Shirts of belonging
Artist-designed shirts for employee belonging groups
At tech companies, people really love their swag. At ServiceNow, our Employee Comms team had frequent requests for swag and shirts with various designs and slogans. And rightfully so. People want to wear their pride and feel their camaraderie, especially over Zoom. So the Employee Comms team partnered with Brand to find a more proactive approach and create identities for our Employee Belonging Groups to serve their needs, get the whole company involved, and make a community impact.
The brief
The ask was to create artist-designed shirts, one representing each of the Employee Belonging Groups (EBGs), to sell to ServiceNow employees. A portion of the proceeds would then be donated to non-profit organizations identified by the groups. The main goal was that the designs should inspire belonging and identity.
The approach
I’ve always admired the work from an illustration agency called Purple Rain. They represent so many incredible illustrators that I’ve always wanted to work with. So this project felt like the perfect opportunity to finally reach out and work together.
From the beginning of this project through the end we worked closely with the EBGs to guide the work along with our team. As we worked with artists and employees on iterations and ideas we had many important conversations about inclusiveness and representation. Two of the shirts we actually pivoted halfway through. But it was all in the spirit of designing shirts that we could feel proud to represent the groups, the company, and the cultures they are celebrating. Which is no small feat because these designs also have to look cool if we wanted people to buy them.
The shirts
Here’s a look at the final shirt designs with some of the intentions behind them, the charitable organizations, and the artists.
Unidos at ServiceNow
Bird symbolism and patterns are seen throughout Hispanic cultures. The flow of the design feels like dancing and celebration.
People with Disabilities at ServiceNow
Visibility and community are especially important for people with disabilities. The design is an abstract coming together of people that highlights our similarities and differences.
Veterans at ServiceNow
A military figure reflects on emotions after service. Flowers in their helmet symbolize resilience and healing.
Women at ServiceNow
A woman supporting other women with a range of body shapes, ages, and ethnicities.
Black at ServiceNow
Within the symbolism of strength and solidarity is a community of people celebrating their lives and culture.
Asian & Pacific Islander at ServiceNow
A butterfly doubles as the outline of a Chinese coin pattern. Inside are patterns from different API cultures. The butterfly is a symbol of nature, peace, and persistence.
Pride at ServiceNow
Two androgynous figures in a heart shape show that “love is love” no matter who you are. Surrounding symbols show celebration and pride.
The reward
We launched the shirts towards the end of 2021, met with enthusiasm. Below are just some of the comments.
Our Chief Strategy Officer even wore the Black at ServiceNow shirt on our Employee Kickoff stage.
It’s been so rewarding seeing employees wearing these shirts with pride. This was definitely one of my favorite projects from the past year and an opportunity I’m grateful to be a part of. Huge thank you to Ella Lupo at Purple Rain, the artists, and our PM Becky Bruza.
↳ nicklevesque.com | Instagram | Twitter | Shop
