A San Francisco brand called Baggu opened a new store and handed out water bottles and hats featuring the BART transit logo. Only one problem — BART never gave them permission.

And it wasn't even real BART merch: Baggu thought it would be OK to knock off the BART logo and make it their own. Not good!

The stunt earned headlines and backlash.

Takeaways:

• Unauthorized “homage” drops might spark buzz, but they erode trust fast.​
• Real give-back merch, tied to community pride or local causes, converts hype into goodwill.
• Official collabs let both sides share visibility.

Sometimes you just gotta ask for permission. More below...

Baggu X BART? Not So Fast!

​Baggu, a trendy San Francisco-based brand known for its vegan-friendly, eco-friendly bags, celebrated the opening of its new Mission District store by giving away BART-branded merch — hats, stickers, and water bottles with the Bay Area Rapid Transit logo.

Only problem? BART never approved it. And it wasn’t the ‘official’ BART logo either - Baggu thought it would be OK to modify the logo for their own needs. Incredible.

The transit agency quickly clarified it wasn’t an official collaboration and noted that, with BART in a financial crunch, the lost opportunity for a legitimate licensing deal stung. Public pressure mounted, customers demanded accountability, and Baggu eventually apologized — saying the items were giveaways, not sales, and that they should’ve partnered with BART from the start.

Some are calling for royalties to be paid, but these items weren’t sold. They were given away with any purchase over $50 at the store.

Ironically, the backlash did open the door to real partnership talks. But the incident highlighted a bigger truth for marketers and merch planners: civic and nonprofit logos aren’t public domain, they’re real assets. Using them without approval can turn a feel-good promo into a PR headache.

Authentic collabs build trust. Unauthorized hype burns it.

If you want to use local or civic icons in your merch, get permission first — and share the upside.

How to do it right:

• Partner with local institutions or nonprofits on a limited “city series.”
• Add a clear donation or give-back per item sold.
• Print impact statements on hangtags (“$1 from this tee supports city parks”).
• Let the partner’s team appear at your pop-up or launch event.

Bonus idea: Create official, limited-run “city pride” drops with real community partners.

Everyone wins.

Have you seen anything like this out in the wild? Reply and let me know!

​And if you want to talk about your merch, I’m here for you.​

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