KIDROBOT’S POSITION ON CUSTOMISING VS BOOTLEGGING

 

It was about time Kidrobot officially released a statement on their position on Customising and Bootlegging. Their will always be an argument and that thin grey line people will test and bend. So here is what Kidrobot had to say about the issue and their stance on the issue.

“Many folks have asked about Kidrobot’s position on “Customising” vs. “Bootlegging” so we thought we’d set the record straight”

When you customise a Kidrobot art toy, you show respect to Kidrobot by making a purchase of the original art toy and then altering, adding to and/or building onto that original art toy, creating a modified version of the original and bringing something of your own to life.  Customising allows up-and-coming artists the opportunity to work on Kidrobot’s otherwise inaccessible platform shapes (e.g., DUNNY, MUNNY, KIDROBOT).  Oftentimes, Kidrobot will promote these customised works via its social channels.

Bootlegging, on the other hand, involves the creation (or rather, re-creation) of somebody else’s work; it is also called copyright infringement and represents the illegal use of another’s copyrighted work.  If, for example you cast a mould, or in any other way reproduce a Kidrobot platform shape, regardless of the material used, then you violate (infringe) certain rights of Kidrobot, since Kidrobot is the author and sole owner of those platform shapes.

It is important to understand that Kidrobot takes the protection of its intellectual property seriously and, therefore, must diligently pursue those attempting to profit from Kidrobot’s name and intellectual property.  By actively pursuing bootleggers, Kidrobot demonstrates its support of the art world, its employees and customers, and the artists who license their amazing works of art, to Kidrobot, so Kidrobot can produce incredible collectible products. Kidrobot has worked with, and will continue to work with, literally hundreds of artists who engage us directly and request authorisation to use Kidrobot platforms.  We look forward to continuing those relationships, which we believe are strengthened by Kidrobot’s active pursuit of those who opt to move forward without authorisation.

We’ve granted permission to many artists to use our Dunny or produce series. We are trying to create dialogue not shut it down.

All of us at Kidrobot realise the lines between bootlegging and customising can get blurry, so all we ask is that you reach out to us BEFORE you create Kidrobot-based works that may infringe. To our customers, retailers and the media, we simply ask that you continue to support Kidrobot and its artists by not promoting or purchasing bootleg products so that, together, we can make a statement that bootlegging is not welcome in the art world.

We have no issue with customising. It’s the folks who reproduce from a mold in volume and call them Dunnys without permission.

Kidrobot

One of our readers asked the question “Never understood why they don’t just sell 3″ & 8″ blanks” 

“The Dunny, since it’s inception, has always been made available to artists only, specifically artists we are working with, and will remain as such. That rarity is what makes it special, both to artists and collectors, in the world of art toys. We created the MUNNY platform specifically for anyone who wanted to work on a blank Kidrobot canvas.”- Kidrobot.

Feel free to drop them a message —>HERE<— for all enquiries.

http://www.kidrobot.com/

[email protected]

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Kidrobot Inc
1420 Pearl St
Suite 200
Boulder, CO 80302