THE Ave Has Been Asked to Change Its Logo
In response to a post on the UW AAUP listserv
The UW is non profit but its components certainly can bring in more than their costs.
Consider the sales under the UW logo. Who makes money off of that? Who actually owns the logo … the school? the state? … the AD?
Recently there have been complaints that my Web site has a logo with a “W” and a dog. Although neither was derived from any UW logo and THE AVE has an explicit disclaimer of tie to the UW, the compliant was that THE AVE logo looked too much like a UW logo. So, we are in the process of creating a new logo to avoid any conflict.
Frankly, I am not convinced that I am under any obligation to do this. For example, copyright law has over ridden claims by Disney to Mickey as long as the use is clearly a commentary on Disney rather than an effort to steal Mickey so someone else can make a buck off of his services. I doubt our DAWG is more protected than Disney’s MO– USE.
Tuesday night, however, a friend asked a very interesting question ….. “who gets the income from Husky logoed merchandise?” If I buy a sweatshirt or a notebook, does that money go to the AD or to the rest of us?
In the case of the Athletic Dept, all of its peers claim to bring in money that funds things other than the AD. The only part of that likely t be true, based on national studies, is the support for other AD teams … eg track.
More seriously, there is a wide spread and false impression among the public that the profits from the football/basketball teams fund the campus itself … I suspect the image is of TV dollars or Husky logoed swear shirts paying for salaries in the English Dept.
I also wonder about the concept of a public agency copyrighting its logo? Is the UW AS a “person” in the sense of the Supreme Court decision?
Maybe you should make the McDonaldland Grimace your new logo. He seems to have all the requirements needed to represent The Ave. He is purple, unintelligible, and, frankly, just a big fat slob.
Obviously you know me! For those who do not, I am obese … something I share with my brother!
As for MacDonalds, I agree with Julia Child that the Big Mac is a culinary triumph! I do love the Big Mac!
On the other hand, it would be difficult to imagine a corporation that has done more harm to our society than MacDonalds. I would love to see Pope Francis visit MacDonalds’Hamburglar University and condemn them for practicing wage slavery.
So, I think I will have to pass on your suggestion!
You comments did make me look on the web for other mascots that might look like me … one I saw was “Billikens.” From the Wiki, he looks like me … fat, bald, and contemplating his toes. Billiken is more successful than I. He once enjoyed worldwide celebrity as the mascot of Saint Louis University. The school’s athletic teams remain the Billikens and a statue of the Billiken stands in front of the Arena on the Saint Louis University Campus.
I don’t think Billikens fits THE Ave very well. After all we are a pub and our virtual beer(TM) is our most popular product! I do not think the ties to the babyish statue of an immature person named Bill would work for us.
Or maybe I should adopt some version of the M&Ms logo?” They are bald, fat and taste good! During the first Obama campaign I tried to order custom M&Ms the company .. I wanted to give the candy away with the “O” logo. They refused because Mars policy was not to endorse a candy date. BTW, in full disclosure .. my brother once managed M&Ms. He probably eats too many as well!
Hmmm … maybe we should order some custom M&Ms with the new logo?
If you want to admit that you are a fat slob, that’s fine — but deliberately and unnecessarily bringing your brother into your comment is clearly designed to piss him off, and will inevitably make it harder for your family to reconcile your family feud. I again say that you really don’t want the feud to end. Correct?
Actually no.
First of all, I do not admit to being a fat slob any more than I would willfully accept any other mean spirited epithet. What I said is simply true, I am obese and dress badly.
I do not believe I have referred to my brother as a fat slob, that seems to be your idea.
Second, it is odd that you posted this comment on a post that has nothing to do with the epithets vs me by your fellow troll from MacDonalds. Are you two related?
Third, I ma not going to be put on the defensive by an anonymous troll, especially given my suspicions about who you may really be. If you are actually related to Hugh or my brother in law Bill, you know that the level of effort I have put in to show kindness to may brother, despite what I see as his serious neurosis, is very large. I would love to see him get treatment, but in the meantime I need to assure that Hugh do the right thing about my Dad’s heritage, that Hugh. his wife Janet, and Bill stop harassing my family, and that they show some respect and love for my deceased father’s dear wife.
Finally, as I have offered you before in emails, if you are more than just a troll, you have my email address and we can discuss these matters in a more constructive and private way through that medium.