University TTO leaders understand that they have to obtain clearance to use university logos in marketing efforts, but a string of protests by universities over a beer marketing campaign indicates that some universities believe even their school colors may be protected IP. Texas Christian University and Southern Methodist University have joined a growing list of colleges that oppose seeing their school colors on cans of Bud Light beer during football season. “Because we often use color to build our brand, we do not want TCU students, parents of TCU students, and stakeholders of the university to think we support this program,” says Lisa Albert, associate director of communications at the private Fort Worth school. “As an institution, TCU tries to educate its students on responsible drinking,” Albert notes, stressing that the school will not grant permission for the program to be rolled out locally.

Anheuser-Busch InBev stresses that the “Fan Cans” — in 27 color combinations — carry no university logos, names or other proprietary identifiers, so intellectual property rights won’t be violated. Still, they won’t be sold in communities where universities request that they not be offered, says Carol Clark, the brewer’s vice president of corporate social responsibility. Clark’s statement did not say how many Texas institutions had approached the brewer. SMU makes no bones about its position. Lori White, vice president for student affairs, says: “It’s exploitative and irresponsible for a beer company to use school spirit as a marketing tool to sell beer to college students, so SMU is emphatically opposed to using our school colors.” White addsn that she has not yet heard from Anheuser-Busch on whether blue-and-red cans will be kept out of the local market. Earlier, Collegiate Licensing Co. of Atlanta said 25 of about 200 colleges and universities it represents have asked the brewer to keep the program out of their locations.

Source: Star-Telegram

Posted September 1st, 2009 under Intellectual Property Marketing

Write a comment