"Boston Strong"

Hugo hugovk at GMAIL.COM
Fri May 3 10:56:58 UTC 2013


Livestrong Foundation (formerly Lance Armstrong Foundation) is the "cancer-related" "charity" set up by since-digraced cyclist Lance Armstrong, and they sold yellow wristbands with their logo to raise money. The logo is all caps, with the "STRONG" in bold.

Wikipedia says the foundation was established in 1997, the Livestrong brand was launched in 2003, and the wristbands were launched in 2004.

Checking the Wayback Machine capture of livestrong.org shows they wrote their name "Live Strong" in at least 2003 and 2004, and used an all-caps logo with bolded "strong" from at least 2004.

USA Today reports two students created blue tshirts with yellow "BOSTON STRONG" text:
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We wanted to create a venue for the average college student to help make a difference," [Nick] Reynolds said. "We developed Boston Strong off of Livestrong and Army Strong, because it was something simple people could get behind. It's been absolutely insane how it's taken off."
===
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/04/30/boston-strong-emerson-tshirt-fundraiser/2124053/

A CBS article entitled "Bernstein: Stop Using ‘_____ -Strong’" says:
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“CHUCKSTRONG” and “Boston Strong” are obvious re-workings of Livestrong, the shamed, corrupt charity that put a yellow bracelet on millions of gullible sheep. That name was born as part of a larger campaign to enrich Lance Armstrong and shield him from criticism, using the catchy second syllable of his last name.

It was originally called The Lance Armstrong Foundation, and then it adopted the snappier new handle.

The USADA took him down on August 24, 2012, but that wasn’t enough to stop the Colts from titling their [CHUCKSTRONG] cause referentially just weeks later. It was unfortunate then and looks even worse, now, the choice to tie any charity in any way to someone so entirely reprehensible. Nothing but kind thought behind it and laudable action as a result, but it still makes any critical thinker uncomfortably, needlessly mindful of someone who gamed the same system for his own benefit.
…
Here’s calling for a little less laziness, a little more creativity, and an increased desire by all of us to remove any last vestiges of his presence from organized attempts to aid those in need.
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http://chicago.cbslocal.com/2013/04/24/bernstein-stop-using-_____-strong/

Hugo

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