Q: I’m creating a giveaway item for my group and I don’t plan to use the logo. Do I still need to get brand approval?
A: This is a question we get frequently and the answer in short is that, yes, you do need to get approval. The longer answer is still yes, but it’s a bit more involved.
The Ohio State University as an entity, including its name and associated symbols, represents a tradition of excellence. Did you know that Ohio State has one of the largest alumni associations and single-campus enrollments in the nation? Impressive!
We know that one of the ways that Buckeyes show their pride is through Ohio State merchandise. What you may not know is that every time official Ohio State gear is purchased, the purchase helps to support student scholarships and other university initiatives that maintain our legacy. To date, the university’s Licensing Program has generated over $130 million in royalty revenue from approximately $1.3 billion in licensed retail sales. Outstanding!
It’s important that we help protect the university’s identity and legacy. That reputation is why we’re here. It’s why we’re seen as the experts in our respective areas. The Ohio State brand lends credibility to everything we do, and we all need to be good stewards by helping to protect it.
One of the ways we protect the brand is to make sure we properly represent our trademarked properties.
A trademark can be in the form of a:
– Word
– Phrase
– Symbol
– Design
– Color
– Group of letters or numbers
– Sound
– Smell
– Combination of the above
Because we’re such a large institution, we have many trademarks, including our name. Any time the university’s name is used, it has to include a registered trademark symbol: The Ohio State University®. The Block O is also protected, as are Buckeye leaves and nuts, Brutus, Script Ohio, and the logo.
Ohio State has registered its marks in the state of Ohio and the United States, and continues to pursue registration overseas. This is done to protect the university’s integrity and identity on a global level. At the same time, royalties collected through the Licensing Program continue to fund scholarships for deserving students. This is why it’s important to get an approval on anything you’re creating — we want to make sure that students are benefitting. And by ensuring that products bearing the university marks are of high quality and good taste, we further promote Ohio State’s reputation as one of the nation’s finest universities.
The university has some guidelines around creating merchandise and apparel, which we abide by. The College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) also has additional, specific guidelines for creating those items. When space allows for it, the college logo (or other approved entity mark) must be used on clothing and merchandise. If space is tight, the trademarked college name or another trademarked symbol like the Block O may be used. Check out the document here for the complete list of requirements.
If you have any questions about branding or trademarks, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. Send an email to CFAES_BAT@osu.edu, or tweet us at @CFAES_BAT.