Ideas for EMS Morale Patches

HollywoodSN

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Hello! I hope this is an appropriate section to be posting this in. I'm an artist from the PA/NJ area, recently i've become associated with an individual who's starting up a business selling morale patches for EMS workers, to which i'll be one of the main artists for designing these patches. As part of the gig, i'm going to be familiarizing myself a bit with the culture of the field and trying to devise concepts and ideas and whatnot for patches, little cartoons or slogans or whathaveyou. I've been having a bit of a rough time trying to find the time over the last few weeks to do enough research to confident come up with comps to present, so i figured i'd cut the middle man and make a thread.

Anyone have ideas for patches? Stuff you'd like to see or want?
 

mgr22

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Hollywood, I'm no artist, but I think you'd get way more ideas if you rode a few shifts with EMS crews. You might be able to arrange that by pursuing a PR angle.

Also, I think you should consider what a small niche market you're chasing. There are less than a million active, certified EMS providers in the US. Most of us wouldn't be allowed to wear unaffiliated "morale" patches at work.

Have you considered shifting your focus to state, county, and municipal EMS agencies that might be open to redesigned logos? You could even expand that approach to other uniformed services.
 

CCCSD

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And not to mention outcries of the community when it’s found to be inapprpriate…
 

akflightmedic

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With the exception of when working overseas, I myself have never worn or seen anyone I work with sporting EMS morale patches on or off duty, Not on gear bags, not on hats, not on any items of clothing. I am not stating it does not exist, just saying I never saw it personally.

I think your niche market is even more niche than originally thought.
 

NomadicMedic

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Why don’t you look at the several places where EMS morale patches are currently sold? Like Level Zero and Worst Responders.

Most are pretty cringey. There’s nothing like displaying a patch that makes fun of people on their worst day.
 

akflightmedic

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Before soliciting design ideas, I would conduct actual polls, here and other places. I mean do any of you reading this like/want morale patches? And are they collection only or do you actually display/wear them? If so, where and how?

I guess as the artist, you will provide whatever you are paid for whether the guy who hired you sells them or not, so at least that monkey is off your back.
 

Phillyrube

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An agency I worked for had a crossed syringe and M16 with a star of life on top. City name above. EMS below. Great
hit and we sold a bunch before Fire took over. Like to see that again with an option to select name, app 5 x 5 on reflective tape.
Sounds like the motorcycle helmet stickers. My two favorites:. DIE YUPPIE SCUM and LET GO OF MY EARS, U KNOW WHAT IM DOING.
Fire depts have morale stickers, do should we.
 

Tigger

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I have bought several over the years but would say the market is saturated.

My Dunkin’ styled “America tubes on ketamine” is a prized possession.
 

Doc Carter

Forum Ride Along
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Hello! I hope this is an appropriate section to be posting this in. I'm an artist from the PA/NJ area, recently i've become associated with an individual who's starting up a business selling morale patches for EMS workers, to which i'll be one of the main artists for designing these patches. As part of the gig, i'm going to be familiarizing myself a bit with the culture of the field and trying to devise concepts and ideas and whatnot for patches, little cartoons or slogans or whathaveyou. I've been having a bit of a rough time trying to find the time over the last few weeks to do enough research to confident come up with comps to present, so i figured i'd cut the middle man and make a thread.

Anyone have ideas for patches? Stuff you'd like to see or want?
I have on on my bag. Star of life with the inscription “I fix stupid”. I’ve thought of adding “Boy do you need my help!!”
 

Raptor

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I've seen a lot of the 'edgy' patches come and go, and I think it comes down to the fact that the edgy patches are too edgy for the field, so where would they be worn? Nothing wrong with making some more positive designs, and you may even get departments to buy them - or stick to the insider lingo if you're going edgy, so it's not immediately obvious what the joke is unless the reader is in EMS too.
 

mgr22

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I've seen a lot of the 'edgy' patches come and go, and I think it comes down to the fact that the edgy patches are too edgy for the field, so where would they be worn? Nothing wrong with making some more positive designs, and you may even get departments to buy them - or stick to the insider lingo if you're going edgy, so it's not immediately obvious what the joke is unless the reader is in EMS too.
I agree, and wouldn't bet the ranch on morale patches, edgy or not. I think professional logos would be a better time investment for an artist. Every EMS system I was in went through at least one logo redesign.
 
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