==> QAPLA’!
And, mind the gap.
The Chive website somehow made me feel dirty. I don’t know why. I see actual porn on the internet and feel just fine.
I would say the t-shirts and the bumper stickers (and their parodies) are more popular than the website itself.
I never go to the website, run into it on facebook all the time. I’m always amazed at the sheer amount of girls that they manage to find that all look like that.
I haven’t noticed their bumper stickers or t-shirts. I’ll have to look out for them.
I really don’t understand how a meme factory could gain such a following. Maxim Magazine was big when I was in the Army, but they actually had articles and stuff. And nobody wore Maxim t-shirts and called themselves “Maximers”. It’s like if all the sudden there was a huge “Buzzfeed” fan base, complete with bumper stickers and local Buzzfeed community gatherings. I just don’t get how it happened or why.
The Chive has nice pictures. Not just sexy ladies but funny stuff and cool, informative pictures too. But enough to sustain this level of participation? Enough for people to identify with the website? To actually call themselves “Chivers”?
Does the Chive forum foster a lot of community spirit or something? It’s the only part I haven’t really explored, so that must be where the magic happens. Either that, or I don’t understand people at all.
This article from Business Week seems to have a good explanation for the brand popularity: Link.
I’ve never given the site more than a cursory look, but it feels like frat boy culture and warm fuzzies (from their charities) all rolled together into a nice middle of the road package.
Also, where does Bill Murray fit into all of this? How did he become the official mascot of Chivers?
I have seen this on cars and trucks and always thought I should go home and google it, as I had no idea what the heck it was about. Thanks for starting this thread. I had never heard of “Chive.” I’m really out of it I guess.
I suspect that The Chive is going to be one of those things you either get, or you don’t. Their sister website The Berry is the same idea. Daily Morning Awesomeness and Photobombs are quite amusing, incidentally.
Disclaimer: I am a Chiver and own a BFM t-shirt in orange and white.
From TheTerribleTako’s link: