Name & Logo Motions and Issues 2015

So as a result of review and cogitation following the huge outcry by a small number of members over the use of the Mensa name and logo on shirts and banner carried by some Chicago Area Mensa members in this year’s Gay Pride Parade, the N&L Committee has some motions on the agenda for the September 2015 AMC meeting.

Here are my thoughts.

MOTION 1

Moved Name and Logo Committee: Amend ASIEs, Section 17, B, Use of the Mensa Name and Logo, by adding the following paragraphs:

6. Members, having purchased any official Mensa garments or accessories, are entitled to wear such garments without restriction.

I agree with this, though I don’t think it is necessary to carve into stone, since it’s kind of a no-brainer and it’s not like anyone anywhere is going to be reviewing each and every instance of a member wearing a Mensa Tshirt at a Jenny McCarthy For President rally, drinking water at a religious revival from a Mensa water bottle or driving in a anti-immigration rally while still having a Mensa license plate visible on the car.  This is just formally giving me permission to do something you can’t stop me from doing in the first place.

But it’s harmless and if it makes people feel better, fine with me.

7. Groups of Members including Local Groups, SIGs, or subsets of Local Groups and SIGs, are encouraged to promote Mensa’s visibility through associating their non-Mensa specific activities with Mensa by wearing or using “Member of” or “Members of” logo or name attire, accessories, or banners.

This I am not comfortable with as written. I do support the intent, however.

As written, it’s pointless. “Members are ENCOURAGED.” Yeah, so. Members are also ENCOURAGED to buy life memberships, contribute to the Mensa Foundation, throw away their garbage at gathering, bathe, and not touch others inappropriately without permission. Either make a good rule that someone will enforce, or don’t. 

If this wording is meant to convey that members MUST include the words “member of” on things, then this amendment would negate the permission you just granted in number 6. So basically, it’s saying that I cannot drink from that cool Mensa logo water bottle at the religious revival because it only has the logo on it, not the additional words “Member of.” Think of all the Mensa gear the Mensa Store sells currently—most of it could not be worn at any non-Mensa specific activity. No more wearing my shirt while jogging alone. No more writing with my logo pen at work. No more wearing my gold logo signet ring when being photographed shaking hands with a political candidate.

Additionally, this amendment will require the Mensa Store to toss most of its merchandise and restock with gear that says “Member of Mensa” on it instead of just the simple aesthetically pleasing symbol. Otherwise, who will buy it if it can only be worn at Mensa-specific events?

Robin’s personal opinion on this two-pronged amendment: Vote NO.

(I’ll address the banners issue further on)

MOTION 2

Moved Name and Logo Committee: Amend ASIE Appendix 8, Section I, by adding new Subsection K as follows:

K. In addition to the technical requirements of A - J, a final review of any logo or name use should include an analysis as to whether there is the potential for the image to be interpreted as a political, social, or religious statement being made by Mensa in violation of the Mensa Constitution. Such perceived implications will be discussed with the member(s) requesting name and/or logo use. All reasonable efforts will be made to collaborate with the requesting member(s) to reach a solution which adheres to the Mensa constitution and gives maximum liberty to the member(s).

I agree with the intent of this, but the wording is not neat and tight. Imagine MidState Mensa simply making up their own plain solid blue shirts using the logo—which they are allowed to download and use—and the words “MidState Mensa.”  Don’t forget, the LG Charter grants them that permission: A royalty free, nonexclusive, and non-sublicensable license to MIDSTATE MENSA for the use of AML’s trade marks, service marks, trade names, and logos, including, but not limited to, the mark “MENSA” and the Mensa stylized logo. And off they go, to march in their local Gay Pride Parade. They never even contacted the N&L committee to review the design, since there was no need; they didn’t do anything to the logo design they are already allowed to use nor were they printing and selling the shirts for profit (which runs into the marketing agreements with Fox Imaging).  Local Groups use the name and logo all the time without asking for review by the national N&L folks.

But as I said, I do support the intent of this motion. But it’s not quite right.

Robin’s Opinion: Vote NO.

(And yes, I have a substitute idea I’ll describe further below.)

MOTION 3

Moved Name and Logo Committee: Amend ASIE Appendix 8, by adding new section III, (and then renumber the remaining sections):

III. Special “Member(s) of Mensa” Logo and Name designs exist (for banners, electronic tags, and apparel) so that Members can promote Mensa when engaged in non-Mensa specific activities. They are to be used:

A. By a Mensa member or group for activities that are not Mensa specific, but allow for groups of members to come together in an activity within a larger community. (Festivals, parades, volunteer situations, etc...) 

B. If there is a concern that the activity to be participated in may promote a political, social, or religious opinion. Members may have such opinions, but the organization may not.

  

This seems fine to me.

Robin’s Opinion: Vote YES.

Now on to my suggestions…

The issue seems to be two-fold. First, the rainbow stripes behind the Mensa logo as was used on the Chicago shirts evokes to some viewers a too-close combining of two symbols. That’s probably not a good idea, and although it didn't exactly cross the current N&L lines, it probably should have been turned down. Much involves interpretation—for a greater explanation and examples of how human judgment comes into play regarding N&L, see the Name & Logo Workbook sections titled An ‘M’ with a Globe on Top and Exercises in Interpretation… .

But here’s the rub with trying to make a hard and fast rule that will last through the ages: Any patterned background may or may not at some point in time become symbolic of something else. Something that was symbolic may become generic and no longer carry any other meaning beyond the pretty pattern. Consider the case of tie dye patterns. At one point in our history, that was strongly associated with hippies and anti-war agendas. Now, not so much. Rainbows were once just pretty spectrums evoking happy thoughts, but now they have come to symbolize LGBT issues. What to some is simply a very pleasing shade of green is now often associated with the Green Party. Who is to say that a nice chevron pattern—very popular in design these days, won’t become the pattern of choice for Jenny McCarthy’s presidential campaign?

How to solve this?

Educate your RVCs and Groups. Over and over and over again. Get the word out that using the name and logo on a patterned background of a shirt or poster COULD be interpreted as an implication of an affiliation of the organization with a social/political/ideological cause and should not be done. Teach RVCs and Groups to ask the N&L Committee if they have any hint of a doubt.

And then just let the Committee judge and advice, much like the intent of  Motion 2 (the addition of a Section K to the current N&L Rules).

The second issue I see is the fine line between what is marketing and what is support or promotion of a social/political/ideological cause. Marketing is good. LGs doing marketing and getting the Mensa name out in front of people is a good thing. Everyone agrees.

Giving the impression to anyone anywhere that MENSA as an organizational entity supports anything is a bad thing. Not everyone agrees with this, but that’s a separate issue. For now, we work with the rules that exist.

After a million posts and conversations in various online and in-person forums, there seems to be, oddly, a consensus that a static sign or banner in a booth at an event is “marketing” and a moving banner or sign in a parade or rally is “supporting a cause.”

The easiest solution I see is to make a rule along the lines of “Local Groups, SIGs, or subsets of Mensa members must get approval from the AMC Marketing Committee before carrying a non-static sign or banner bearing the Mensa name and or logo in a parade or rally. Failure to get approval in advance may result in a loss of funding for the Local Group.”

(One problem I see already is what happens when twenty Mensans from different Local Groups all join together and march without approval and carrying a Mensa sign they made themselves? Rules are so much easier to make than to enforce.)

So, to sum up this insanely long post, here are my recommendations:

1. Vote NO on the first two N&L motions

2. Vote YES on the third one (adding a new section III to Appendix 8)

3. Get the word out that using the name and logo on a patterned background of a shirt or poster COULD be interpreted as an implication of an affiliation of the organization with a social/political/ideological cause and should not be done. RVCs and Groups should be reminded to ask the N&L Committee if they have any hint of a doubt.

4. Make a rule along the lines of “Local Groups, SIGs, or subsets of Mensa members must get approval from the AMC Marketing Committee before carrying a non-static sign or banner bearing the Mensa name and or logo in a parade or rally. Failure to get approval in advance may result in a loss of funding for the Local Group.”