What’s Next For “It’s Nice to Have You in Birmingham” Trademark Debate?
The future of “It’s Nice to Have You in Birmingham” is still up in the air. Last year, local design studio Yellowhammer Creative filed a trademark application for the phrase. They’ve used it on murals and t-shirts, and argue it’s become synonymous with their brand. When their application became public, many Birminghamians were outraged.
“It’s absolutely pathetic to see what this business is doing to hinder the redevelopment of Birmingham by claiming ownership of a slogan and design that predates the business itself!” said a commenter on Yellowhammer Creative’s Facebook page.
Yellowhammer maintains their intentions are honorable. “Our move to trademark the phrase came solely from a position of goodwill, to prevent others from bastardizing or haphazardly changing the phrase for their own gain,” said Yellowhammer founder Brandon Watkins at a community meeting in October.
Now three parties are petitioning Yellowhammer’s application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. LIV Apartment Partners, artist Erin Bodden, and REV Birmingham and the Birmingham Business Alliance (joint filers) are all trying to keep the phrase in the public domain. Nick Patterson, editor of the weekly newspaper WELD joins WBHM’s Rachel Osier Lindley for an update on where the battle stands, and why Birmingham so often sees clashes between people and groups who, on the surface, seem to have the same goals and vision for the city.
A proposed Bessemer data center faces new hurdles: a ‘road to nowhere’ and the Birmingham darter
With the City Council in Bessemer scheduled to vote Tuesday on a “hyperscale” data center, challenges from an environmental group and the Alabama Department of Transportation present potential obstacles for the wildly unpopular project.
Birmingham Museum of Art’s silver exhibit tells a dazzling global story
Silver and Ceremony is made up of more than 150 suites of silver, sourced from India, and some of their designs.
Mentally ill people are stuck in jail because they can’t get treatment. Here’s what’s to know
Hundreds of people across Alabama await a spot in the state’s increasingly limited facilities, despite a consent decree requiring the state to address delays in providing care for people who are charged with crimes but deemed too mentally ill to stand trial. But seven years since the federal agreement, the problem has only worsened.
Ivey appoints Will Parker to Alabama Supreme Court
Parker fills the court seat vacated by Bill Lewis who was tapped by President Donald Trump for a federal judgeship. The U.S. Senate last month confirmed Lewis as a U.S. district judge.
How Alabama Power kept bills up and opposition out to become one of the most powerful utilities in the country
In one of the poorest states in America, the local utility earns massive profits producing dirty energy with almost no pushback from state regulators.
No more Elmo? APT could cut ties with PBS
The board that oversees Alabama Public Television is considering disaffiliating from PBS, ending a 55-year relationship.
