I've complained to MINI USA (although I'm sure Michael Payton never saw my letter) for not producing any T-shirts, sweatshirts, hats, pins, socks or other gear specifically for MINI Cooper SE owners and admirers. Well, although MINI refuses to address this void, a Google search turned up this Zazzle T-shirt (should MINI have offered an Energetic Yellow SE?): Has anyone else found other personal accessories for us, the neglected MINI sub-culture?
I would have chosen energetic yellow for the body if I could have, partly because I’m a huge fan of recently retired MotoGP legend Valentino Rossi whose trademark colour is yellow, and partly because I just love yellow. Energetic yellow mirrors was the best I could do, though I do plan to add some bonnet stripes which contain some energetic yellow pinstripes, and possibly some side stripes incorporating a bit of yellow too, but I’d definitely buy some Cooper SE merch if there was some. Hopefully Mini will start a range soon.
Did you receive an official cease-and-desist letter from a MINI attorney or just a knock-it-off email? Is the one remaining T-shirt you have on TEEPUBLIC.COM acceptable to the company? Where do they draw the line? Do you think they'll complain if people make designs available so they can take them to their local T-shirt shop to get them printed? That's what I did with a Honda Clarity T-shirt I designed and never heard from Honda. Perhaps the difference is that I wasn't selling anything?
It was a take down email. They seemed to have the most issue with anything that contained the black official logo.
After posting earlier I came across an official Mini lifestyle accessories brochure for 2021. Nothing with the plug logo but there are a few energetic yellow items in there. The dealer I’m buying from have recently had their staff clothing changed so it all has the plug logo on it; polo shirts, softshells etc., so it may find its way to official merch in 2022.
I found some items with Energetic Yellow that could pass for SE personal accessories here https://www.shopminiusa.com/MINI-LIFESTYLE/APPAREL You could check with your dealer to maybe save on shipping.
Thanks for that. All being well I’ll be going in to sign the paperwork in a week or so, so I’ll ask them about ordering something when I’m in.
Sadly, the shirts aren't energetic yellow. Looks like Countryman yellow, which is duller. That's why I had to get new center wheel caps with the true energetic yellow for my winter wheels. The sunglasses look pretty close, though.
Darn, Zazzle took down Henry Payne's plug-in MINI T-shirt (perhaps the MINI police caught him): This product is unavailable due to one of the following reasons: You do not have access to the product (Login) The product ID is not valid The product was deleted by the independent designer The product was removed due to our Acceptable Content Guidelines and User Agreement
And/or: 5. It is temporarily out of stock. I ordered mine before they took it down! We'll see if it is shipped or they just cancel the order. UPDATE: After checking my latest email, Zazzle refunded my money and has cancelled the order I had successfully entered too. I now defer to your list of 4 reasons and take back my suggested #5. (That crow I am eating doesn't taste TOO bad, although you really have to hunt for the meat among the feathers!) UPDATE #2: Directly from latest email from Zazzle to me re: order cancellation. It apparently wasn't the MINI police, but rather the Zazzle police, and it seems that Zazzle reviews every order for its own idea of what it sellers can and cannot offer and censors anything they determine "may" violate a Zazzle "policy." I doubt the real sellers even ever see the order and maybe don't even know that orders for their products are being blocked by Zazzle. "Unfortunately, we are unable to process part of your order which contains designs that are in conflict with our content guidelines. "As a result, the following items cannot be produced and are now cancelled from your order: "Electric Mini Cooper T-Shirt Title: Electric Mini Cooper T-Shirt Result: Not Approved Content Notes: This product contains a design with an image and/or text that may be subject to copyright. Zazzle is not currently licensed to offer merchandise for this particular brand."
