Keep Austin Weird is an unofficial slogan of Austin, Texas, United States, coined by Red Wassenich in 2000 while giving a pledge to "The Lounge Show", an eclectic program on KOOP Radio.[1][2] The original intent of the slogan was to highlight the "unserious" and "unmaterialistic" nature of Austin, which he saw as distinguishing features from other cities.[3] He began printing bumper stickers in July 2000 and operated the website keepaustinweird.com until his death in 2020[4] and published Keep Austin Weird: A Guide to the Odd Side of Town.[5]
Despite a challenge from Wassenich, the slogan was later trademarked by Outhouse Designs and used to market T-shirts, hats, and mugs.[6][7][8] Other cities have since mimicked the nickname, including Portland in 2003, Louisville in 2005,[9] and Indianapolis in 2013.[10]
A 2010 book on the topic, Weird City: Sense of Place and Creative Resistance in Austin, Texas,[11] discusses the cultural evolution of the "Keep Austin Weird" movement as well as its commercialization and socio-political significance.[12][13] The origins of Austin's unique culture have been claimed to be the product of unusually cheap housing prices following the end of a housing boom in the 1980s, combined with the location of the University of Texas at Austin in the city.[14]
