JW.ORG Badges

[sunshine]

Hi all,

 

I was thinking about ordering some badges and other items with the jw.org logo to give as gifts.  One of the brothers mentioned to me that I should be careful as the society have the logo copyrighted... I don't want to do anything wrong, does anyone know if there are any issues with the logo and if there are "official" (approved) sites where I can order badges, t-shirts etc.  Has anyone had any correspondence with guidelines read at the meetings, perhaps I missed it.

 

Any information would be appreciated,

 

Rose

[Qapla]

Here are links to a couple of threads where some of these matters were discussed - they were found with a simple search for the word "logo"

 

http://jwtalk.net/forums/topic/18783-using-jw-logo-and-sophia-and-caleb-likeness-in-a-gift/

http://jwtalk.net/forums/topic/25445-is-this-piece-of-jewelry-appropriate/

 

[Alexa]

I do wear jw.org logo back then but I feel very uncomfortable, I agree that what I read it was mainly advertisement... knowing now its in copyright that we do not want to sell it to others... 

now, I think it impresses one heart we give them not what we buy with jw.org what we make, example models, cake, notebooks...  

[Hope]

I think the lid came off the copyright consideration when Bro Losch was seen wearing one during his talks at the 2014 international conventions.  He got it from somewhere and Bethel never produced them.

 

I wouldn't wear one coz I don't like them, personally. But I haven't seen any official counsel against them.

[pgwenlan]

1 hour ago, Hope said:

I think the lid came off the copyright consideration when Bro Losch was seen wearing one during his talks at the 2014 international conventions.  He got it from somewhere and Bethel never produced them.

 

I wouldn't wear one coz I don't like them, personally. But I haven't seen any official counsel against them.

Except I think that Bro Losch, as a member of the Governing Body and thus a "director" or whatever term is used in the USA, is entitled to wear them as a member of the legal corporation holding the copyright.

Edited June 9, 2016 by pgwenlan

[leoperales]

The governing body members are not members of any of the Watchtower's legal corporations. 

[pgwenlan]

1 minute ago, leoperales said:

The governing body members are not members of any of the Watchtower's legal corporations. 

Good point - sorry

[rocket]

The branch does not dictate what you wear. Only the square JW.ORG LOGOS are copyrighted. The round ones, rectangle ones and cutout ones are not a violation of copyright as I understand it from businesses that have contacted the legal dept. of the branch. If they didn't want people to wear them they wouldn't publish videos with the friends wearing them.

One company that has confined their offerings to only what the branch does not object to is www.jwstuff.org.

It has no connection to jw.org.

Edited June 9, 2016 by rocket
refinement

[Hope]

No - I know that.  But one of the GB wearing something (maybe even a beard?  ) *will* be taken by most as tacit permission to do so, as well.

 

Agreed... if we were not supposed to wear them, we would've heard about it by now.

[On the huh]

7 minutes ago, Hope said:

No - I know that.  But one of the GB wearing something (maybe even a beard?  ) *will* be taken by most as tacit permission to do so, as well.

 

Agreed... if we were not supposed to wear them, we would've heard about it by now.

Yes! 9 posts in and we have another Beard topic.

Can you wear a jw.org badge and a beard at the same time? 

[Hope]

[ChrisC]

I thought about putting the jw.org  QR code on the back of my wheelchair. (Hmm, need to get that dust off the frame first.)

Edited June 9, 2016 by ChrisTheConfused

[Omoyeme]

Our COBE's wife gave me a logo button as a gift and I wore it last year at one of our meetings.   While outside, an unacquainted sister I was standing close by saw it on my dress and scornfully told me that I shouldn't be wearing these buttons since her C.O. told her that it is copyrighted.  I looked at her straight in the eye and said, 'Well, Brother Losch wore the jw logo button at the 2014 international convention, so I don't have any problems wearing the same.  I will continue to wear my button, thank you very much!  Then she looked the other way and walked on.  The audacity of some people.  (1 Thess. 4:11).

Edited June 9, 2016 by Omo_Yeme

[Old]

3 hours ago, Jonathan77 said:

Yes! 9 posts in and we have another Beard topic.

Can you wear a jw.org badge and a beard at the same time? 

Is it proper to wear JW.ORG badge on your beard?

[Qapla]

My Brother's Hall has a table cover/cloth for their public witnessing table with the  JW.org  logo on it. The CO had no problem with it. Our Congregation would like to get one.

[Hope]

1 hour ago, Omo_Yeme said:

Our COBE's wife gave me a logo button as a gift and I wore it last year at one of our meetings.   While outside, an unacquainted sister I was standing close by saw it on my dress and scornfully told me that I shouldn't be wearing these buttons since her C.O. told her that it is copyrighted.  I looked at her straight in the eye and said, 'Well, Brother Losch wore the jw logo button at the 2014 international convention, so I don't have any problems wearing the same.  I will continue to wear my button, thank you very much!  Then she looked the other way and walked on.  The audacity of some people.  (1 Thess. 4:11).

 

I know a brother personally who has been on a mad vendetta against Ministry Ideaz and any other place where "people are making money off the friends!"   He has ranted about it on Facebook, blocked anyone trying to reason with him (including me) and written to the company enough where his correspondence to them is blocked.  There are people whose conscience ping them about all sorts of things.  I just leave them be.... unless they want to start in my face or something.

[Qapla]

One of the things that was just starting to be used extensively here in Florida in construction is "icynene" spray insulation. It is now being required in some commercial buildings during construction.
 It can be expensive and there are not that many people doing it so sometimes scheduling could be a problem.

 

I had a Brother ask me if I thought it would be OK for a Brother to learn how and get the equipment and "hire himself out" to KH construction so Brothers could schedule it when they needed and for less money. It is something they would have to pay to have done regardless of who they hire.

 

I did not have an answer for him.

[Old]

3 minutes ago, Qapla said:

One of the things that was just starting to be used extensively here in Florida in construction is "icynene" spray insulation. It is now being required in some commercial buildings during construction.
 It can be expensive and there are not that many people doing it so sometimes scheduling could be a problem.

 

I had a Brother ask me if I thought it would be OK for a Brother to learn how and get the equipment and "hire himself out" to KH construction so Brothers could schedule it when they needed and for less money. It is something they would have to pay to have done regardless of who they hire.

 

I did not have an answer for him.

Certainly nothing wrong with paying for material and related cost. The equipment isn't cheap, I see listings of between 9K and 23K for used equipment. The application is easy to learn, I did it at one time so you know it doesn't take a lot of brain power. In my opinion to start a business with the intention of supporting oneself off KH construction projects is a little off putting.

To go into the business with the idea that you could be of service on the side to KH construction is admirable. There are brothers in the Seattle area that do KHs for material cost alone.

[Hope]

I would think that if the brother had the skills and equipment, if he was on the LDC (RBC... what it is now?  ), he would list it and it would be something to work out with the brothers in charge... right?  Like is the case with ANYone on the construction lists?

Edited June 9, 2016 by Hope

[Old]

Just now, Hope said:

I would think that if the brother had the skills and equipment, if he was on the LDC (RBC... what it is now?  ), he would list it and it would be something to work out with the brothers in charge... right?

That is true as far as it goes, but given a choice the LCDC would use an applicator that did not charge for labor. If you are an applicator you can rent the equipment  and provide the service at cost.

[More4me2do]

At the 2014 International conventions many wore the JW.ORG badges to the convention and it was also part of the Audio / Video content. The badges were useful for the setting, theme and the advertising of those conventions in 2014. It is a totally different matter to wear it today regularly to meetings and in the ministry and it is a personal choice. Biblical principal though comes into play, "All things are lawful but not all things are advantageous. All things are lawful, but not all things build up". If the wearing of the JW.ORG badges stumble one of these little ones, we know what the end result is for the wearer.

 

In the branch sponsored SMPW ministry in the US, the instructions from the service department are, do not wear any JW.ORG badges.

Edited June 9, 2016 by More4me2do

[Omoyeme]

1 hour ago, Hope said:

I know a brother personally who has been on a mad vendetta against Ministry Ideaz and any other place where "people are making money off the friends!"   He has ranted about it on Facebook, blocked anyone trying to reason with him (including me) and written to the company enough where his correspondence to them is blocked.  There are people whose conscience ping them about all sorts of things.  I just leave them be.... unless they want to start in my face or something.

 

Wow Hope!  He is someone that I would call "going off the deep end!".   How unfortunate!  I surmise that some of the upcoming regional and international conventions, we'll be seeing or hearing about the same things. As a former delegate to three foreign international conventions I do know this:  Friends deeply appreciate  receiving souvenirs and their happy smiles is all that I sought.  (Oh yes, and hugs were welcomed too.)    

 

By the way, I never knew about "jwstuff.org."  I'm thinking about ordering a few items for me and a few friends for our convention as well.  Thank you Lynn for the link.

[tekmantwo]

As for wearing JW.ORG  badges, there was a letter to Elders a couple of years ago that said the official emblem is official,  it is copyrighted and if you want to use the official genuine logo for something that you need to call Branch and get official ok. I  saw the letter, I read it, I took a picture of it and have it in my phone.

 

Having said that,  I do have a badge that I wear, we got a dozen of them from a Sister selling them from her Etsy store. I have given most of them away, down to the last two...

They are round, about the size of a quarter  (25mm) and a much lighter blue color than the official emblem. 

I wear one almost every day,  wherever I'm going,  whatever I'm doing. 

It hasn't happened yet but I think it will give me an opportunity to informal witness sometime.  I  was kinda hoping someone would think that it had something to do with worldly political parties and I would be able to assist them in understanding the truth of the matter. ....

[Zebra555]

Thought this was good use of badge.

[bohemian]

9 hours ago, tekmantwo said:

As for wearing JW.ORG  badges, there was a letter to Elders a couple of years ago that said the official emblem is official,  it is copyrighted and if you want to use the official genuine logo for something that you need to call Branch and get official ok. I  saw the letter, I read it, I took a picture of it and have it in my phone.

 

Having said that,  I do have a badge that I wear, we got a dozen of them from a Sister selling them from her Etsy store. I have given most of them away, down to the last two...

They are round, about the size of a quarter  (25mm) and a much lighter blue color than the official emblem. 

I wear one almost every day,  wherever I'm going,  whatever I'm doing. 

It hasn't happened yet but I think it will give me an opportunity to informal witness sometime.  I  was kinda hoping someone would think that it had something to do with worldly political parties and I would be able to assist them in understanding the truth of the matter. ....

I do this too, and although it has not yet stimulated interest from the public, it has identified me to other brothers and sisters (especially abroad) and has led to new friendships.

A Brother selling food in a market in France  saw my badge and came from his stall to hug me saying "Mon frere"!

Once when my wife and I were going to visit a friend in Lyon, France, the badge led to a sister talking to us at the bus station. She was going to the same bus stop as we were and was able to direct us to the brother's apartment.

 

We both have a badge attached to our iPad bags.