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Bad Trend: Selling Your Last Name to the Highest Bidder

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News Posted: Mon, Dec 10 2012 12:35 PM
Jason Sadler, the creative entrepreneur who figured out he could sell the shirt off his back (literally) for advertising space, has a new scheme in mind. He's selling his last name to the highest bidder, and believe it or not, bids are coming in. If nothing changes between now and when the auction ends on December 12, 2012, his new name will be Jason JLabAudio.

JLab Audio, a consumer audio brand based in Tucson, Arizona, currently owns the highest bid at $34,500. That's good for Sadler, who insists he's not concerned with his last name, but if companies are willing to pay that kind of cash, will this become a new trend? It depends on how much people value their identity.

Jason Sadler
After successfully selling ad space on his back, Jason Sadler is now putting his last name up for sale.

"Anyone who knows me or follows IWearYourShirt knows that I’m an open book. Which is why I’ll be honest in saying that this idea didn’t come to me purely for the sake of some off-the-wall marketing stunt," Sadler explains. "Throughout my life I’ve had three separate last names, none of which have carried any real meaning for me or my sense of identity. So earlier this year when my mom let me know she’d be going through a divorce, it occurred to me that shedding my last name might actually make a lot of sense for me. Though I’m incredibly close with the members of my family, I’ve never gotten my sense of self from any family lineage or last name; instead, my sense of self has come from the hard work I’ve put in to build my company from scratch and from the amazing relationships I’ve fostered with businesses I care about."

Sadler says he isn't selling out, but the he loves brands, especially ones that are willing to push the envelope. He's also vowed to give 10 percent of his auction funds to Cheerful Givers, a non-profit organization committed to giving less fortunate children gift bags on birthdays and throughout the holidays.

It's an interesting proposition, not just for Sadler, but for whichever company ultimately wins the auction. After all, as the winning bidder, you have to then trust that Sadler will keep himself out of trouble, thus avoiding sullying the brand name.

Would you be willing to sell your last name to a tech company? If so, which ones?
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Inspector replied on Mon, Dec 10 2012 1:03 PM

Well since he is going to be the first one to do this, he has a higher chance for a higher bid. This will generate news such as this article, and more advertising for JLab Audio xD.

Wonder what his future wife would say, plus his children... lol

Jimmy HotHardware? xD

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3vi1 replied on Mon, Dec 10 2012 1:19 PM

>> Wonder what his future wife would say,

That's the beautiful part: He'll take her name and get out of this without breaking the wording of his contract.

Plot twist: He marries his cousin to get his original name back.

What part of "Ph'nglui mglw'nafh Cthulhu R'lyeh wgah'nagl fhtagn" don't you understand?

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OSunday replied on Mon, Dec 10 2012 1:27 PM

This is ridiculous. Altering ones personal identity as an advertising scheme is literally selling yourself in exchange to participate in excess consumerism.

Not to mention the potential risks for companies in willing to label individuals with their brand makes them liable to being associated with such individuals potentially negative actions in life.

I know this is a pretty negative thing to say but this is probably one of the stupidest things I've ever heard and just wrong.

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acarzt replied on Mon, Dec 10 2012 1:32 PM

Buying alcohol is going to become very difficult for him... "Sir is this a Fake ID? This can't possibly be your real last name..."

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Dorkstar replied on Mon, Dec 10 2012 2:29 PM

What will we think of next to make money? So far we got wrapping our cars, tattooing our bodies, changing our last name, wearing other peoples clothes, the list just goes on.

@3vi1

Haha, I got a good laugh out your plot twist.

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sevags replied on Mon, Dec 10 2012 2:43 PM

I would change my last name to ANYTHING anyone wanted as long as it wasn't vulgar for anything over $10k. No joke who cares what your last name is. Hell I would change my first name too... Why not? You can ask anyone to call you anything despite what's written on your ID or birth certificate.

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Dorkstar replied on Mon, Dec 10 2012 3:36 PM

sevags:

I would change my last name to ANYTHING anyone wanted as long as it wasn't vulgar for anything over $10k. No joke who cares what your last name is. Hell I would change my first name too... Why not? You can ask anyone to call you anything despite what's written on your ID or birth certificate.

Yeah it would be fine, until you go to apply for a job and your name is Happymeal Mcdonalds.

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Manduh replied on Mon, Dec 10 2012 5:29 PM

Inspector:

Jimmy HotHardware? xD

hmmm yes Amanda Hothardware has a nice ring to it..  much better than Jimmy HotHardware - that just sounds very egotistical or like something out of a pron movie LOL jeesh.

How much you going to bid Dave and Marco?? You have 2 willing members haha

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lipe123 replied on Mon, Dec 10 2012 7:47 PM

what if a pornsite makes him the highest offer? XD

Maybe ok for him but like some others mentioned, could you imagine a wife/kids with a lastname like donkeydong.com?

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realneil replied on Mon, Dec 10 2012 7:48 PM

I'll give him 2 cents to change his name to dumb-ass,...............

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Kidbest100 replied on Mon, Dec 10 2012 11:44 PM

Wow... I don't know about you guys, but this is kind of sad

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sevags replied on Tue, Dec 11 2012 2:11 PM

Dorkstar, LOL!! First off hilarious.... If I was a parent and lived up to that name my kids would love me hahahaha

Realistically though I really don't see a name like Happymeal McDonald preventing me from getting a job. I can see employers being taken aback by the name or thinking its a fake application lol but I don't see it preventing me or anyone else from getting a job (especially if it's not a major public position like CEO) and if I wasn't hired based on my name I would sue and definitely win LOL, when a job does hire they always ask what you would like to be called and at that point you can give them your birth name or any name you would prefer to be called other than Happymeal.... Mr. McDonald doesn't sound bad though :)

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