Collegiate Licensed Products

Buhl businesses unravel complexities of licensing rules

BUHL — This business doesn’t need a prime location in a city mall to sell a college collectible. It’s doing so right out of an old, converted barn just southeast of Buhl.

Nancy Tyrrell, owner of The Nehemian for Fine Framing, and Silver Creek Mint Inc. began selling key fobs with the familiar Boise State Broncos logo a few years back, and they have expanded to offer an Idaho Vandals fob this summer.

Tyrrell and Silver Creek Mint, owned by Scott Horton, started selling the fobs, made from pressed brass, in 2003 with local designs such as the Idaho State Seal, a star and a Native American head. They also created and sold commemorative coins for the Buhl Centennial.

Tyrrell’s primary business is in custom picture frames and antiques. She bought The Nehemian 24 years ago, signing the paperwork on the same day she gave birth to her second son. While framing some Boise State items for a customer in 2007, Tyrrell had the idea to sell key fobs with college logos. She soon discovered becoming licensed to do so is a complex process — but not impossible.

“It takes about two months to apply for a license and get approved,” she said, further describing the three phases of application through the Collegiate Licensing Company.

The application process involves paying a few hundred dollars in various fees and advance royalties to the CLC and the university. But the most significant step is submission of a design and sample product. Tyrrell and Silver Creek Mint commissioned a local graphic artist, Todd Mellon, to design the BSU fob. The mint cast the die and machine-pressed brass into the 1-inch, concave medallions. A small bar was soldered onto the back, and a leather fob added.

If the university had said no to any part of the design, the application process would have started all over.

Hundreds of universities around the country have partnered with CLC to protect their copyrights and trademarks from opportunistic merchandisers looking to bootleg products and avoid paying royalties. As a way of branding to let consumers know the T-shirt on the hanger isn’t a bootleg product, CLC requires the inclusion of hologram stickers, usually on the price tag or elsewhere on the product packaging. CLC estimates more than 50,000 stores across the U.S. carry collegiate products and generate an estimated $3.5 billion in collegiate licensed retail sales annually.

Businesses that sell official Bronco or Vandal gear range in the dozens in Idaho alone. Sue Chen, director of trademarks and licensing for the University of Idaho, said she has 22 licensees in the state and three in Washington state. Boise State’s director of trademark licensing, Rachael Bickerton, said the university has 32 licensees in Idaho — all but five are in the Treasure Valley.

Jostens Launches New Custom HOG

Minneapolis, MN (PRWEB) August 02, 2011

Jostens has announced the launch of a new line of customizable Harley-Davidson® rings exclusively for Harley-Davidson motorcycle owners. The new Harley-Davidson Custom HOG® ring provides Harley-Davidson enthusiasts a new way to show off their love for their Harley-Davidson through personalized HOG® chapter rings.

Jostens’ new Harley-Davidson Custom HOG Rings are designed for Harley-Davidson owners and incorporate the legendary HOG emblem in metal on the top of the ring. Surrounding the HOG emblem each ring reads “HARLEY-DAVIDSON MOTORCYCLES” with the iconic classic Bar & Shield dividers. Each HOG ring can be personalized with the owner’s bike, owner’s name, HOG chapter number and/or dealership. HOG Rings are available in small, medium and large designs and can be customized in multiple metal options, including white and yellow gold, Lustrium®, Silver Elite® or Solaris Elite™, to enable every Harley-Davidson fan to show off their membership and loyalty to the HOG lifestyle.

“Jostens is excited to extend our Harley-Davidson ring collection with officially licensed Harley-Davidson Custom HOG Rings,” said Matt Wewel, Jostens Director, Specialty Markets. “Jostens has been helping people tell their stories for over 114 years and we are honored to help passionate Harley-Davidson owners and enthusiasts tell their HOG stories through this new offering.”

Jostens’ new Harley-Davidson Custom HOG ring extends Jostens’ Custom Ring Collection which also includes Classic and Classic Premier designs and Fashion Rings. All of Jostens’ officially licensed Harley-Davidson custom rings and pendants are only available at participating Harley-Davidson dealerships. To order a ring or pendant and to find out more information visit your authorized Harley-Davidson dealer today. You can start the design process online at http://www.jostens.com/harley-davidson and then print it out to bring in to your local Harley-Davidson dealership.

Along with creating officially licensed Harley-Davidson products, Jostens provides championship rings and trophies for NASCAR-sanctioned series. Jostens has created 29 of the 45 NFL Super Bowl rings, including the ring for the Green Bay Packers Super Bowl I victory. Jostens has also created NBA Finals and World Series championship rings, as well as rings for collegiate sports championships.

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