At SXSW last week, Bluesky CEO Jay Graber made a bold statement with her keynote event attire – a black t-shirt featuring a subtle Latin language reference that seemed to poke fun at Meta founder Mark Zuckerberg. The move sparked a viral sensation, with users convincing Bluesky to reproduce and sell the shirt, which has since become a surprise hit.

The t-shirt, which sells for $40, features the phrase "Mundus sine Caesaribus," or "a world without Caesars." This is a clear rebuttal to a shirt designed and worn by Zuckerberg at an event last year, which declared "Aut Zuck aut nihil," or "Zuck or nothing." Zuckerberg's phrase drew a direct parallel between himself and the Roman dictator Julius Caesar, sparking controversy and criticism.

Graber's fans, or perhaps Zuckerberg's detractors, loved the shirt so much that Bluesky almost immediately sold out of its first printing. On Tuesday, the company reopened its Shopify page for orders, which will stay open for a week. According to Bluesky's COO, Rose Wang, the company made more money in one day selling shirts than it did in two years of custom domain sales.

Wang jokingly wrote on Bluesky, "That's it. Pivoting to a t-shirt company…" The success of the shirt has raised eyebrows, especially considering that Bluesky didn't aggressively push its domain sales, according to Wang. Domain sales make sense for Bluesky, as users can turn domains they own into their social handles, but the ability to buy domains was never even integrated into the Bluesky app.

The incident has sparked questions about Bluesky's monetization strategies. If the company's other ideas don't work out, perhaps it's time for these coders to pivot to irreverent fashion design. The success of the shirt has also highlighted the ongoing rivalry between Graber and Zuckerberg, with Graber's subtle jab being seen as a clever response to Zuckerberg's hubris.

The story has broader implications for the tech industry, highlighting the power of social media and the importance of clever branding. It also raises questions about the role of CEOs as influencers and tastemakers, with Graber's sassy t-shirt move being seen as a refreshing change from the usual corporate speak.

In conclusion, the viral success of Bluesky's t-shirt is a testament to the power of clever marketing and the ongoing rivalry between tech industry giants. As the company continues to explore new monetization strategies, it will be interesting to see if this unexpected hit becomes a turning point for Bluesky.