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Case study · Life is Good

How two brothers selling T-shirts from a van built Life is Good into a $100 million brand

TL;DR

Bert and John Jacobs spent years selling their own T-shirts from a van before a smiling stick figure named Jake and four dozen shirts at a Cambridge street fair changed their business in 1994. Sales reached $100 million by 2007. The lesson is that persistence plus one design that people respond to can outweigh years of near misses.

How it started

The Jacobs brothers grew up in Needham, Massachusetts. They designed their first T-shirts in 1989 and sold them on the streets of Boston and from an old van at colleges and street fairs along the East Coast.

After a disappointing road trip in 1994 they returned to Boston unsure about the future of the business. Friends responded to a drawing John had made: a smiling stick figure in a beret with the phrase Life is good. The brothers named the character Jake.

How they got the first customers

The brothers printed 48 shirts with the Jake design and took them to a street fair in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1994. They sold out in under an hour, according to Wikipedia.

After that they began selling T-shirts and hats featuring Jake in local stores. The street fair was the test: they watched strangers choose to buy.

What drove growth

Sales grew quickly, reaching $100 million by 2007. The line grew into full apparel for men, women and children, plus accessories, with over 900 items. Wikipedia says products sell online, in about 4,500 U.S. retail stores and in 30 countries. The company donates 10% of its profits to the Life is Good Kids Foundation.

The growth came from staying with one clear brand message, optimism, and applying it consistently across products and partners.

Lessons you can copy

  1. 1Keep selling while you look for the winnerThe brothers sold shirts for years before Jake. They kept talking to customers until one design clicked.
  2. 2Listen to friends and test on strangersFriends liked the drawing. Strangers at a street fair confirmed it by buying 48 shirts in under an hour.
  3. 3Run a small first batchPrinting four dozen shirts limited the risk. A small batch tells you if a design works before you commit.
  4. 4Own one simple messageOptimism was the whole brand. A single idea is easier to repeat across products and stores.
  5. 5Build giving into the brandDonating a share of profits to a kids foundation gives customers another reason to feel good about buying.

Frequently asked questions

How did Life is Good start?

Bert and John Jacobs sold their own T-shirts from a van starting in 1989. In 1994 a stick-figure design named Jake sold out at a Cambridge street fair, which launched the brand.

How big is Life is Good?

Wikipedia reports sales of $100 million by 2007, with products sold in about 4,500 U.S. retail stores and in 30 countries.

Who is Jake?

Jake is the smiling stick-figure character on Life is Good products, drawn by John Jacobs.

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