Features and Stories

Life is Good’s Success at Branding Optimism

Life is Good’s Success at Branding Optimism
Bernadine Racoma

Bert and John Jacobs founded Life is Good in 1989. Life is Good is a clothing and lifestyle brand. The center of it all is Jake. His  face is elongated and crudely drawn. And Jake is wearing a beret in a rather playful way. Bert Jacobs says it is important that they find ways to celebrate each day. And the secret is to focus on the positive and not on the negative that we face in our lives.

The Life is Good Company sells not only clothing, but also pet products, stationeries, tote bags, coffee mugs, and recreational equipment such as footballs and Frisbees. Their products are available in 30 countries around the world.

Street peddlers

Brothers John and Bert put together two hundred dollars to make T-shirts. The brothers were confident of their art and they wanted to share it with other people. They sold t-shirts on the streets of Boston. They went from door to door, slept inside a van, ate peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, and pinned their hopes on university and college campuses. The brothers got very lucky and their efforts paid off. The business is now worth a hundred million dollars.

From selling retail on the streets, they now have a deal with Hallmark and will soon close another with a food and beverage company. And after a music festival, they might immerse in entertainment and publishing as well.

The power of optimism

When they founded the company the initial intention was to earn a livelihood and the idea of giving back came later. It started in 1995 when the company started receiving mail from people facing terminal diseases, parents who lost children, and individuals facing all sorts of challenges or adversity. At this time the company was reaching their first million in sales. That was when the brothers realized that people facing adversity are those who readily recognize that life is good with the littlest things –  simple  everyday activities and gestures.

Chief Executive Optimist Bert Jacobs confirms that the current mission statement of the company is “to spread the power of optimism.” He expounded that they do not just help kids in need but they also help them focus on the good vibes and recognize the good things in the world. Today, the lifestyle and clothing company is only a vehicle for the message that they want to convey. And now they are thinking more about expanding the means by which they can reiterate to people that life is good.

Doing good

Now, the brothers are not just spreading optimism. They are paying it forward by giving to charities. They have been fully committed to contributing to more than $9.5 million to a number of charities raising money for the benefit of children. Life is Good has recently committed to giving 10% of net profits as a donation for the benefit of children. They are doing this through The Life is Good Kids Foundation.

 

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