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Funko, BrandShield speak out about itch.io takedown
(lemmy.world)
Statement is from https://xcancel.com/OriginalFunko/status/1866255848366039468#m
From: https://xcancel.com/BrandShieldltd/status/1866161489528180988#m
Edit, bonus panel! What scum.
They have also had over a century to rename themselves and haven't, which means they want the reputation the name has.
If you had a business that boiled down to "corporate mercenary" don't you think it would be incredibly convenient to have a reputation as a villainous bulldog?
There are very few companies who get to pretend they don't give a flying shit about people. This is one who will thrive on that reputation. Pinkertons and whatever Blackwater is now.
There's a difference between "villainous bulldog" and "association with them may get you shot in parts of america" (Appalachia IIRC)
Unfortunately, the swing to the right and the rise of shit like "Blue Lives Matter" has changed this in some places. When I was in the western part of Virginia for school, there was a local car dealership called "Pinkerton" and I saw their dealership license plate frames and emblem on a LOT of cars in the area. Many of those cars also had the Gadsden vanity plates and a bunch of blue lives matter, trump, etc. stickers on them.
And yet Blackwater has renamed itself again and again.
Apparently there is a "whoops, too much" level of villainy, even for villain factories.
I think Blackwater renamed to avoid tarnishing whoever was hiring them, not because they themselves disliked their reputation. If their employment wasn't at the mercy of elected officials who have to care about optics, I bet they'd still be parading around their old name with pride.
It's been decades and the first name that pops into my head when someone says 'PMC' is still 'Blackwater'. Do you have any idea how much war crime they'll need to do to get back that level of brand recognition?