Hey Zoinkers! It’s time to reveal my new brand! If you hadn’t already noticed the new branding is Zoinkies! and it’s actually not new, it’s old! I have an entire post on this blog talking about when and why I created the word Zoinkies!. I won’t go into great detail here but I’ll give a quick background.
In the early 2000s I was creating 100 different websites so that I could load them up with advertising and make lots of money. I had to get creative on names because I wanted them to be memorable and I also wanted only dot com domains.
As a big fan of Scooby Doo I made up the word Zoinkies! which is a combination of the words zoinks and jinkies that are routinely said on the show. I wasn’t aware until recently that I actually bought the domain name on January 22, 2003. If you know me you know that 22 is my main lucky number!
The website I built around Zoinkies! was a directory filled with fun websites I had been finding. I limited the directory to only a few categories to keep things fun. Google hadn’t quite taken over the Internet yet so smaller directories were still getting traffic. The fact that I had specific categories actually helped the website rank in Google.
I finally abandoned Zoinkies! in 2012 after the Google Panda algorithm update killed my business. I let it sit for several years without updating it and then finally turned off the website but kept the domain name.
Fast forward to 2024 and I decided it was time to try a build another brand. I’ve been using several brands over the past few years including That Buzz Guy, Bottle Caps Mercantile, Shaggs, Shaggy Life, Shaggy Duck and others.
I opened up a new online t-shirt shop with the intent of starting the brand there. I wanted to sell t-shirts, sweatshirts and eventually art. I spent several months thinking of a new name for the online store. I originally was going to use Zoinkies! because I’ve always liked the name. For some reason I changed my mind and started creating an entirely new name.
After searching lists of 70s slang words I ran across the phrase cool-o-roonie which I thought was fun. Because I thought I would have art in the store I changed the phrase to art-o-roonie. I like that name and created a fun logo. I opened the store and started selling t-shirts again.
As 2025 got closer I made a commitment to myself that I’d really try to grow the new brand in the new year. I started using ChatGPT to help me refine the brand and give me ideas on what to sell and how to define the brand.
One day, just for fun, I asked ChatGPT what it thought about Art-O-Roonie versus the name Zoinkies!. It LOVED Zoinkies! and gave me a list of reasons why it was a better brand name for what I was doing. It also pointed out the fact that Art-O-Roonie sounded too much like it was an art related brand. I started to agree with it and made the decision to go with Zoinkies!.
So, Zoinkies! is now the big brand erasing several other brands and names. Names that will go away are Art-O-Roonie, Shaggy Life, Bottle Caps Mercantile and Shaggs. Zoinkies! will now be the name of my personal podcast, the online t-shirt shop, my Shaggs Facebook page and any future retail store or art gallery.
The definition of “Zoinkies!” (adj.): A state of joyful surprise, nostalgia, and fun. Inspired by playful exclamations of the 70s, embodying carefree vibes and creativity.
The Brand Story: Zoinkies! is a brand that celebrates individuality, humor, and retro flair. It’s where bold designs, funky colors, and carefree vibes meet a groovy lifestyle.
My company is still Shaggy Duck Studio and I still have accounts for Curtis Tucker. I’ll also still use the nickname of Shaggs but will not use that for branding. The brand that I’m going to try and expand will be Zoinkies!.
Zoinkies! State of Mind, is a brand that celebrates the bold, the funky, and the timelessly cool. It will be a world of retro revival, playful design, and carefree living.
T-shirt designs and podcast episodes will dive into the vibrant culture of the 70s and beyond, exploring how its music, fashion, and art continue to inspire modern trends. Zoinkies! will find and create groovy lifestyle designs, tips, stories and adventures.
Zoinkies! will discover creations from artists, entrepreneurs, and everyday Zoinkers who share their love for living boldly. Followers, known as Zoinkers, will find design inspiration, blasts from the past, and just good laughs—this will improve your vibe!
Zoinkies! will cover these main topics:
• Nostalgic dives into 70s movies, music, and culture
• Retro-inspired fashion, sayings, decor, and design
• Stories of creativity, entrepreneurship, and finding your groove
• Life over 50 – longevity, staying young
• A day in the life of Shaggs – plus big adventures
• Pop Art – groovy, colorful art
And that’s it! I hope you check things out and become a Zoinker!
Grab a t-shirt at https://www.zoinkies.com/products/zoinkies-unisex-t-shirt. More stuff and stickers on the way!
UPDATE: March 12, 2025 – If you’ve returned to this post and noticed a change in the logo you’re not crazy. After a little bit of feedback and much thought I decided to go back to my original logo from 2003 with a couple of modifications. This logo feels more fun and lends itself to a groovy t-shirt line. My hope is that it inspires a carefree 70s vibe with a little bit of surf, sun and adventure. Plus I’ve added the tagline “State of Mind” which I feel brings all Zoinkers! together as a group.
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