It has all of the makings of the most recent metropolis of Boston boondoggle – a sketchy scheme to boost income by promoting official merchandise like hats, hoodies and water bottles emblazoned with town seal and model to gullible vacationers and residents.
Who of their proper thoughts is clamoring for official Boston merch in addition to the illustrious Metropolis Council and perhaps Mayor Michelle Wu, who may benefit politically from this system?
Nobody actually, however that hasn’t stopped town from continuing with a $100,000 taxpayer-funded pilot enterprise accredited by the free-spending council.
“While you fall in love with a metropolis, you need to put on it in your chest, you need to put it on a hoodie, a cap, and carry it in your water bottle,” Councilor Sharon Durkan informed the Boston Globe in a optimistic puff piece.
This system is timed to begin with subsequent yr’s 250th anniversary of Paul Revere’s well-known trip, which may very well be start line for promoting t-shirts with a “Boston 250” emblem.
Ellen Foord, Boston’s chief artistic officer, stated town has gotten Boston College college students to workshop concepts and advertising and marketing plans for this system.
To begin with, Boston has a “chief artistic officer?” Secondly, let’s hope the scholars don’t give you occasion concepts or ingesting logos for town.
Town will then determine which iconic names or symbols town desires to trademark, such because the blue letter “B” and town seal or perhaps a drawing of ghastly Boston Metropolis Corridor.
Town has lofty targets of creating tens of hundreds of thousands in added income from the branding program, which is extremely unrealistic provided that just a few different cities have tried this with out a lot success, besides iconic New York Metropolis.
The issue is that with a view to make actual cash, town would want to get logos and licensing rights to town seal and different official logos and spend hundreds of thousands of {dollars} in authorized charges to dam counterfeit merch.
Though it’s a metropolis council thought first proposed by Councilor and Wu supporter Sharon Durkan, don’t be stunned if Wu tries to hijack it to place her smiling face and title on the enterprise, and assault President Trump. It’s additionally an opportunity to present printing or merchandising offers to politically related or unionized enterprise supporters.
She might additionally attempt to trademark a few of her favourite quotes about Boston.
“Boston: the most secure main metropolis within the nation” can be one she undoubtedly would attempt to license.
Or: “Boston Will By no means Again Down.”
One other of her chestnuts: “In Boston, We Don’t Hearken to Kings.”
And perhaps even for 2028, “Wu for President.”
However how about some different merch that will probably be even hotter sellers? Sayings and slogans not essentially accredited by the Wu administration.
Similar to:
“Have a Blast at Mass and Cass!”
“Bike Lane Insane.”
“America’s Most secure Metropolis…HaHa.”
“Most of our Metropolis Council hasn’t been Indicted”
“Boston: We’re not so Krafty.”
‘We Throw a Nice Vacation Get together and You’re Not Invited!”
“Boston: It’s Trump’s Fault.”
“I Coronary heart Wutopia.”
“I’m from Boston, how about Wu?”
“Boston: Like it or Go away it, or simply go away it.”
“One if by Land, Two if by ICE.”
“I Shoplifted this T-Shirt in Downtown Crossing.”
“Wake Up and Scent the Hashish.”
“Boston: If Solely We May Tax the Rats.”
Now, these could be an actual money cow.
