be Good to Each Other” campaign. Coinciding with the back-to-school season and October’s National Bullying Prevention Awareness month, the campaign encourages student groups and others to take a stand against bullying by designing and wearing their own a anti-bullying t-shirts. All profits from these sales will benefit non-profit partner STOMP Out Bullying™, a leading national anti-bullying program. The “Be Good to Each Other” campaign is an effort of the CustomInk Three Hearts Initiative, the company’s new charitable giving and public service arm, which strives to use the power of custom t-shirts to do good.

“CustomInk strives to live by the Golden Rule. It’s how we treat our customers and our teammates, and we want to encourage students to be good to each other as well,” commented CustomInk Co-founder and President Marc Katz. “We believe in the power of t-shirts to bring people together, and hope that by supporting kids who take a stand for kindness and tolerance, we can help make a difference in preventing bullying.”

Custom T-Shirts for National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month
Statistics show that between 20 and 30% of school-aged kids in the United States have been bullied. The “Be Good to Each Other” campaign invites students – with their class, team, club or even individually – to use CustomInk’s “design online” website to create a wearable anti-bullying message. Students are encouraged to create a blue custom shirt to wear on the Third Annual BLUE SHIRT DAY™ – WORLD DAY OF BULLYING PREVENTION, which will be Monday, October 3, 2011. Of course, the shirts can be worn to make a statement throughout the month of October, National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month.

CustomInk will feature anti-bullying tees designed through the “Be Good To Each Other” campaign on a special landing page on the CustomInk website, www.customink.com/stopbullying, so that students around the country can see what their peers have to say and how they’ve expressed themselves.

CustomInk will donate all profits from the sale of custom anti-bullying t-shirts to STOMP Out Bullying™, a national anti-bullying and cyberbullying program for kids and teens and a signature program of Love Our Children USA™, the leading, national nonprofit organization fighting all forms of violence and neglect against children in the U.S. Those who don’t wish to design their own t-shirts, but still want to show their support, can go to www.stompoutbullying.org and buy a limited edition blue shirt (also produced by CustomInk) and wear it with pride October 3rd. All profits from those purchases will still go to support the cause.

Celebrities Join the Cause
A number of young celebrities are lending their voice to support the STOMP™ Out Bullying cause. Participating tween and teen personalities include: Joey King (Ramona and Beezus), Oleysa Rulin (High School Musical 3), Willow Shields (The Hunger Games), the band Y i YELL! (STOMP Out Bullying™ School Advocates) and internet sensation Payton Rae.

Each celebrity will design his or her own custom blue anti-bullying t-shirt using the CustomInk website. Their designs will be featured in the “Be Good to Each Other” t-shirt gallery. Celebrities will also harness the power of social media to promote BLUE SHIRT DAY™- WORLD DAY OF BULLYING PREVENTION and National Bullying Prevention Awareness Month in a “Go Blue” awareness campaign, engaging their fan bases in active conversation throughout the month.

CustomInk Three Hearts Initiative
The “Be Good to Each Other” campaign is the first formal effort of the new CustomInk Three Hearts Initiative, which encompasses the company’s charitable giving and public service efforts. The company was inspired to formalize and name its ongoing charitable efforts by a recent branding effort, in which CustomInk clarified its brand, overhauled its website and updated its logo and messaging.

The Three Hearts name was inspired by the company’s new mascot, an octopus named Inky, because in addition to having eight arms, octopuses have three hearts. The CustomInk Three Hearts Initiative aims to use the power of custom t-shirts to do good in the world.

“CustomInk cares – about our people, our customers, our community and our environment,” said Marc Katz, CustomInk Co-founder and President. “The CustomInk Three Hearts Initiative will amplify the good-hearted work our team has done for years, and it will also support new efforts. We’re glad to help tackle an important issue like bullying as our first official Three Hearts program.”

For more than a decade, the CustomInk team has contributed to a variety of public service activities, from participating in charity walks to organizing fundraisers. CustomInk has always encouraged and supported these activities by providing ample paid time off for “Inkers” to support their favorite causes. In addition to the charitable work of its team members, CustomInk has also contributed significant sponsorship dollars and gifts-in-kind to nonprofit organizations, including The Alzheimer’s Association, The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, the Capital Area Food Bank and more. The company employs best practices in recycling and environmental sensitivity in its manufacturing process and work environment, and works with brands that are enhancing environmental and social responsibility.

About CustomInk (www.customink.com)
Founded in 2000, CustomInk is the leader in custom apparel for groups & occasions. CustomInk.com enables people to design and order custom t-shirts and accessories for their clubs, companies, charities, family reunions, and more. Customers enjoy free design support from CustomInk’s acclaimed service representatives, and each custom design is proofed by a professional artist to ensure it turns out perfectly – whether it’s being printed on one t-shirt or thousands. CustomInk’s Design Lab provides a huge font library and selection of art, including hundreds of new images from Charles S. Anderson Design, and allows users to upload their own custom artwork. Those who wish to make t-shirts for groups can take advantage of the website’s simple group ordering system and online sign-up sheet for ease in coordinating their order with friends, teammates or classmates.

Headquartered in Northern Virginia, the company is dynamic and forward-thinking and has been recognized numerous times for rapid growth and workplace excellence. CustomInk strives to treat customers, vendors, and team members as it would want to be treated and has a strong sense of innovation and individual responsibility. To learn more, visit www.customink.com/our_story/ or call 800-293-4232.