The Trademarks of the Univerisity of Utah serve as the visual representation of The U's reputation and therefore are one of our most valuable assets. The Trademarks and Licensing Operations, which operate under the direction of Auxiliary Business Development (ABD), are responsible for the protection, promotion, and revenue generation of the University's portfolio of Federal, International, and State registered marks.
Licensing 101 & FAQs
How to Get Licensed
The first step in creating product bearing Univerisity of Utah marks is getting licensed. We have programs and licenses available for large scale retail product products to hand-crafted, one-off items. If you have an idea for a product and you would like to incorporate the use of the University of Utah’s logo, please contact us to discuss your product, guidelines, and any questions you may have regarding the licensing process.
Look for the Label
As a supporter of the University of Utah and Utah Athletics, we need your help in keeping counterfeit products out of the marketplace! The Look for the Label program helps fans spot the difference between counterfeit and licensed goods. Our office is also here to help you create products for your fan groups, clubs, and other organizations looking to use university marks. Learn more about your responsibility as a fan!
Licensees
Interested in engaging on a deeper level with University of Utah consumers? Through our suite of resources that we make available to licensees, we are able to deliver highly engaging experiences directly to Utah fans through all means from in-person pop-up shops to social media campaigns.
Retailers
Are you thinking about carrying U of U products in your store? Need some consumer insights to help drive buying decisions? We are happy to help. We are able to offer customized consumer reports, build a fan engagement events, or point you in the direction of the latest items on the market.
Departments & Programs
The Trademarks & Licensing Office regulates the use of University marks on all products and in association with entities outside of the University of Utah. This includes uses coordinated by university departments and programs.
Student Organizations
Our office works in collaboration with the Department of Student Leadership & Involvement to set logo usage guidelines for recognized student clubs and organizations. Student organizations must abide by all licensing & trademark guidelines and policies.
Our Mission
The Trademarks & Licensing office serves three purposes when it comes to university trademarks.
These three missions drive everything that we do.
Protection
Utah must control and monitor the use of its trademarks or risk losing its rights to them as unique Utah identifiers. Every year, we review more than 6,000 pieces of artwork from licensed vendors and manage more than 400 licenses. We also regularly work with people who are selling unlicensed goods to help them become licensed. As part of our protection efforts, we make sure University marks aren’t ending up on a product that would reflect poorly on the University.
Promotion
We promote not only the University’s marks but the University as a whole. We work with retailers like the Utah Red Zone, Scheels, Dick’s Sporting Goods, and others to make sure they are carrying the most up-to-date product and are aware of special programs like Military Appreciation and Ute Heritage.
Revenue Generation
We are responsible for creating revenue from the University’s marks. A percentage of everything that is sold with University marks comes back to The U to fund scholarships and other initiatives on campus. We are also able to leverage the brand in sponsorship and partnership agreements, ensuring the proper valuation is being assigned consistently across all agreements.
HAVE A QUESTION ABOUT LICENSING?
Wondering what you need to do to become a licensed vendor? Need to know what logos your department can use on promotional goods? Contact us any time!