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"Keep
Austin Weird" - Buy More Stuff
Bad Guys Get the Trademark
The
folks at Absolutely Austin (a.k.a. Nobonz, Outhouse Design, Udamon,
etc.), who make most of the T-shirts, hats, and some of the
bumperstickers you see, got the trademark for "Keep Austin Weird" in
October 2003. We realize most people don't care, and for good reasons.
We
invented the phrase, did the original bumperstickers, and put up this
website before they were
out of their diapers, so forgive us for being a touch defensive and
probably egotistic.
The
real problem with this turn of events is that it points out the boring
irony of the entire "movement" (to use a grandiose term). It was a
small attempt to counter Austin's descent
into rampant commercialism and over-development. Absolutely
Austin getting the trademark rather than letting this chicken
run free is a sad proof that commercialism is winning. Most
people probably think of Keep Austin Weird as a marketing
slogan rather than our original attempt to highlight those
aspects of our town that are really weird. Making money isn't
high on that list. And they are enforcing the trademark, getting
desist orders to folks who were making T-shirts.
Sorry
to suck the fun out of this site. If you care, drop us or Absolutely Austin
a line with your views. Ignore this. Be weird. Make
your own T-shirt or take a
look at our new version.
The oversize
coffee mugs from this company that say "Keep Austin Weird: Support
Local Businesses" are made in China |