Fans Create Petition To Keep “PLUR” As Public Domain After Insomniac Events Files For Trademark

Insomniac, owned by Live Nation, filed a trademark for the term “PLUR,” resulting in backlash from the EDM and rave community.

Insomniac Events, a Los Angeles–based firm that promotes EDC Las Vegas, Electric Forest, and other major dance festivals, has submitted an application to secure a federal trademark for the acronym “PLUR,” which stands for “Peace, Love, Unity, Respect” and has been an integral part of the electronic music scene since the early 1990s. On February 10th, the filing with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) said that Insomniac, would plan to use PLUR as a name for a clothing line.

However, the USPTO may very well reject the request on the basis that customers don‘t reliably associate the term with a single source. PLUR is an acronym used widely across the dance music scene and is symbolic in many ways.

Even if the trademark application is approved, it would only give Insomniac limited rights, and people would still be able to use and share the phrase in many other contexts. Regardless, this has caused widespread controversy, with many taking to the internet to criticize the idea of transforming a philosophical slogan into a money–making venture.

Some fans have even gone as far as to create a petition against the PLUR trademark filing. The petition on Change.org is called “PLUR Is Public Domain” and says, “This petition aims to reinforce that PLUR belongs to the public domain and should remain freely available for everyone to use and promote. The message of PLUR is one that promotes love, acceptance, and positivity, which are values that should be shared and celebrated by all.”

As of publishing this article, the petition has accumulated 6,800 signatures, and counting. Some EDM community members left comments with their signatures. One comment reads, “PLUR was an idea from decades ago and has been used by the rave community since then. It has never been associated with Insomniac.”

Insomniac has yet to comment about the PLUR trademark debate, and fans continue to express outrage across social media. Pasquale Rotella, Insomniac’s CEO has not made a statement either.