Using University Logos and Trademarks

What is University Indicia?
What is Collegiate Trademark Licensing?
How Does Collegiate Licensing Work?
Are There Restrictions on Who Can Produce Items Using University Indicia?
Can I Use University Indicia for my Campus Organization?
How Much Will it Cost to Use University Indicia?
When Are Royalties Required?
When Are Royalties Exempt?

If your organization is planning on using University of Wisconsin-Madison trademarks or logos on letterhead or other products, the following guidelines will help you as you plan.

What is University Indicia?

The University asserts ownership and all rights, title and interest in and to its indicia, which includes trademarks, service marks, mascots, slogans and any other indicia that is associated with or refers to the University.

To protect the University of Wisconsin’s trademarks and promote a consistent visual identity, UW logos, symbols and marks may vary in size, but cannot otherwise be altered, tampered with, modified, incorporated into other marks, or overprinted with other words or design elements.

The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin System owns and supervises use of University indicia. Examples of University indicia include any graphic representation relating to the following:

University Indicia	Examples of University Indicia
University of Wisconsin ® Wisconsin ™ University of Wisconsin Madison ™ University of Wisconsin Badgers ™ Badger ™ Badgers ™ Wisco™ Fifth Quarter™
UW ™ UW Madison ™ Logo of Bucky Badger head (requires ®) Football helmet logo (requires ™) Crest W (requires ®) Numen Lumen seal (requires ™) Wisconsin Badgers®
W ™ The Motion W logo (requires ®) Bucky Badger logo (requires ®) Bucky Badger ™ Bucky ™ Kohl Center ™ Camp Randall Stadium™

What is Collegiate Trademark Licensing?

Among colleges and universities, countless third parties wish to associate themselves commercially with a school's tremendous prestige and spirit. Trademark licensing has been developed to become an important means for universities to maintain and promote their prestigious images through licensed products and promotions. To ensure consistency in the use of the University’s name and logos, all products must be produced by manufacturers licensed through the University’s licensing agent, the Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC).

How Does Collegiate Licensing Work?

In return for the right to use the University name and marks on products, a University license requires a company (called a licensee) to sign a license agreement, which sets forth the specific rights and responsibilities of the school (the licensor) and the licensee. The UW receives a 10.0% royalty. The royalty is based on the wholesale cost of the goods, and is in essence considered the "rental fee" for the use of the University's trademarks on the product(s). Royalties collected support the University’s “Bucky Grants” and the Athletic Department.

Are There Restrictions on Who Can Produce Items Using University Indicia?

Yes. Only companies that are officially licensed by the University are permitted to produce items using University trademarks. Approximately 500 companies are licensed with the University of Wisconsin. Purchases must be made from licensed vendors to ensure quality, consistency and appropriateness of design on the goods. In addition, licensees have signed a Labor Code of Conduct agreeing to conduct their businesses in a socially responsible and ethical manner. This includes meeting employment standards and practices deemed acceptable by the University of Wisconsin. The Office of Trademark Licensing can assist you in providing information on licensed companies.

Can I Use University Indicia for my Campus Organization?

Generally, the answer will be yes. However, you must first receive approval from the Office of Trademark Licensing. Following are some guidelines in designing/layout of how the indicia might be used upon approval:

• The name of the recognized/registered student organization must be listed in close proximity to the university indicia you're using. For example, at the top of a flier or letter or on the front side of a T-shirt may be listed a University logo and underneath or to the side of the logo would be listed the name of the recognized student organization with a second line for University of Wisconsin-Madison or UW-Madison identifying your registered student organization as a part of the UW.
• You may NOT include the logo of a non-university business or non-profit organization, which is co-sponsoring or contributing to a student organization event or activity, in close proximity to University indicia. You may list any mention of these sponsors in much smaller print at the bottom of the letter or flier as a thank you for the contributions of XYZ in making this event possible, but you cannot include their logo. On a T-shirt, you could list on the front of the shirt the University indicia with your registered student organization name and affiliation with UW-Madison; any acknowledgements of other non-university sponsors should be listed on the back of the T-Shirt. You could include a list of sponsor names and/or their logos on the back of the T-Shirt.
• Any University departmental or other registered student organizations that are co-sponsoring your event or activity, could be listed on the letter, flier, T-shirt, or other products by their name or logo.

Please submit your request on your student organization's letterhead and explain how you intend to use the indicia on promotional materials.
Include an actual design/layout of how the indicia will be used, i.e., copy of promotional flier or t-shirt design. Or, take your desired artwork to a licensed company and ask the licensee to assist you in designing the look you desire. Please direct your request to:

The Office of Trademark Licensing
University of Wisconsin
Kellner Hall
1440 Monroe Street
Madison, WI 53711
Telephone: 608/265-1152
Fax: 608/265-1154

The trademark licensing director is Cindy Van Matre (cvm@athletics.wisc.edu) and she is assisted by Laurie Lind (LLL@athletics.wisc.edu). Additional information is available at www.wisc.edu/licensing.

How Much Will it Cost to Use University Indicia?

It depends on the intended use of the promotional item. University campus departments and organizations are exempt from paying royalties if the product purchased is for internal use and not resale. However, if the item is intended for resale, then royalty payment is required.

If your product requires royalty payment, that extra cost will be built into the final cost of the product and will be paid to the University by the licensee that produces the product.

When are Royalties Required?

1. When the item is for resale;
2. When the item carries a commercial message, sponsor, or endorsement (regardless of size).
3. When the item is used as a promotional marketing device for a particular event

When are Royalties Exempt?

1. When the item (generally clothing) is restricted to members of a recognized club and is used as a “uniform;”
2. When distribution of the item is not for profit and limited to members of the affiliate organization.