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Bluesky made more money selling T-shirts mocking Zuckerberg than custom domains
Bluesky CEO Jay Graber showcased a mocking T-shirt at SXSW, leading to unexpected sales surpassing two years' revenue from custom domains. The shirt's popularity, in contrast to Meta's Mark Zuckerberg's similar design, prompted Bluesky to reopen orders after selling out. COO Rose Wang humorously suggested a pivot to T-shirt sales, as Bluesky's monetization methods struggle.
Key points
- Bluesky CEO Jay Graber wore a T-shirt mocking Mark Zuckerberg at SXSW.
- The shirt's Latin phrase 'Mundus sine Caesaribus' means 'a world without Caesars'.
- Sales of the shirts outperformed Bluesky's revenue from custom domains over two years.
- The T-shirt was created in response to Zuckerberg's shirt that said 'Aut Zuck aut nihil'.
- Bluesky opened a second round of orders due to high demand and quick sell-out.
Why it matters
- The rise of social media platforms using humor and fashion as marketing strategies.
- In 2025, tech trends emphasize the blending of fashion and digital branding.
- Bluesky's struggle reflects a broader challenge in monetizing innovative digital platforms.
Bluesky's unexpected success with a mocking T-shirt highlights the evolving nature of digital branding, humor's role in marketing, and suggests potential future pivots as they explore new revenue streams.