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Old Glory Condom Corporation - Condoms with a Conscience |
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| Old Glory was launched in 1989 at MIT List Visual Arts Center, inspired by Bush I and the US Congress’ attempt to amend the Constitution to ban flag desecration, and the invisibility of HIV/AIDS in the government. Although I had often utilized the corporate structure to create a media platform for ideas and interventions, Old Glory was the real thing - shareholders and marketable products. It received international media coverage including a piece in Newsweek and later in Playboy, which elicited 400 responses! My strategy was to challenge the government’s silence and redefine patriotism - it’s patriotic to protect and save lives. My US Trademark application was rejected as “immoral and scandalous to associate the flag with sex,” but the Center for Constitutional Rights’ lawyer, David Cole, represented me pro bono, and we won a three-year legal battle. A front page story in the Washington Post and a feature in People followed. As a business, it was less successful because the FDA did not approve multi-colored condoms - over concern for the effect of inks on latex. Our successful Latex is 4 Lovers campaign brought attention to lambskin condoms’ ineffective prevention of HIV transmission. Senator Jesse Helms, ironically, created the first global safer sex ad, holding up the Old Glory logo in the Senate on CNN, denouncing the trademark designation. Old Glory is now in standard law school textbooks on trademark, copyright and patent law. Long May It Wave. |
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| Click Here for the San Francisco Chronicle Article: A PYRAMID OF SAFETY Artist re-creates S.F. icon with condom boxes, much to Transamerica's dismay Justin Berton, Chronicle Staff Writer Friday, March 30, 2007 |
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