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View Full Version : Marketing Idea Goes Awry... Now What?


Therion
February 28th, 2009, 03:59 PM
So I'm at work, stuck behind a WinXP box. I got nothing but time on my hands so I decide to whip up a little propaganda for Ubuntu. A little project to kill some time, right? Suddenly I hit on what I think is a nifty little idea...

Ubuntu business cards!

Small, easy to carry around, and - since I'm not one to CRAM linux down someone's throat - subtle. Not a bad idea, if you ask me! Strike up a little conversation, steer it around to Ubuntu and if the user seems interested, slip 'em a card with some more information to help get them started. Sure a LiveCD is better, and maybe you can keep a CD in YOUR wallet, but I can't.

So... All on fire with this brilliant little idea of mine I set to work for the couple hours putting one together. It occurs to me I can get one of those big packs of business cards that you feed into your printer for a few bucks so this is gonna be pretty cheap.

Final product, I thought, looks pretty good and there's enough room to put enough information to get them going without being overwhelming. I thought the mock-ups were looking pretty good (see pic).

What the problem you ask??

I did everything using Microsoft Publisher and Scribus won't import the file...

Is this irony??




/If you'd like the .pub file for your own use shoot me a PM and I'll be happy to get it to you along with formatting instructions you might need.
lswest
February 28th, 2009, 04:07 PM
About Scribus not importing publisher files, there are some ideas of how to overcome this here (http://wiki.scribus.net/index.php/Import_Publisher_to_Scribus). Otherwise it's a very cool idea!

Lswest
Therion
February 28th, 2009, 04:13 PM
About Scribus not importing publisher files, there are some ideas of how to overcome this here (http://wiki.scribus.net/index.php/Import_Publisher_to_Scribus). Otherwise it's a very cool idea!
Thanks for that link... Bookmarked!
ikisham
February 28th, 2009, 04:14 PM
"Free yourself from Microsoft Windows. For EVER"):P
Joeb454
February 28th, 2009, 04:40 PM
I hate to burst your bubble...

Ubuntu Members are given use of the following:

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/BusinessCards
Therion
February 28th, 2009, 05:03 PM
I hate to burst your bubble...
No bubbles burst on my end... That's not the sort of card I'd hand out to begin with (my idea is a marketing tool not a "call me, we'll do lunch!" business card). That's why there's an explanatory blurb about Ubuntu and a couple links to educate a prospective new user. The rest is up to them. I have no intention of putting my name or contact information on these because that's not the point.
ikisham
February 28th, 2009, 05:05 PM
I hate to burst your bubble...

Ubuntu Members are given use of the following:

https://wiki.ubuntu.com/BusinessCards

I hate to burst your bubble...
One thing doesn't exclude the other.
ikisham
February 28th, 2009, 05:08 PM
No bubbles burst on my end... That's not the sort of card I'd hand out to begin with (my idea is a marketing tool not a "call me, we'll do lunch!" business card). That's why there's an explanatory blurb about Ubuntu and a couple links to educate a prospective new user. The rest is up to them. I have no intention of putting my name or contact information on these because that's not the point.

Exactly...just need a proper reference so the person that receives his/hers 'free cd' can go through the install process by himself.
Kareeser
February 28th, 2009, 05:10 PM
That's one beautiful lookin' business card. +1 :)
Joeb454
February 28th, 2009, 05:10 PM
No bubbles burst on my end... That's not the sort of card I'd hand out to begin with (my idea is a marketing tool not a "call me, we'll do lunch!" business card). That's why there's an explanatory blurb about Ubuntu and a couple links to educate a prospective new user. The rest is up to them. I have no intention of putting my name or contact information on these because that's not the point.

Ah Ok :)

Seems I misunderstood :p
Therion
February 28th, 2009, 05:17 PM
Exactly...just need a proper reference so the person that receives his/hers 'free cd' can go through the install process by himself.
That's the idea. Enough information to get them started on the path, but the path is still up to them.



That's one beautiful lookin' business card. +1 :)
Thank you!
ikisham
February 28th, 2009, 05:25 PM
Nice idea. Truly!
forrestcupp
February 28th, 2009, 05:29 PM
I hate to burst your bubble, too, but you could be sued for using their logo. The distro is open source, but the logo is not.

They've already forced a few web sites to change their logos just because they looked similar.

It's just standard practice that if you're going to represent someone with their official logo, they should have a say in what that representation looks like.

p.s. I think you did a good job, but I've seen this community get pretty crazy about trademark infringement.
Therion
February 28th, 2009, 06:05 PM
I hate to burst your bubble, too, but you could be sued for using their logo. The distro is open source, but the logo is not.
Wow... You guys must simply KILL 'em at parties.

Honestly though, if Canonical wants to send me a big ol' nasty cease and desist order to crush my terrible, evil little plan, well, I guess I'd cease at that point... Maybe even desist. I'd probably frame the letter and hang it over my mantle as well.

Would this would be a bad time to mention that the "blub" came off the official ubuntu.com website?
Skripka
February 28th, 2009, 06:15 PM
Wow... You guys must simply KILL 'em at parties.

Honestly though, if Canonical wants to send me a big ol' nasty cease and desist order to crush my terrible, evil little plan, well, I guess I'd cease at that point... Maybe even desist. I'd probably frame the letter and hang it over my mantle as well.

Would this would be a bad time to mention that the "blub" came off the official ubuntu.com website?

It is probably all GPL'd anyway ;)
forrestcupp
February 28th, 2009, 10:21 PM
Honestly though, if Canonical wants to send me a big ol' nasty cease and desist order to crush my terrible, evil little plan, well, I guess I'd cease at that point... Maybe even desist. I'd probably frame the letter and hang it over my mantle as well.


Nah. I think it's a great idea. I'm just trying to protect you.

I think you could probably email Canonical with your idea and a copy of the card, and let them know that you just want to use it personally to spread the word, and they would probably approve it for you. I don't think you're doing anything wrong; I'd just probably get permission to use the logo to cover my backside if I were you.
MikeTheC
February 28th, 2009, 10:27 PM
Interesting placement of your car remote key fob...

"PANIC" !!!!!

That may just be what people do when they see a business card with a paragraph on it. You really need to clean that up, I think.