Bob Mackin
Vancouver city hall is one step closer to the potential for Greenest City 2020 snow globes, Vancouver Salt Co. salt and pepper shakers and “My other car is a bait car” bumper stickers.
Could Vancouver city hall sell a bumper sticker like this?
Those are some of the more than 50 civic trademarks and Aug. 9 is the deadline for marketing and merchandising experts to express interest in launching official souvenirs. The city wants to “generate visibility and awareness, while producing positive revenues that can be reinvested into a number of Vancouver public services,” according to the tendering document.
“The goods would specifically utilize city brand and trademark for the purposes of preserving, commemorating and promoting the Vancouver experience and building local pride for the City of Vancouver.”
City hall says it is interested in collaborating with local artisans, designers and indigenous artists.
The city says Vancouver is “one of the stronger brands when compared to the other municipalities in British Columbia,” that is “uniquely associated” with clean, green and environmental sustainability.
The goals include “increase loyalty to City assets and attributes by preserving, commemorating, and championing consumer-based investment in City experiences” and to promote and support political politically driven initiatives, such as Greenest City 2020 Action Plan (GCAP), Zero Waste 2040, Urban Forest Strategy, Women’s Equity Strategy 2018-2028, and Healthy City Strategy.
The tendering document includes a list of 52 marks, plus the Vancouver Police Department, spanning 1982’s “Vancouver and design” to 2017’s Sport Hosting Vancouver. They include Greenest City 2020, Eco Density, Bikes We Share, By Sea, Land and Air We Prosper, Vancouver Salt Co., East Van and Cross Design, Stanley Park, Vancouver Green Capital and Bait Car.
Also listed is the Vancouver Affordable Housing Society Ltd., but its trademark registration was abandoned, because it “missed the reg. fee payment deadline.”
Words that rose to prominence under Mayor Gregor Robertson and Vision Vancouver since 2008, but are not yet trademarked, include: “F-in’ NPA hacks,” “Dude Chilling Park,” “robust,” “lame,” “bike lane trial,” “Stanley Cup riot 2011,” and “End street homelessness by 2015.”
In February, lame duck Vision Vancouver councillor Andrea Reimer successfully pitched city council on her idea of selling Vancouver-branded merchandise, after TransLink opened an online store last fall.
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