As one of the world’s leading universities, USC plans to take its brand global with the help of the Wildbrain CPLG agency.
One of the world’s leading entertainment, sport and brand licensing agencies, Wildbrain CPLG has been appointed to represent the University of Southern California (USC) across Europe, the UK, Middle East and North Africa, South Asia, Australia and New Zealand.
As the agency’s Lifestyle roster grows, WildBrain CPLG will assemble a cross‐category merchandise program for the LA-based university with target categories including apparel, accessories, home, gifting, back‐to‐school and health & beauty.
“We are pleased to partner with WildBrain CPLG to pursue new licensing opportunities outside of the US,” said Steve Fuller, Associate Director Trademarks & Licensing at the University of Southern California. “We look forward to leaning on WildBrain CPLG’s expertise to find the right mix of licensees to deliver quality products, and further extend USC’s brand presence at retail.”
Founded in 1880, the University of Southern California is a leading private research university located in Los Angeles—a global center for arts, technology and international business. It is home to the College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, 22 exceptional academic schools and units, and has a proud athletic heritage with Trojan teams having won 133 national championships.
USC’s Health Sciences campus also houses renowned specialized care and research in cancer, stem cell and regenerative medicine, orthopedics and sports medicine. The university is the largest private sector employer in the city of Los Angeles, responsible for $8 billion annually in economic activity in the region.
WildBrain CPLG will utilise the university’s marks, seal and heritage assets, as well as graphics from the university’s intercollegiate athletics teams, to create an impactful consumer products range. The representation deal with USC builds on WildBrain CPLG Lifestyle’s current remit for US university brands, including Yale University for EMEA, Russia, Australia and North America, and Harvard University for EMEA and Russia.
“We continue to see a robust retail and consumer trend for collegiate and varsity‐inspired designs, and our extensive international campaigns with Yale and Harvard universities are testament to this,” said Victoria Whellans, Group Brands Director at WildBrain CPLG Lifestyle. “With USC’s Californian roots and effortless ‘SoCal’ graphics, the school perfectly complements our existing portfolio of iconic US institutions, and we’ll utilise our strong licensee and retail relationships to support the growth of an engaging merchandise offering for the brand.”
Separately, USC has previously held successful US licensing partnerships with brands including Nike, Stance Socks, New Era (caps), Panini (trading cards), and Victoria’s Secret Pink.
For more information on USC trademark licensing opportunities, please contact Steve Fuller (sfuller@usc.edu) or visit https://trademarks.usc.edu/