Branded Merchandise

The primary purpose of branded merchandise is to increase brand awareness for Minnesota Carlson. To make the most of this touchpoint with our audiences, it’s important to create consistent and high-quality merchandise. These guidelines will help you achieve this goal.

Logo Selection

There are 3 forms of the Minnesota Carlson logo to select from. Use the version that best fits the imprint space of the selected merchandise.

Horizontal (preferred)

Minnesota Carlson single-line logo with maroon block M and black text.


Horizontal stacked (preferred)

Minnesota Carlson logo featuring a maroon block "M" above the text "Minnesota Carlson" in black.


2-line stacked (for use when space is limited)

University of Minnesota block M logo next to text "Minnesota Carlson"

The Block M is a trademarked logo of the University of Minnesota. This creates two requirements when imprinting merchandise.

  1. The trademark symbol, Ⓡ, must appear in the artwork as provided in files for Minnesota Carlson. Exception: if it is too small to be legible, it can be removed.
  2. Only vendors licensed by the Collegiate Licensing Council (CLC) can produce merchandise using the University’s registered trademarks. Learn more about selecting a vendor by scrolling to the "How to Select a Vendor" section below.

Color for Logos

The Minnesota Carlson mark and Carlson School of Management-University of Minnesota wordmark combination are both available in maroon/black and gold/white color pairings. Whenever possible, use two-color imprints on merchandise.

When either the process or the budget doesn’t allow for a two-color imprint, you may use all white, all black or all maroon, depending on the color of the merchandise.

Colors for Merchandise

Merchandise — such as coffee mugs, water bottles and T-shirts — is typically offered in a variety of colors, including gold and silver metallic finishes. Here are the preferred colors for merchandise to imprint.

  • White
  • Maroon – As close to University of Minnesota maroon as possible. Use PMS 202c/201u for color matching when possible.
  • Gold – As close to University of Minnesota gold as possible. Use PMS 136c/116u for color matching when possible.
  • Gray – Shades ranging from light gray to charcoal gray are acceptable.
  • Silver
  • Gold

How to Select a Vendor

Vendors must be licensed by the Collegiate Licensing Company (CLC) to produce merchandise branded with University of Minnesota trademarked logos. The Block M in Minnesota Carlson is trademarked.

There are two ways to find a licensed vendor:

Option 1: Get a Recommendation

Contact Carlson Marketing & Communications for a recommended licensed vendor.

Option 2: Search the CLC Website

You can view the full list of vendors licensed to produce University of Minnesota merchandise by following these steps:

  1. Go to the CLC Licensee Search website.
  2. Important: Leave Step 1 (Pick a Product Category) blank.
    Do not select a product category.
  3. In Step 2: Pick a School, select University of Minnesota, then click Search.
  4. A list of all licensed vendors will appear.
  5. To check whether a specific vendor is licensed, press Ctrl + F (or Command + F on Mac) and type the vendor’s name to search the list.

Assistance with Branded Merchandise

Carlson Marketing & Communications is happy to consult with you throughout the process to create branded merchandise. Please contact Brandon or Betty for assistance.

Courtesy Review of Proofs

If you choose to work independently with a licensed vendor to create branded merchandise, please submit a proof to Marketing & Communications for a courtesy review to ensure proper application of Minnesota Carlson. Share the proof before approving the order for production.

Related Resources