3.6.1 Licensing of Merchandise for Sale
Policy Statement
All vendors who use the College’s trademarks on merchandise must be licensed. Vendors who have access to electronic files of the institution’s trademarks are required to obtain approval through the licensing program on all designs and products that are produced bearing College trademarks.
Use of the College of Charleston logo treatment (logo and wordmark), graphic marks and names on merchandise produced for resale by any vendor (including but not limited to gifts, apparel, supplies, etc.) requires that the vendor license the appropriate mark and/or name from Learfield Licensing Partners. Under no circumstances should the College's logo treatment or symbols be provided to an external vendor who has not followed the licensing procedure.
All purchases made exclusively for internal consumption (i.e., products purchased for the exclusive use of a College department or student group, and that are not resold for a profit) are exempt from royalty obligations.
The College may pursue legal remedies for unauthorized use of its trademarked and licensed identifiers. If there is any doubt about the proper procedure, please email your question to the Division of Marketing and Communications at marketing@cofc.edu.
Vendors who need information on how to license the College’s logo treatment, graphic symbols and identifiers may log on to Learfield Licensing Partners website, http://learfieldlicensing.com.
Policy Manager and Responsible Department or Office
Executive Director, Division of Marketing and Communications
Departments/Offices Affected by the Policy
All departments/offices.
Policy
In order to protect the College of Charleston from unauthorized or improper use of the College’s logo treatment, seals, symbols, athletics marks and other proprietary identifiers, the College has trademarked these identifiers and licenses them exclusively through its licensing partner, Learfield Licensing Partners.
If everyone at the College of Charleston uses a different mark or symbol to represent their department, office or unit, then that consistency is lost. Departments, offices and units are therefore not permitted to develop visual identity systems, marks, logos or graphics that are divergent from the College’s core visual identity, which includes the College logo treatment and visual identity, as well as the athletics marks.
Procedures Related to the Policy
Use of the College of Charleston logo treatment, graphic marks and names on merchandise produced for resale by any vendor (including but not limited to gifts, apparel, supplies, etc.) requires that the vendor license the appropriate mark and/or name from The Collegiate Licensing Company. Vendors who need information on how to license the College’s logo treatment, graphic symbols and identifiers may log on to Learfield Licensing Partners website, http://learfieldlicensing.com/.
All purchases made exclusively for internal consumption (i.e., products purchased for the exclusive use of a College department or student group, and that are not resold for a profit) are exempt from royalty obligations.
If there is any doubt about the proper procedure, please email your question to the Division of Marketing and Communications at marketing@cofc.edu.
Related Policies, Documents or Forms
College of Charleston Brand Manual and Visual Identity and Style Guide
3.6.1 Licensing of Merchandise for Sale PDF
Revision Log
Issue Date: 7/1/09
Date of Policy Revision: 4/1/16
Next Review Date: 4/1/21
Web Publication Date: 1/13/2026