ModSock Reveals New Name and Logo Design

American novelty sock retailer ModSock has announced it has become “Cute But Crazy”, a change that includes a new name, logo, and website domain.

The business, which is set to celebrate 10 years of trade this coming November, sells novelty socks worldwide from its Cornwall Ave. storefront that is located in the city of Bellingham in Washington.

The company’s new logo shows a magician’s hat with rainbow-stripe sock-clad feet poking up like rabbit ears to convey “the whimsical, magical energy of the brand”.

The refreshed website, meanwhile, carries an aesthetic that includes lots of pink, rainbows, and strong black and white. Additionally, it now purports to utilise enhanced search and browse options that don’t require customers to sort by gender.

Staff members have also created a retinue of quirky sock puppets to spread awareness on social media of the new Cute But Crazy brand through memes and videos.

As well as announcing a rebrand, the company has further disclosed that it intends to use the “crazy socks” it sells to fight stigma and raise funds for U.S.-based advocacy group NAMI (National Alliance on Mental Illness).

“Part of Cute But Crazy’s effort to stigmatise mental illness is through its reclamation of the word ‘crazy’,” says the company.

On its new website, for example, the company acknowledges the word has been used pejoratively against everyone from people suffering with mental illnesses to people who fight for change and justice, and even to strong women who lean in and speak up.

“‘Crazy’ is the word most often used to describe the fun, colourful socks we sell,” explains owner Urania Shaklee. “But it’s also a word with an uneasy, complicated history. I’ve been called ‘crazy’ more than once and it wasn’t meant as a compliment.”

The company says it is time to reclaim “crazy” from a harmful word into one that “inspires delight”, pointing out that the earliest meaning had nothing to do with mental state, but meant simply cracked or broken, a meaning that persists in art like “crazed” crackle-glazed pottery and the sewing of “crazy quilts” that utilise fabric scraps to create irregular designs.

With more than 1,500 different ‘fun’ socks on display, Cute But Crazy’s own product showroom is designed to be reminiscent of colourful patchwork.

As part of their new partnership with NAMI, Cute But Crazy has also made a pledge to operate as a “stigma-free” workplace where employees are encouraged to express their feelings, utilise paid leave for mental health days, and access mental health services through their insurance plan, among other provisions.

Source: Cute But Crazy