Baggu under fire for using BART logo without permission

SAN FRANCISCO - They say any publicity is good publicity.

But tell that to BART riders outside the newly opened Baggu store on Valencia Street in San Francisco's Mission District.

"I'm being lied to and I don't appreciate that at all," Rebecca Wolpinksy of Palo Alto said Saturday night. 

BART calls out Baggu

BART called out Baggu, the popular bag and accessory brand, after learning the company was making water bottles, hats and stickers emblazoned with a very familiar logo: BART's. 

"That's like, one for one, the exact logo," Marwan Salem of San Francisco said, noting that the Baggu logo looked exactly like BART's. "They decided to go behind their backs. If I was BART, I would sue." 

BART hopped on social media, putting out a video that said this wasn't an official collaboration and Baggu never told the public transit agency they'd be using their logo.

A worker at Baggu told KTVU that customers received the BART-looking branded items as a gift with purchase, and they'd already sold out by Saturday night. 

BART in financial crisis 

BART's social media team responded by saying, "We're really stoked that Baggu loves our awesome branding, but BART's in a financial crisis right now, and we could have used the money from an actual partnership to help you get around." 

BART riders said the move was misleading at best — and agree that BART deserves a cut of the action.

"BART needs every dollar they can get," a rider named Edward said.

Baggu said they're ‘in touch’ with BART 

In a statement, Baggu said: "We're amazed by the response to the free gifts. And are in touch with the BART team about an official collaboration."

BART confirmed that collaboration, but said in a statment that the agency "would have liked to be contacted before they made merch with our logo." 

BART supporters were on the fence about the new collab. 

Too late? 

"I kind of feel like it's a little bit too late and a little too low," Wolpinksy said. 

Wolpinksy said he is willing to give second chances.

"I think that if they come back and they do it right and they actually, they get the licensing," he said, "and give a cut of the income to BART, I would be happy to buy it."