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The Purpose

As Vice President of Internal Affairs of the University of British Columbia’s African Caribbean Students’ Club, my role was about being a liaison between the club’s executive board and the members through effective communication via social media, email marketing and curated strategies to build strong club comradery and loyalty. Early on, the executive team noticed that we needed funds for future programming and a way to unite our diverse African and Caribbean student body.

Our solution? A hoodie that wasn’t just wearable—it was meaningful.

In previous years, merchandise sat unsold. We needed something different: desirable, functional, personal, and strategic. This project became both a design and marketing challenge—and an opportunity to foster connection.

The Process

1. Understanding the Problem:

• We needed to gather money early in the school year to fund events.

• Our members came from varied cultural backgrounds—we wanted everyone to feel special while included.

• Last year’s merch led to waste. We needed a better approach.

2. Designing with Meaning:

• Inspired by Beyoncé’s 2018 Coachella performance, we chose a bold golden yellow, nodding to HBCU culture.

• We included the club’s logo, which consists of an umbrella thorn acacia tree to represent Africa and a palm tree to represent the Caribbean. The usage of trees emphasizes the roots that we share.

• The word “Ubuntu” (“I am because we are”) was added to the wrist and served as a reminder of collective identity.

• Each hoodie included optional personalized details—like custom names on the hood and a design on the back.

3. Strategic Research:

• I contacted the campus bookstore to find out when merchandise sold best.

• Their insights matched what I found online: early in the school year.

• So we decided to launch pre-orders during club sign-up day (first week of school), when students are most engaged (and still have money to spend, haha!).

4. Prototyping & Promotion:

• I created a few hoodie prototypes and tested them with executive members. The response was overwhelmingly positive.

• I built anticipation with a social media teaser using Beyoncé’s Coachella version of O.T. Genesis’s “Everybody Mad.” The vibe caught on—students were hyped.

• Execs modeled the hoodies during club orientation, showing off details in person. We opened pre-orders only, creating scarcity and avoiding waste.

5. Iteration & Expansion:

• We ran another preorder drop in January.

• By keeping inventory tight and marketing strong, we ensured every hoodie had a home.

Results

• Over 100 hoodies sold, with only 200 active members.

• Orders came not only from current club members but also students that did not identify as African or Caribbean, alumni and students at other schools—we even got an order to make a hoodie for a baby.

• No leftover inventory.

• Due to its major success, the following year, the next executive team recreated the hoodie in red.

• More than merch, the hoodie became a symbol of identity and unity.