Inside Iowa State
March 3, 2000
Is it good enough to be a Clone?
It was a thirst-quenching gathering for members of Iowa State's trademark licensing advisory committee. At one of their monthly meetings, committee members sampled bottled mineral water and sipped four flavors of gourmet cocoa mix from companies seeking to carry an Iowa State logo on their labels.
Whether it's checking mineral water for flavor, bird houses
for durability, phone cards for air quality or product
packaging for appropriate ISU colors, the advisory committee
helps ISURF license the Iowa State name and logos to non-
university groups.
Nita Lovejoy, director of the trademark licensing program, said she created the committee several years ago to get more campus people involved in the licensing process. Members represent offices such as the alumni association, bookstore, university marketing, legal services, athletics and the provost. They review all license requests for food items, as well as any products the trademark staff judge "questionable."
Staff members review every product request to assess quality of the merchandise (everyone sends a sample), appropriate use of a university mark, validity of the artwork (including colors), general sales plan and liability insurance coverage. When the staff wants another opinion, the advisory committee members review -- and often taste -- products.
On this day, no company received a resounding "yes." The university asked the water company to pursue a good grade from a national water testing association, and the cocoa company to submit its packaging proposal as part of the licensing process.
You see, you have to be good to be a Cyclone.
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