The University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Office of Trademark Licensing partners with CLC to engage potential licensees in the creation of branded consumable products. This partnership ensures the continued protection of the UWM brand while working to generate money for student scholarships and other student-centric initiatives.
UWM welcomes the opportunity to consider connecting its name and brand to a wide variety of consumables. These partnerships can benefit the university and the licensee. As with any item, licensees must conform to a number of branding, marketing and legal standards. Any entity producing items bearing the trademarks, logos, names or references to the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee or its affiliates must be licensed.
General Guidelines
- Do not use the official institutional or athletics marks for product packaging or branding. Word marks and secondary official art are available for use.
- Establish a name for the product that compliments the university brand. This often will not include the full university name but may incorporate acronyms, nicknames or historical references.
- Establish a clear distribution and marketing plan.
- Meet all standards established by CLC for becoming licensed, including an application fee, insurance minimums and compliance with fair labor standards.
- Sign a licensing agreement and pay royalty rates based on product category, distribution plans and other brand factors.
- Priority is given to requests creating new or unique products vs. repackaging existing products.
Restricted or Excluded Products
- The use of art or naming related to Pounce or Bounce for alcohol is prohibited.
- Marketing plans for alcohol products must exclude promotion to students
- The University will not license its brand to products related to firearms, tobacco/CBD/electronic delivery devices or gambling. Additional categories may also be restricted.
Approvals
- Approval for all branded consumables will come from CLC and UWM’s Office of Trademark Licensing. Some requests will need additional approval from the Office of the Chancellor or a designee, or further contract considerations via UWM’s Procurement Office or Office of Legal Affairs.
- Approvals are contingent on the successful completion of the licensing process.