Keith Haring had a lot to teach about principles of the Membership Economy.
Yesterday, I went to the exhbit "Keith Haring and the Political Line" at the De Young museum. You may know that Haring created hundreds of chalk drawings on blank ad spaces in the NY Subways during the 1980s. Butdid you know that he frequently gave buttons to onlookers, which they, in turn, would proudly wear and sometimes trade? Although Haring sold many products with his artwork emblazoned on them, the bottons were only for people to whom Haring gave them. Members only. They were a symbol that the wearer had had a personal connection with Haring–that this person belonged. The button wearers become some of the strongest advocates and supporters of the young artists. In Haring's short career (he died at 31) he built a tremendous following. And these buttons were one small piece. 
