Use Restrictions

System marks requested for the following uses are limited and described in the following sections:

Publications | Advertisements | Congratulatory Ad/Banner Use

Corporate Sponsors | Student Websites


Publications

Use of trademarks/logos on the cover or within the text of a magazine when there is an article about the university, its officers, students, or alumni.

Sports publications approved by the institutional chief administrative officer or designee, providing the publisher agrees to include the following disclaimer in the publication:

"Not an official publication of The University of Texas (@ institution)".

Literary works that generally provide historical information about and promote the goodwill of the UT System or component institution. System marks may be licensed for such use by permission letter after review by the appropriate institutional officers.

Internal publications that incorporate UT trademarks should conform to each component institutions guidelines.

Advertisements

System marks may be used in the following kinds of advertising, so long as the uses also conform to the special requirements of the Office of General Counsel contained in guidelines, checklists and interactive electronic forms applicable in each case. These are designed to help component institutions conform their agreements to standard expectations regarding both the form and substance of the agreements and the approval of ad copy and layout design.

A commercial entity that is a “licensee” of the university may utilize certain marks in an ad but only when there is an underlying related product, which is licensed and only when the licensed product is being advertised.

Those entities not licensed may utilize certain marks in ads that are of an informational, congratulatory or in team spirit nature (academic/athletic achievements) as determined by the trademark office. These ads may not contain solicitation for the sale of their products or services but the company name/logo may appear.

Corporate advertisements that utilize appropriate system trademarks in official programs sold or distributed at Intercollegiate Athletic events, pursuant to the terms of an advertising agreement.

Promotional activities utilizing appropriate system trademarks, pursuant to the terms of a sponsor/promotional license agreement. Promotional activities are activities such as advertising or offering promotional products to further the growth, development, acceptance and/or sale of goods or services.

For companies that have done work for the university, the company may list the component name with other customers. These companies may include photographs of the actual work area provided that it is generic to the location.

Congratulatory Ad/Banner Use

Unless licensed by the university, the advertiser may not use symbols, such as the Tower design, the Longhorn Silhouette, the Hook ’em hand sign, etc.

Examples of phrases that are permissible:

  • Congratulations on a great season
  • Congratulations Horns, or Texas, or Texas Longhorns, or Longhorns, etc.
  • Good Luck Horns, or Texas, or Texas Football, etc.
  • Go Horns
  • Wishing the Horns a great game

Advertisers must avoid words such as support, supporter, partner, brought to you by, sponsor or sponsorship. Furthermore, references such as “ABC Company and the Longhorns, what a great season” are not permitted. Advertisers may not use “Live the Dream” without special permission by the university.

All artwork/requests must be submitted to trademarks@utexas.edu for approval prior to moving forward.

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Corporate Sponsors

If you have a corporate sponsor for an event, you may acknowledge the corporate entity for its support, providing there is no logo usage and no mention of products or services of that corporate entity. For example, “This mailing made possible by _______” or similar statement may be used. The company name should be in the same size, color, and typeface as the rest of the statement. 

Student Organization Websites

Student organizations that represent themselves on the Internet should follow the guidelines here on this sample site when creating their sites. The correct and incorrect website layout can be used as a guide in creating compliant organizational websites. For further clarification on symbols and marks, visit Protected Marks.