When Buckeye football fans head to the Ohio State University campus for Saturday’s game against Rutgers University, they can buy product ranging from pacifiers to rosaries at campus stores. They won’t find hand-printed T-shirts, mugs and other homemade merchandise, however. As the University of Oklahoma discovered last week, Ohio State is vigorous about protecting its brand. But the number of warnings the university has sent to potential trademark violators has dropped significantly as the university seeks to prevent infringements. Last year, Ohio State sent 36 cease-and-desist letters, down from 55 in 2016 and 59 in 2015, when merchandisers tried to capitalize on OSU’s national football championship, said OSU spokesman Rob Messinger. “Several factors affect this trend, including the university’s proactive work with vendors and potential vendors to ensure they understand the licensing process,” Messinger said in an email. OSU’s Trademarks and Licensing Services works with existing licensees in an effort to…
Continue Reading: Ohio State willing to get tough on trademarks
