I used to just copy slogan ideas from other stickers. Now I actually brainstorm from real life.

When I first started making bumper stickers, I would just look at what other people had and tweak the wording a little. It worked okay but nothing ever felt original. About 6 months ago I was sitting in traffic on I-35 and saw this guy in a minivan with a kayak strapped to the roof and a dog hanging out the window. I thought, that's a sticker idea right there. So now I keep a notes app on my phone and write down random things I see or hear during the day. Last week at the grocery store, some kid told his mom "you're not the boss of me" and I turned that into a funny parenting sticker. The designs feel way more genuine now and people actually comment on them. Anyone else find inspiration in weird everyday moments like that?

2 comments

2 Comments

tara_palmer1mo ago

lol I'm the opposite, I get my best ideas when I'm actively trying to avoid real life. The other day I was hiding from my neighbor in the grocery store and overheard this guy on the phone saying "no, the lizard is fine, it's the hamster I'm worried about" and I immediately typed that into my notes. Now I have a sticker that says "My hamster is the drama queen of the house" and it sells better than anything I ever copied. I also wrote down "I'm not arguing, I'm just explaining why I'm right" after my husband and I had a fight about loading the dishwasher. Real life is basically a goldmine if you're willing to look a little weird whipping your phone out at weird moments lol.

margaretk891mo ago

Jotted down "my plants are thriving on neglect" after forgetting to water mine for two weeks straight.