According to Lizzy Acker over at Oregonlive.com, the Heart in Oregon sticker is in the “Top 14 over-rated Oregon brands, yet we still love them anyway.” 

We proudly accept this honor because joining us on the list is Nike Air Jordans, Tillamook Cheese, Pendelton, Leatherman tools, and Voodoo Donuts.  “Wow” is all we can say.

The author makes a great point—and one that haunted me before Heart Sticker created a Heart-in-State design for each state . . . I was plagued by this thought: “How could I betray my home, my Oregon, by expanding to other states.  My heart is here; my heart is in Oregon.”

I felt expanding would dilute the brand and would betray Oregon, and myself.

Then one day, I saw a sticker in the shape of the state of Washington with a green heart in the middle. It was the green heart that I took issue with: “That’s our green heart, Oregon’s heart, and no one else.” Plus the design was poor—bad graphics, too cluttered.

So the decision was made. I had to expand to all 50 states, so the green heart was protected and reserved only for Oregon. And as you see from the Heart Sticker USA map, only Oregon has a green heart. Not an easy task when you consider designs for Colorado, California, Vermont, Maine, and yes, Washington. But after years of research, trial and error, we were able to complete our state map with only one green heart. This is our symbol; this is Oregon, and, we had to do what was needed to protect our Heart.

Heart Sticker has only two design rules: 1) Only Oregon gets the green heart and 2) Oregon's design can only contain a green heart; all of the other states can have any color and any number of colors except green. Ha! And so, this is how we expanded our Heart-in-State designs, much to my opposition at first.

Lizzy Acker, you are correct, your heart can be in only one place, but many places can be in your heart. And for this reason, Heart Sticker created the “In My Heart,”  Heart-Shaped stickers with places, activities, and objects in the middle.  These designs include PDX, Oregon Ducks, Beer, and dog paws.

And finally, those people with Oregon Heart tattoos. AWESOME!!! You help me “keep in check.”  I do my best to keep myself and my business on the straight and narrow to not bring disrespect to that permanent decision you made on your body. Rest easy, I love it here too and feel the same way.

Take this to heart, “Follow your heart; it will lead you home.”