“Make Austin Normal”

“Make Austin Normal” was promoted by Andrew Allemann in 2004 to counter Austin’s popular slogan of “Keep Austin Weird.” The “Make Austin Normal” phrase was trademarked (August 9, 2004) and T-shirts and other tiems were sold.
 
The “Make Austin Normal” website does not appear to have had new entries since May 2005.
 
   
Make Austin Normal
Contact Information and FAQ
How do I get in touch with MakeAustinNormal.com?
For press inquiries, distribution, or anything else, please send e-mail to .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
 
How long will it be until my order is shipped?
Your Make Austin Normal merchandise is printed on demand, and can take a few days to ship.
 
What is CafePress?
CafePress.com is our print-on-demand company that will ship your merchandise.  When you buy something from MakeAustinNormal.com your credit card will show a charge from “CafePress”.
 
Why should I join the Make Austin Normal movement?
For years, Austinites have argued we should Keep Austin Weird.  But that’s a cliché now.  The fact is, Austin is growing up and we need to snap out of denial.  We can’t be protectionists forever.  We can only plan for the future. 
   
Google Groups: austin.general
Newsgroups: austin.general
From:
Date: Fri, 05 Sep 2003 15:25:11 -0000
Local: Fri, Sep 5 2003 10:25 am
Subject: How about “Keep Austin Normal”?!?
 
Am I the only one that is sick of this annoying “Keep Austin Weird” thing? Why do we claim to be weird, anyway? And who decided this to begin with?
 
Can’t we just be normal? Don’t get me wrong, I’m not closed-minded, but is “Weird” something we want to promote our city as being? This especially when our city council basically disqualifies our claim as the “Live Music Capital”, and we have a quasi-celebrity vagrant hero in women’s clothes living on our streets… how’s about “Let’s Make Austin Normal First, Then Keep It That Way”? 
 
17 August 2004, Austin (TX) American-Statesman, “New take on Keep Austin Whatever” by John Kelso:
Some people prefer Yanni over Blaze Foley. Some people would rather eat at a bland place like Applebee’s than, say, a colorful spot like Dirty’s. Some people would like to put Leslie in a pair of Dockers.
 
Some people enjoy boring. Some people should move to Round Rock. Perhaps Andrew Allemann is one of them.
 
Andrew, who works for SBC, has a new Web site called MakeAustinNormal. com, an obvious sendup of the hippie rallying cry, “Keep Austin Weird.
(...)
Andrew came up with his line of “Make Austin Normal” products in part because he thinks the slogan “Keep Austin Weird” has become trite.
 
The Daily Texan (September 9, 2004)
Keep Austin Weird?
The local slogan knows no boundaries - although some don’t find it appropriate
By Alexis Kanter
(...)
The idea that “Keep Austin Weird” is trademarked for profit has inspired at least one Austinite to poke fun at the slogan. Andrew Allemann, who launched the satirical “Make Austin Normal” Web site in response to the original slogan’s popularity, also sells a line of “normal” Austin products on the site. One of the top sellers on Allemann’s site is a T-shirt reading “78704: Actually, it’s just a ZIP code,” parodying the popular ZIP code’s previous slogan: “78704: More than just a ZIP code.” Allemann’s site argues that the ZIP code, known for being “weird,” can’t be, since “50-year-old homes cost $200 per square foot.”
 
“The fact that someone trademarked ‘Keep Austin Weird’ proves my point,” Allemann said through e-mail. “How can you have a commercial slogan that screams anti-corporation?”
 
Allemann said he created his slogan to “show the other side of ‘Keep Austin Weird,’ and that a great number of people in Austin are ready for the city to grow up.”

For example, he said, “People want the convenience of shopping at a Wal-Mart.”
   
E-Gypped
Tuesday, October 12, 2004
Make Austin Normal
This is an old rant, but my fury is renewed every day. I go to school in Austin, Texas. It’s something like living in Berkley, California, circa 1969. The big thing around here is “Keep Austin Weird.” Keep Austin Weird t-shirts. Keep Austin Weird hemp skirts. Keep Austin Weird hula-hoops. And, of course, Keep Austin Weird bumper stickers. It’s supposed to be like an anti-corporate, anti-homogenous, anti-establishment thing. I think it’s just anti-common sense.
 
How about you make Austin a little more normal? How about you scoop your stank hobo ass off the drag and get a job? Starbucks is probably hiring.
   
Google Groups: misc.writing.screenplays.moderated
Newsgroups: misc.writing.screenplays.moderated
From: “Paul…@yahoo.com”