Taylor Swift threatens fans on Etsy with legal action
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Taylor Swift’s extremely successful marketing campaign for her record-breaking album 1989 was largely built off the singer’s intimate connections with her fans. She went to their houses, baked them cookies, followed them on Tumblr, and invited them to exclusive listening sessions. But recent action from Swift and her legal team paints a far less BFF image of the pop star. Fans with Swift-related items on Etsy have been hit with alleged trademark violations and ordered to remove their items from stores.
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The success of 1989 was built on fans feeling like they were part of Swift’s life and story. Now that the album launch campaign has wound down, the anonymous seller argues that the lawsuit counters that in a major way.
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"Fans like to see themselves as part of the artist’s story, however small. They want to contribute and be creative and have fun. These free, loving, creative minds are being stopped by the very artists who have inspired them. Obviously an artist has a right to their art and people should respect that. But at the same time most people, like us, are trying to be respectful and contribute to the excitement that the artist brings into our lives. When that is taken away, it leaves us with a bitter taste in our mouths. It feels as though we don’t matter, that our ideas and thoughts and creations never belonged to us in the first place. No matter how hard we worked. And for other fans who make art, I’m afraid that this is going to be the future".
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All this comes on the heels of Swift’s trademark of the phrase “this sick beat,” among others. It isn’t a brand new situation (Buzzfeed says Swift’s lawyers issued takedown notices to Etsy sellers as early as 2013) but it has ramped up in recent months.
Must have missed the part in Her cute little "gift giving" video where She sent Her loyal fans lawsuits.
