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The UUA’s six-year-old public witness campaign Standing on the Side of Love will begin licensing the campaign logo and related materials to congregations, individuals, and partner organizations for a nominal fee, according to an October 1 announcement from Nora Rasman, campaign coordinator. The new policy takes effect October 15, 2015.
The logo and related image files had been made available at no charge previously, but Rasman explained that the UUA wanted the ability to defend the trademark if anyone tried using it in ways contrary to the campaign's mission and values.
“The process of trademarking the SSL brand began several years ago, when we began to see uses of the brand/logo that were not quite in line with the campaign (including items being sold via online stores like CafePress and Zazzle, etc.),” Rasman wrote in a memo to staff. “While to date, we have not seen any usage that is expressly antithetical to the goals and ethos of the campaign, we consulted with the UUA lawyer to see how trademarking our increasingly popular materials might help protect us in the future if someone wanted to start a Standing on the Side of Love with, for example, the Confederate Flag, or any other usage that doesn’t fit our mission.”
A non-commercial license, for $50, will give a congregation, organization, or individual access to high-resolution image files that can be used to make custom banners or other materials. A commercial license, for $100, is available for use in products sold by congregations, organizations, or individuals, such as stoles, mugs, jewelry. The licenses are good for three years.
General Assembly-goers wear Standing on the Side of Love shirts and hold SSL signs in Minneapolis in 2010. (© Helio Fred Garcia)