Branded merchandise and apparel can play an important and fun role in connecting with our audiences. Choosing useful and meaningful products leaves a positive lasting impression. Follow brand guidelines and licensing procedures when planning and designing promotional products.

Licensing process

Products and designs must be approved by the UI Trademark Licensing Office. Allow two weeks for processing each request. Take the following steps when ordering merchandise and apparel.

  1. Select a licensed vendor.
    The University of Iowa has over 600 approved licensed vendors throughout the state and country. If you are unable to find product offerings from licensees that fulfill your needs, contact uilicensing@hawkeyelicensing.com.
  2. Develop artwork.
    Work with your vendor and its provided templates to develop artwork that follows visual identity guidelines. Some merchandise and apparel examples are shown below. Contact your unit brand manager or osc-brand@uiowa.edu for additional guidance on artwork development.
  3. Submit paperwork.
    Complete the Internal Application and Agreement form and submit it to uilicensing@hawkeyelicensing.com.
  4. Submit final artwork to the vendor.
    Per its contract with the UI Trademark Licensing Program, the vendor will then independently submit the artwork to the UI Trademark Licensing Office for approval.
  5. Receive approval.
    If the application and artwork are approved, the UI Trademark Licensing Office will provide final agreement to your unit and notify the vendor that production can begin.

Licensing policy

Suppliers who manufacture and/or
 sell items imprinted with elements of the University of Iowa visual identity must be licensed by the university. Merchandise and apparel must be purchased through an approved, currently licensed vendor. 

Whenever wordmarks, trademarks, logos, symbols, and/or elements associated with the University of Iowa visual identity appear on merchandise and apparel, they must be accompanied by the appropriate registration mark. That may be a ® or ™ symbol, depending on the legal registration status of the trademark displayed.

Trademark Licensing Office

Block IOWA logo with registration symbol

The federal trademark registration symbol ®️ must appear with the block IOWA logo on all promotional merchandise and apparel. 

Download block IOWA logo-R

Merchandise and apparel guidelines

  • Use official brand fonts only.
  • Always select products that use our black-and-gold color palette.
  • Keep designs simple and light on unit-level identification; official Iowa logos and graphics are more recognizable to our audiences.
  • Unit lockups should be used when unit identification is desired. OR, unit names can be displayed in plain text using Roboto in a second imprint area.
  • For embroidered applications, lockups should be limited to a primary unit and licensed apparel vendors may switch the primary unit name to all caps.
  • The Tigerhawk can be used but must be placed in a second imprint area. Unit identification must be used in the primary imprint area.
  • Consider using URLs or social media handles to drive audiences to engage with online content.

Usage examples

The examples shown here represent only some, not all, proper applications of the visual identity on promotional products.

Pen example with unit name or url
Lockup shown on left front chest with Tigerhawk on sleeve
Lockup shown on front of mug with Tigerhawk on back of mug
Tee options: unit lockup shown on one tee; block IOWA logo with unit name in plain text shown on second tee
Ball cap showing block IOWA log on the front, unit name on the side
Carabiner with block IOWA on the front, unit name on the back
Black drawstring bag with lockup
Black and gold water bottle examples
USB drives
Tee with unit message placeholder on front, lockup on sleeve
Tee shown with unit message placeholder on front, block IOWA on sleeve, and Tigerhawk in prohibited third imprint area
Tee shown with unit message placeholder and block IOWA logo on front, Tigerhawk on sleeve
Prohibited example of the Tigerhawk next to a lockup on a string bag
Prohibited example of the a lockup on a purple water bottle
Prohibited example of the Tigerhawk used in place of the block IOWA on a USB drive
Black string bag with block IOWA logo displayed as part of the College of Education lockup

 

The Merchandise Storefront makes it easy.

A merchandise storefront is available for units and employees to order unit-specific brand items in bulk or for personal needs. The storefront offers a variety of apparel, accessories, and drinkware with the ability to customize items with your unit lockup. HawkID login is required and accepted payment methods include university procurement cards, purchase orders, or personal credit cards.

Shop the Merchandise Storefront

Using unique graphics and illustrations on swag

Unique graphics, illustrations, and type treatments are permitted for time-limited events, campaigns, and initiatives (i.e., Amazing Room Contest, On Iowa, Theme Semester) or retail services located on campus (i.e., University Catering, Marketplaces, C-stores, Street Hawk Food Truck). These unique graphics must always be used within an IOWA-branded environment.

  • Graphics of this kind should not appropriate any university logo or logo element.
  • The University of Iowa logo should still appear separately and meet clear space requirements. In most cases, the best way to provide separation is to place the logo in a second imprint area. Contact osc-brand@uiowa.edu if the imprint area is too small.

See Unique Campus Graphics for more detailed guidelines.

PHIL WAS HERE graphic on a mug with block IOWA logo on back
Union Station graphic on front of tee, block IOWA on sleeve
Amazing Room Contest graphic shown on drawstring bag with block IOWA logo separately at the bottom
Prohibited example of the Tigerhawk used in place of the block IOWA on a mug
Prohibited example of a Tigerhawk used in an additional imprint area
Prohibited example of the block IOWA logo incorporated into a unique graphic