August 8, 2011 (Raleigh, NC) — Trademark licensing royalties at NC State University are at an all-time high with gross royalties exceeding $1 million for the first time. Royalties increased 16 percent last year and the trend continues with an 11 percent increase in the past quarter over the prior year’s quarter. Gregg Zarnstorff, director of Trademark and Licensing since February 2010, contributes the increase in sales to new designs, a fan base that is more energized, and a network of strong relationships with retailers.
NC State’s Trademark Advisory Group has also played an integral part in the success of Trademark and Licensing by providing trademark marketing ideas and feedback. The group includes representatives from university staff, Wolfpack Sports Marketing, student government, and the License Resource Group – the university’s licensing agency.
“We’re now more understanding of fashion trends,” said Zarnstorff. “ NC State fans have plenty of red and white in their closets, so we’ve expanded our color palette to allow the licensing of apparel and merchandise in a variety of colors and styles.”
A recent initiative to allow the licensing of retro NC State logos has seen unexpected success from students. Initially targeting alums and older fans, the retro look has also been popular with younger fans at area retailers.
NC State Trademark and Licensing Office was established in 1982 to ensure that any mark, logo, symbol, nickname, letter(s), word or derivative that is representative of the university is used properly. Revenues generate by trademarks and licenses help to fund student scholarships, including athletic merit, financial aid and study abroad programs.
For more information, visit http://web.ncsu.edu/trademarks/ . To purchase NC State merchandise online, visit http://gopack.cbscollegestore.com/ or http://www.ncstateshop.com/.
Trademark and Licensing is a division of Campus Enterprises, the lead organization for retail and hospitality for NC State University. To learn more about Campus Enterprises, go to www.ncsu.edu/campusenterprises.
###