College Advancement & Public Relations

10:04:05 Branding and Trademarks

1. Purpose
   1. To enhance, maintain and protect the brand identity for Chattanooga State Community College, this policy governs the use of all words, logos or symbols used to identify or distinguish services affiliated with ChattState or any part of ChattState for any purpose. It provides that all appropriate, applicable guidelines pertaining to the words, logos, symbols or other brand identifiers must be followed.
2. Definitions
   1. College Trademark/Brand (hereafter “Brand”) - All logos, seals, names, symbols and slogans and trade dress used by and associated with the College, whether registered with either or both the state and federal government.
   2. Definitions included in the overarching ChattState Policy, Marketing and Communications 10.04.00 apply.
3. Policy/Guideline
   1. Brands
      1. College Brands are the exclusive property of the College. No person or entity other than the College may claim rights in or seek to register any design that uses the College’s Brands.
      2. The College’s Director of Marketing and Communication (DMC) or his or her designee maintains the brand book and editorial style guide outlining the proper usage of logos, seals, fonts, and other assets deemed necessary by the College when using the logo.
      3. Chattanooga State Community College is the Primary Brand of the College. Chattanooga State and ChattState (as one word, uppercase “S”) are acceptable uses.
         1. As one college, TCAT is a division of ChattState, and therefore uses the ChattState brand. Usage of the TCAT logo is included in ChattState’s Brand Book and Editorial Style Guide. All marketing or promotional materials representing or created on behalf of the College must adhere to these guidelines and comply with ChattState Policy, Marketing and Communications, Publications 10.04.04.
      4. Reproduction or use of these marks for any purpose not explicitly allowed by this policy, whether for commercial purposes, must have authorization from the DMC.
      5. Only the Vice President of College Advancement and Public Relations (VPCAPR) or DMC can grant permission to use any College Brand.
      6. College Brands may not be altered in any way without the authorization of the DMC.
      7. Each use of a College Brand, unless specifically authorized by this policy, requires approval from the College DMC.
         1. College divisions and departments are expected to follow the College brand guide.
         2. Licenses are not granted indefinitely. Each license must have a specified and reasonable duration.
      8. Approval to use a Brand for a one-time application only does not constitute approval to use the Brand again, in connection with any other item, or to change the design in any way.
      9. The College Brands may not be used in conjunction with the name or brand(s) of any other entity without the prior written permission of the DMC.
         1. In the case that permission is granted to use the College Brand and another entity’s logo in a design, the logos must be distinct and separate.
      10. The College’s Brands may not be used to discriminate or imply discrimination against any person or group protected by federal or state civil rights law or in any other way that would violate the College’s non-discrimination policies or practices.
      11. College Brands are prohibited from use on, but not limited to, the following:
          1. Alcoholic beverages
          2. Inherently dangerous products - such as firearms or explosives
          3. Tobacco-related products
          4. Illegal drug-related products
          5. Obscene or disparaging products
          6. Sexually suggestive products
          7. Business names and/or logos
          8. Products that present an unacceptable risk of liability
          9. Products that are inconsistent with, or harmful to, to the mission of the College or designs that would tend to damage the reputation or degrade the goodwill of the College
      12. Businesses may use College Brands in a non-permanent fixture (i.e., window painting, removable lettering on marquees) supporting a college event.
          1. Such displays may not contain solicitation for selling of products or services, but the company name/logo may appear.
      13.  Individuals or organizations may not use the College’s Brands in conjunction with a candidate for political office or policy/legislative issue.
      14. A registered student organization or intramural sport club team may use the College name in text only (without the official logo or wordmark) in its title, publications, or letterhead to indicate its status as a registered student organization. However, it may not use the College name in a way that creates confusion between the organization and the College, nor in a way that implies College endorsement, approval, or underwriting of any organization, product, activity, service, or contract.
   2. Exemptions and Exceptions
      1. Exemptions and exceptions outlined in the overarching Marketing and Communications Policy 10:04:00 apply.

Source

TBR Policy, Marketing and Communications, Branding & Trademarks 9.01.01.00

Related Policies

ChattState Policy, Marketing and Communications 10.04.00

ChattState Policy, Marketing and Communications, Publications 10.04.04