Written by Maria Fister.

Are you responsible for purchasing NC State branded merchandise or promotional items on behalf of your college, department or unit? A new learning opportunity is now available to help you make informed, compliant and brand-aligned purchasing decisions.

The Office of Strategic Brand Management and Finance Division Education and Communications team have partnered to create the Trademark Use on University Promotional Items course—now open for registration via REPORTER. This self-paced online training is designed for members of the university community who purchase licensed NC State products and services and as well as for the licensed vendors who produce or provide them to the university.

“This convenient new learning module for proper NC State trademark use on university promotional items is a great resource for faculty and staff who purchase these products on behalf of their colleges, departments and programs,” stated Chris Boyer, Assistant Vice Chancellor for Strategic Brand Management. “It not only reviews relevant brand guidelines that need to be followed for such merchandise, but also points buyers to vendors who are officially licensed and contracted to produce these items, ensuring compliance with our trademark rules and regs such as fair labor practices and royalty reporting,” adds Boyer. 

Course Outcomes

This new learning initiative offers university employees and vendors the opportunity to gain immediate skills that can be applied to the procurement process. For example: 

• Buyers and licensed vendors will be able to adhere to the NC State Brand guidelines and trademark licensing rules and regulations.
• Buyers will also be able to place NC State branded promotional orders through licensed vendors.
• Licensed vendors will be able to submit all NC State branded products they design through the Brand Manager 360 portal before production and sale.

Whether you’re new to campus purchasing or just need a refresher, this training will be your go-to resource for procuring NC State branded promotional items with confidence.

Register today in REPORTER.

Companion Guide

In addition to this training, we have created the Guide for Trademark Use on University Promotional Items, which offers background information on NC State’s Trademark Licensing program, its governing policies, rules and regulations, a high-level overview of the NC State Brand, and the process for ordering items that bear an NC State mark.