Corporate Bullies?

Hello architects, designers, industrial designers, contractors, painters, DIY-ers, weekend warriors, and close friends. We had a very interesting week. Not sure how you're all handling COVID, but three of our employees tested positive. As if that weren't dramatic enough, we received a "cease and desist" from Sherwin Williams!

Why did we receive a cease and desist from a company that makes $56.3 billion a year? We were wondering the exact same. We've attached the letter so you can read it for yourselves. It would seem that the hundred year corporation is threatened by our tiny company using their hashtags. Well, not theirs as in Sherwin's hashtags. Minwax's hashtags. Didn't know that Sherwin owns Minwax? Well, now you do. I imagine Sherwin needs to watch those hashtags after loosing a major distribution deal with Home Depot. I mean, the ad budget for Minwax is probably a couple of hundred million, but that's not where the value is. It's in for SURE in the hashtags... and we have been legally warned.

If any corporations legal departments have contacted you, please email us. We are very interested in getting to the bottom of these inquires. Of course, we want to give Sherwin's legal team the benefit of the doubt here and explain why they're targeting a female entrepreneur. On the surface it seems like they feel threatened by her Instagram social media following, which is four times theirs. And since they can't compete with a quality product, they're trying to chip away at market share any way they can. But that's just surface talk. We will hope to deep dive with a phone conference and will write a follow up! So stay tuned.

Zack Lovelady

P.S.

Since when has Minwax STAINS ever used the name "WASH" on their product labels? I invented the first WEATHER WASH. I named it "WEATHER WASH." I labeled it "WEATHER WASH." Minwax stains suddenly releases a brand new product and calls it "COLOR WASH?" And COLOR WASH coincidentally creates a "WEATHERED GRAY?" Very suspicious.

-xo- Becca