Responding to increasing demand, the Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH) is officially launching an online store featuring DPH-branded clothing and accessories. From polos to coffee mugs, the new store promises to promote awareness of Georgia's public health workforce while offering an escape from "business casual." The store is open to anyone.

"Honestly, I'm overwhelmed," said Ryan Deal, DPH's director of communications who oversaw development of the new brand. "We knew from testing that our brand was a success, but we wouldn't know how huge a success it was, almost immediately."

Deal says within a day of launching the brand last month on the department's web sites, brochures, billboards and letterheads, requests for apparel began coming in to the department's division of communications.

"It didn't take long before our brand engineer began looking for a vendor," Deal said.

"It seems like the very minute people became aware we adopted a brand for the department, they started asking to wear our new logo," said Virginia Jacobs, the department's senior graphics designer who digitally transformed the brand logo from a pencil sketch. "It was really overwhelming. The pride in our department really resonated with me."

The store, now available through Zazzle online at dph.ga.gov/store offers polo-styled shirts, fleeces, coffee mugs and other items and is open to DPH employees and the general public. A percentage of each sale will be placed in a fund aimed at recognizing employee achievement in the future.

"Our funding is specific in intention and outcome and that's important, but the DPH store -- totally paid for by purchasers -- provides us a little flexibility to reward employees for the hard work they do," Deal said, noting that the department's statewide workforce is welcomed to wear the branded clothing anytime in place of traditional "business casual" attire.

"We strive to continually thank our team members who make an impact, but our store might allow us to thank them with something memorable," said Brenda Fitzgerald, M.D., commissioner of the Georgia Department of Public Heath. "This is really an innovative opportunity."

Since the department's inception on July 1, 2011, leaders within the new Georgia Department of Public Health and the state's 18 public health districts have sought to improve plans for workforce development and employee retention. Deal says brand recognition is a strong start to achieving that goal.

"What we do is done with pride. And now we have a flag to fly to show that."   

The store is still a work in progress, with new items added daily! If you would like to suggest a specific item for the DPH store, send your idea to askdph@dhr.state.ga.us.

To see all of the products, select a category under “Department” on the left hand side. Happy shopping!