Official PipesMagazine.com Stuff

There have been some suggestions lately for having official PipesMagazine.com stuff, like a tobacco blend and a pipe of the year. While this is somewhat flattering, it is not in our plans to do so at this time.
I've heard that other forums have a pipe of the year. I know that pipe clubs have their own tobacco blends. I'm sure we could arrange to have these things done.
However, the activities of producing products with the PipesMagazine.com name on them are not part of our mission as a business.
Our business model is focused on providing articles, news, information, advice and entertainment to the pipe smoking community. It is to have an online hangout for pipe smokers to chat with friends, share information and be entertained. It is to try to bring new, younger adults into the pipe smoking hobby.
We prefer to leave the marketing of pipes and tobaccos to the makers of these products and want everyone to enjoy as many of them as possible.
That said, please be aware that we cannot have unauthorized production of any type of goods or services with the PipesMagazine.com name on them.
PipesMagazine.com is copyrighted intellectual property and represents a brand that I have created and continue to mold.
The development of a brand is a combination of many different factors, and anything that has it's name becomes part of the message and image of the brand.
Anything that is developed, produced, marketed or distributed with the PipesMagazine.com name or likeness must either be owned by or licensed by Right Click Media, LLC and authorized by Kevin Godbee.

jcsoldit - I may be an old fart too in chronology ... but it's all relative.
You really are as old as you feel, or act, and in my case it's about 23, even though I've been around for 46 years. (My dad is 79 and pushing 27 himself.)
Every pipe smoker is welcome here, especially the ones that want to welcome more pipe smokers to join us.
"Old fart" is just a frame of mind and it isn't bad or good. Whatever makes you happy makes me happy, and if we ever make a licensed product it just might end up being "ladies panties" as jayh said.

jayh - well said. I'm glad you understand. I'm glad people enjoy this site and have fun here. In the midst of all the enjoyment the site brings it appears it is easy to forget that I am running a business here.
Most of you guys probably have jobs. You go to work and get a paycheck.
PipesMagazine.com is my job.
This site is not a hobby. It is a professional, commercial endeavor that Bob and I work very hard at. (Chelsea is hard at work too and you will be seeing more from her soon.)
I am not mad at anybody. I am actually flattered. I completely understood from the beginning that this was being done as a fun thing amongst internet friends, and that no one intended on making money from it. However, it is still something that would become an "official" item that was not actually official since it was not desired by the owner of the name, and had none of the owner's input.
Intentions were good, but it was not an area we wanted to be involved in right now.
I now return you to our regularly scheduled programming, and I am going back to crafting new content for the site.

Phil, your post got caught in the spam filter and I just noticed it and published it now, so this is why I am just responding now.

phil said - If someone is offering a service without “turning” a profit to help with that "FREE" advertisement, I would think that it would be respected and appreciated…
I guess it’s all about the money...

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While this is a commercial endeavor, and how I earn a living, which I am sure you know I have the right to do, this situation had nothing to do with money.
It was 100% about maintaining control of my own brand and my own business.
I do not understand how anyone would feel they had the authority to conceive of any type of item with my website's name on it without even having a conversation with me about it. If you can take a moment and put yourself outside the situation, and put your feelings aside, perhaps you will realize that it was a mistake to direct an endeavor with someone else's name without their input whatsoever.

Since Rick said my email to him "was condescending, pompous, and in general sounded like a kid playing dress up attorney", here is the text of it.

Hello Rick,
I have an issue with the POY thread. I wish you would have run it by me first. I appreciate your initiative, as I perceive it as being done for the love of the site and the community there.
However, this cannot proceed. We cannot have unauthorized production of any type of goods or services with the PipesMagazine.com name on them.
PipesMagazine.com is copyrighted intellectual property and represents a brand that I have created and continue to mold.
The development of a brand is a combination of many different factors, and anything that has it's name becomes part of the message and image of the brand.
Anything that is developed, produced, marketed or distributed with the PipesMagazine.com name or likeness must either be owned by or licensed by Right Click Media, LLC.
This is nothing personal against the pipe maker, the pipe specifications and style you chose, but decisions regarding anything that will have the name of a carefully crafted brand can only be made by the brand owner.
I am not mad at you, but I am running a business and need to maintain control of the branding of it.
You are a valued member and participant on the site, and I don't want to embarrass you in public, so I am not sure how to deal with the thread now.
Regards,

Kevin

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