Ohio State University Officially Wins Trademark for the Word “THE”

Ohio state community Won a years-long legal battle for “THE” On Tuesday, getting trademark protection for a three-letter article plays a huge role in the school’s identity.

Certainly to the sighs and eyes of the other ten great competitors, US Patent and Trademark Office Approved OSU’s application of “THE”, specifically for use on branded products such as T-shirts and hats that contain only one word.

“It has been a rallying cry in the Ohio community for many years, and Buckeye fans who purchase official Ohio State equipment support student scholarships, libraries and other university initiatives,” said Ben Johnson, senior director of media and public relations at Ohio State University. Wednesday statement.

While these three messages may seem small or insignificant to outsiders, Johnson said “THE” contributes about $12.5 million in annual sales and much more to the emotional capital of Buckeyes students, alumni, and fans.

“Like other institutions, Ohio State protects the university’s brand and brands because these assets benefit students and faculty and support our core academic mission of teaching and research,” Johnson added.

“The Ohio State Branding and Licensing Program generates over $12.5 million annually in revenue for the university, which funds scholarships and undergraduate programs.”

OSU was following The Brand since 2019 After fashion dealer Marc Jacobs applied for the floor. Last year, the company and OSU reached an agreement allowing both parties to use “THE” in the branding.

OSU is one of the popular college sports powers in the country, regularly participating in championship-level football and winning basketball teams.

To the annoyance of Buckeyes competitors, school graduates regularly announce they are “Ohio State University” alumni.

While “THE” may be prominent on Columbus’ shirts and hats, Buckeyes officials did not request this additional article on any official Big Ten documents or identification cards, a conference representative said.

“They will maintain existing naming conventions for other purposes, so in our case we will usually use ‘Ohio State’ or sometimes ‘the more formal Ohio State University,'” the conference said.