Last summer, David Haydn-Jones (Arthur Ketch, Supernatural) ran a campaign through Represent called “Less Than Three = Love,” or “<3 = Love.” By the campaign’s end, there were over 550 shirts sold, with proceeds going toward the Alzheimer’s Foundation of America!
What started out as an amusing misreading of the meaning behind “<3” quickly turned into a wonderful demonstration of the positive side of social media and Internet shorthand. David’s “<3 = Love” message was spread throughout social media, and eventually was shortened to #LTTU (Less Than Three You).
Here is the full and hilarious story behind the creation of #LTTU, told in David’s own words on an Instagram post from July 23, 2017:
THE STORY of HOW OUR LESS THAN THREE CAME TO BE
Please join me in getting your “Less Than 3 = Love” @represent Apparel at:
www.represent.com/dhj
To help support my chosen charity, The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America @alzfdn
This is OUR shirt, Mates! It all started with my embarrassing Social Media faux pas.
As people started to find me, I kept seeing <3 popping up in my feeds. As a daft “newb”, I actually thought I was being trolled and that people were rating me unfavorably! That is until the generous community quickly (whilst stifling their laughter, I’m sure) educated me that <3 was an old texting emoji for a heart and was meant to say “LOVE”. Well, haha… THAT felt much better.
Others, thank goodness, soon told me that they too had been confused by it at one time. Phew. Now I wasn’t alone. I had love and empathy coming on my side. Then a lovely woman on Twitter told me that she and her partner actually say, “I Less Than Three You” to each other after I just had used the same turn of phrase; being the cheeky math nerd I am.
Now we had something; OUR official inside joke! It got hash-tagged, re-tweeted, memed, and shortened to #LTTU. It warmed my heart and showed me, a social media critic, what GOOD could come from Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.
Well, now, that mistake, turned joke, turned meme, turned apparel is going to do some good in the world. Profits from the sales will go to benefit my very personal and chosen charity: The Alzheimer’s Foundation of America.
For my Nana. And my wonderful Grandfather, Aunts, Mother and part-time caregiver who nurtured her and gave comfort.
#LTTU
Davey HJ
So why am I rehashing this, especially since the campaign has long since ended? Well, on June 4, David took to Twitter to spread a special message to his followers: there will be a second launch of “<3 = Love” coming this summer!
https://twitter.com/DavidHaydnJones/status/1003655260458455042In fact, the campaign is anticipated to run through the end of June into July! So, if you missed the campaign the first time around, or if you’re new to the game and would like a chance to support a great cause, your chance is coming soon.
Stay tuned for more news on the second launch of David’s “<3 = Love” campaign!
