MARKETING
efit from those stores selling merchandise with our name and logo on it,” Bentley says. “So we decided to change that.” Rather than simply forbid the stores from selling items with the Byrnes marks, Bentley and other administrators began the process of creating a licensing program. They hired an attorney, who walked them through the process. “It was not very complicated,” Bentley says. “The attorney let us know what businesses were using the logos without permission, then sent letters telling them they had to contact the school district to be able to sell Rebel merchandise. The second thing she did was file for a trademark for the Byrnes High School name and the Rebels logo. That process took about six to eight months from the day we filed.” In the meantime, Bentley set up a licensing page on the Byrnes athletic department Web site that includes a form any retailer can fill out. Byrnes plans to charge $200-250 per year for a license, plus a percentage of sales. Businesses have to gain approval from the school for any item they plan to place the logo on and sell.
PINK NOT YOUR TEAM COLOR?
“We’re not trying to make a million dollars off of this. We just want our students and our school to see some benefit if stores sell merchandise with our logo. Our teams are very successful, so a lot of people have begun selling the merchandise—everything from CD holders to cups to flip-flops to lip balm with the Rebels logo on it.”
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“We’re not trying to make a million dollars off of this,” Bentley says. “We just want our students and our school to see some benefit if stores sell merchandise with our logo. “Our teams are very successful, so a lot of people have begun selling the merchandise—everything from CD holders to cups to flip-flops to lip balm with the Rebels logo on it,” he continues. “The stores understood when we contacted them.” Bentley has had three inquiries to license so far and expects more to come in the future. “I would advise others to be proactive as their programs gain popularity,” Bentley says. “I wasn’t worried about things like this seven or eight years ago, but it’s something I wish I had thought of then. It’s the price you pay for success.” n
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