The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has established licensing guidelines in cooperation with CLC. These guidelines are shaped by existing Universities of Wisconsin policies, best practices and emerging industry standards. These guidelines are consistently reviewed by UWM Trademark Licensing and CLC. Licensees would be provided a six-month notice to any substantive change in these guidelines.
Use of Licensed Vendors
Any entity producing items for commercial or promotional use and bearing the trademarks, logos, names or other visual or implied references to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee or its affiliates must be licensed, and any campus department, student organizations or external entity must order branded merchandise (apparel and non-apparel) from licensed vendors. A company producing unlicensed merchandise faces potential legal liability, while the failure to order from a licensed vendor is a violation of Universities of Wisconsin policies on collegiate licensing. A list of licensed vendors, including vendors under procurement contracts with UWM, is available online.
Promotional Items
Items used for promotional distribution or for internal use can be procured from any of UWM’s more than 100 licensed vendors. A list of licensed vendors, including vendors under procurement contracts with UWM, is available online.
Standard purchasing rules apply, and customers are strongly encouraged to always seek multiple bids for any purchase. Vendors will also supply product samples upon request.
Items For Retail/Resale, Gift With Purchase or Fundraising
Items used for retail/resale, as a gift with purchase, or for fundraising purposes can be purchased from any of UWM’s over 100 licensed vendors. Numerous licensed vendors specialize in orders for retail use. Products specifically created for retail often have different order minimums, shipping and tagging considerations (ex. bar codes), and MSRP information for effective consumer pricing. Products created for gifting or fundraising purposes may include packaging or other decoration that elevates the value of the item. Customers are encouraged to work with a number of vendors to receive the best deal on both the product and any packaging or product-delivery options.
Prizes, Awards and Gifts
Items commonly used for awards are not typically subject to licensing requirements. These items would include trophies, medals, plaques and certificates.
But, if these items are ordered in large quantities or uses are intended for promotional, retail or commercial purposes, they would become subject to licensing policies. Additionally, items commonly used as a promotional or retail items – for example apparel or drinkware – are subject to licensing policies even if they are only being used for gifts or awards.
In addition to any licensing guidelines, the University of Wisconsin also have a policy regarding prizes, awards and gifts that can be presented to employees.
Uniforms and Workwear
The purchase of team or staff uniforms, as well as items specifically intended as workwear, must be procured from licensed vendors. UWM’s Office of Procurement maintains some contracts for this purpose (ex. maintenance, police) and Panther athletics maintains additional contracts (ex. Adidas/Game One, Burghardt’s Sporting Goods). Numerous promotional vendors can also produce appropriate workwear like polos and quarter-zips.
Departments or organizations in need of specialty apparel items that have limited availability can contact Kevin O’Connor for more information on allowable situations for contracting with an unlicensed vendor.
Timelines
Ordering of branded merchandise of any kind requires the advanced approval of both CLC and UWM Trademark Licensing. The licensed vendor is responsible for securing this approval BEFORE fulfilling the order. Campus departments and organizations are welcome to contact Kevin O’Connor directly for input/pre-authorization of their designs. While many vendors operate on a variety of timelines that vary by the product order, it is advisable to allow at least four weeks between initiating an order and receiving your products. NOTE: Supply chain issues remain a concern for certain products. Please place orders as early as possible and be flexible in choice of exact items.
Royalties
A 12 percent royalty on the wholesale price of all branded merchandise purchases will be paid by licensed vendors to the university. Licensed vendors often already include this royalty in their published pricing, while others may invoice it to customers as a line item. At UWM, these royalties are directed to student scholarships and other areas of student benefit, as well as toward programs to increase royalty revenues. Royalty policies are established in accordance with the Universities of Wisconsin Regent Policy on Collegiate Licensing.
Trademark Licensing has contributed over $150,000 to student scholarships and other areas of student benefit in the last two years alone.
Exemptions
Staff uniforms, team uniforms and other work/office apparel are exempted from royalties but are not exempted from the requirement of using licensed vendors.
A form is available to apply for an exemption to the collection of royalties on merchandise purchased for internal use only. Exemptions will be extremely limited and mostly available to student groups.
Colors
Products for promotional/marketing should generally be black, white, gray or gold (PMS 1235). The use of additional colors must be approved by the Office of Licensing and Product Development. This includes the use of any colors featured on UWM’s new accent color palette, as these colors are not intended for use on merchandise.
The use of Badger/Cardinal Red (PMS 200), PMS Process Blue C or any shade of red or blue even slightly similar to those is not allowed in internal promotional items.
Colors specific to an event or cause are allowable, but must be approved in advance. Additional documentation about the specific event branding may be required to secure approval.
Special circumstances for expansion of the approved color palette (ex. safety vests, multiple colors for practice jerseys or event organization) can also be submitted, with documentation, for approval.
Logos, Marks and References
The use of all university logos, marks, name references or any affiliation indicated on merchandise must be approved by CLC and UWM.
The use of the official athletics mark by campus entities outside of the Department of Athletics also requires additional approvals. But, the artwork for Pounce and Bounce is open for use by departments and other organizations. Manipulations and adjustments to that art must be made by university designers. Exceptions to this policy for use specifically on branded merchandise (typically for retail uses) can only be granted by UWM Trademark Licensing.
Advance approval of designs and usage is available by emailing Kevin O’Connor at kjoc@uwm.edu. Regardless of whether advanced approval is sought and granted, all licensed items are submitted to CLC for approval before production can begin.
Licensed vendors have access to all university-approved marks.
While significantly more flexibility is typically available for logo usage on merchandise – and in many cases designs need to be modified to fit imprint spaces – more information on the proper and allowable uses of the UWM brand are available on the university’s Brand and Identity website.
Enforcement
Unauthorized use of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee’s trademarks and brand is subject to civil and criminal penalties. UWM reserves the right to take appropriate action when confronted with unauthorized use of its trademarks. Such actions may include the confiscation of the goods, financial penalties, cease and desist orders and other legal action.
Why Buy Officially Licensed Products?
UWM’s partnership with CLC helps to enhance the university’s efforts in monitoring compliance. The sales of unlicensed merchandise harms the university.
Corporate Social Responsibility
UWM is a member of the Fair Labor Association, demonstrating the university’s commitment to conducting its business affairs in a socially responsible and ethical manner. Membership in these organizations helps UWM ensure products bearing its name and logos are manufactured in facilities that respect their workers and treats them well, meeting fair labor standards and upholding human rights. The organization produces written standards that licensees, and their suppliers, are required to maintain.
UWM licensed vendors are also required to sign CLC’s Code of Conduct and respond to a corporate responsibility questionnaire.
Additionally, UWM works with Sumerra and their Sustainable Manufacturing Assessment Questionnaire (SMAQ) to measure the quality and depth of an organization’s corporate social responsibility program.