Greetings and would like some advice about a potentially fun idea

by towerwatcher 28 Replies latest jw friends

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  towerwatcher

  Hello fellow apostates! My first post and a long time lurker here. I would like to thank all of you for the existence of this board as this has been instrumental for me in leaving the place I once knew as "The TRUTH". Life has been great since leaving the WT matrix.

  Instead of being bitter and regretful about my JW past. I've decided to have some fun with it and I am throwing around the idea of printing up a small batch of old skool WT t-shirts. If I decide to sell these on the market, I am not sure if I will run into legal trouble though. Do you guys have any advice? Should I go ahead with this or is it not worth the potential trouble? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks

  
  
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  scratchme1010

  If I decide to sell these on the market, I am not sure if I will run into legal trouble though. Do you guys have any advice? Should I go ahead with this or is it not worth the potential trouble? Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks
  

  Looks like a lot of fun. You may in fact get in trouble, and if it becomes lucrative, they may even steal your idea. Their material is copyrighted, so you may need their permission to replicate it.

  THAT SAID, and on a second thought, I know that some of the illustrations that they used in their art were actually plagiarized. I remember one illustration in the "Your youth" book being copied from an advertisement that I myself saw in National Geographic magazine. So their copyright may not be that rightful.

  Something else, you may want to have fun with that project, but you may actually be promoting them. There's no such thing as bad publicity, especially in that form. Think of the objective you may have for your project.
  

  Also, please note that not all here consider themselves apostates. Just trying to be sensitive to others.
  
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  Funchback

  Hey, scratchme1010...

  I saw a photo in a WT publication (a magazine, I believe) of a young lady riding a horse.

  Some time had passed, maybe a year or so, and I saw an ad in my local newspaper of the same photo being used for a condom ad. LOL!

  At the time, I was incredulous because I thought the advertiser stole the WT's photo.

  I sent a letter to Bethel telling them that someone was using the WT's photo. The Society wrote back explaining that they use companies who sell photos to various companies/organizations. It was my first mini-awakening experience as I thought they did all of their own photos and art. Silly, but true.

  Anyway, oh how funny that it was used for a condom ad.

  towerwatcher-

  My advice to you is don't do it. Some goody two-shoes will report it to the Society. Their lawyers will come and get ya!
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  Stevie Wonder Boy

  I like it!
  
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  Tapioca

  These are hilarious! What wonderful color saturation...just takes me right back! LOL These are the best. Ever.
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  Village Idiot

  Funchback, They had a similar issue with a whiskey ad in 1982 that was plagiarized.

  
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  breakfast of champions

  These look really well done. Especially like the "Youth" book.

  You should name your tee-shirt company "Cult-Tee."
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  Village Idiot

  Welcome to the forum towerwatcher!

  Personally, I would not bother with what will be seen by non-witnesses a private joke. Witnesses probably won't care as well.
  
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  Funchback

  Village Idiot-

  Who plagiarized who?
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  towerwatcher

  Haha! It's interesting hearing both sides. Be careful vs It's great. I'm still not sure what I should do. LOL! Anyways, thanks for your feedback. I appreciate it.

  One side of me says they would be considered cheesy and ugly but another side of me thinks there is a strange ironic appeal to them. I can see how it might appeal to ex-JWs and JWs in some strange, twisted way but not sure what kind of impression other non-jws would have?