Q&A: This AIP Aims To Create $Ape Shirts, Hoodies, And Patches!

There is an Ape Improvement Proposal on the ballot this week that is looking to create and sell affordable $Ape merch!

AIP-269 titled “Request for Use of Apecoin Digital License in Order to Create and Sell Merchandise,” is a brand decision proposal written by ApeCoin DAO Contributor LiveFast9986.

“Endorsing community-led initiatives encourages active engagement, fosters loyalty, promotes creativity, and broadens the reach of the ApeCoin brand,” LiveFast9986 wrote. “This proposal creates a win-win scenario where the community member, myself, benefits from their creative endeavor, the community at large get access to officially licensed merchandise, and Apecoin DAO has its visibility increased while also having the value of intellectual property increased.”

If passed, LiveFast9986 wrote that he will produce and sell ApeCoin merchandise, such as Patches, T-Shirts, and Hoodies

LiveFast9986 wrote that the merch he would create would be made via an on-demand printing process and would focus on being affordable, with shirts selling for roughly $25-$35 USD.

If passed, LiveFast9986 believes that he could enter an agreement with the DAO and begin taking merch orders within one month of this proposal’s approval.

To find out more about AIP-269 and how a license to use the DAO’s logo would work, the Gazette reached out to LiveFast9986 for an interview. Check it out below:

1. In a sentence or two can you sum up your AIP?

“AIP-269 is a request for the use of the IP of ApeCoin DAO in order to sell officially licenses merchandise that is of good quality, affordable, and globally accessible.”

2. What inspired you to ask for a license to make $Ape merch?

“For quite some time now, I have been collecting patches that belong or represent different aspects of communities that I have been a part of in order to wear/showcase them on my backpack and hat whenever I travel.

I have a few GORUCK Challenge patches, some Death Saves patches from when I started getting heavily in Dungeons and Dragons (I’ve been the Dungeon Master for my current campaign going on 4 and half years now), and I had the DAOpunks patch made around the time they made me their community manager. Then earlier this year I purchased a Mutant Ape as part of a trading competition with Brink and wanted to get a patch made of the mutant ape logo. I found myself asking around in the ApeCoin DAO if anyone had any high-resolution images of the mutant ape logo that I could use in order to make my patch. Fellow community member 0xSword told me that I should think bigger and make an AIP that asked for the use of a digital license in order to create the patch and other merchandise in order to sell it to other community members as there are no available options.”

3. Would this be an exclusive license for a year? what does this license mean or entail?

“This wouldn’t be an exclusive license to just me. I wouldn't want it to be exclusive as I’m positive there are many more talented community members with bigger ideas of how to use the ApeCoin DAO IP. For me however, this license would allow me to provide official line of merchandise that helps steer our community away from those who improperly use the ApeCoin DAO IP (e.g. here, here, and others), bring it back into the purview of the community by allowing those who want to show support for the brand, the DAO, and the community, and also establishes a value to the IP brand itself.”

4. Why are you the right person to make $Ape merch?

“I wouldn’t say that I am the “right” person to make $APE merch. But I have habit of finding a need or desire within DAOs and being able to execute on them. I would rather say that I am the person who has the plan, and is ready to execute and deliver on it.”

5. Why does the DAO need merch?

“ApeCoin DAO is increasing every day. Before you know it, we will become a staple at various Web3/Crypto conferences and we will want to have some type of brand presence there to showcase that “we have arrived”. We already have AIPs for that exact same sentiment. But more importantly, because some people, like myself, just want to advertise and showcase our support for ApeCoin DAO.”

6. Do you have anything else you’d like to add or say about your AIP?

“The journey going from a simple request in the discord, to an AIP idea, to now AIP-269 which is now live on snapshot has been an incredible experience. Thank you to all of those who showcased support and encouragement, and thank you to all of those who voiced their concerns and disapproval but allowed me the opportunity to engage with you on how I can improve.”

The window to vote on AIP-269 is currently open and ApeCoin DAO Contributors will have until tonight at 9 P.M. EST to cast their coins and vote on this proposal.

$Apes can read LiveFast9986’s full AIP here: https://forum.apecoin.com/t/aip-269-request-for-use-of-apecoin-digital-license-in-order-to-create-and-sell-merchandise/12954

The Bored Ape Gazette will continue to follow AIP-269 and will let you know how the DAO votes tonight.