Protecting the Rush Brand
Defining the Brand: Make, Mark, Identification, Type, Style, Product Brand, Variety, Kind, Sort, Trade, Name
What is a brand? Brand is the proprietary visual, emotional, rational, and cultural image that you associate with a company or a product. When you think Volvo, you might think safety. When you think Bayern, you might think of adidas or the Dutch method of "complete football." The fact that you remember the brand name and have positive associations with that brand makes your product selection easier and enhances the value and satisfaction you get from the product. Conversely, if you have had negative associations, experiences or beliefs with a brand such as with the image of the swastika, the results can be catastrophic.
Legal Protections: Rush Soccer has a patent on the Rush "R" from the USP&T, United State Patent & Trademark division. We have had numerous cases where have had to write a <letter, embed 2009 10.09> from legal 
representation to cease and desist from copy-cat clubs. We have worked hard to build up our Intellectual Property, I.P., and our partner clubs have paid for the rights to use this logo exclusively in their respective states and territories. Clubs may authorize usage in their respective territories, see application for trademark usage license, provisional trademark license agreement and trademark usage procedures. It becomes more valuable day by day, if and only if we create a positive experience as we associate with those individuals we encounter and interact with.
Integrity of the Brand: Our brandmark has specific criteria that needs to be followed. Rush Soccer Brandmark Usage Guidelines. Altering the logo is discouraged. If you refer to the patent in the previous paragraph, when you change, mutate, distort or alter the artwork, it legally is no longer the logo...it is different. If alterations are grossly exaggerated, we lose our legal rights to the brand. On the other hand, if done moderately and associated with the actual legal image, there is something to be said. Creating the "R" associated with a program can be a good thing. Take, for instance, the <REACH LOGO 2011 01.01>. This is a healthy, growing program <REACH>. People associate this logo as doing something good for mankind. The REACH logo has the legal original brand imbedded to create a new image. Now, the user associates Rush with a new or existing program.
Co-Branding: There is a strategy to co-branding. For instance, Rush co-branding with adidas is a good strategy. Two separate companies, two distinct brands yet viewed in the public as cooperating. Adidas can enhance our brand if adidas remains a leader in quality, production, delivery, etc., etc. Rush is associated with the leader in sports apparel in the world. One does not create a new logo, rather apply both logos in a close proximity for the public to view. Caution, permissions must be granted by both companies for co-branding.
Sub-Branding: We made this term up. Sub-branding is creating a totally unique logo by the same corporation to create a renewed interest for its current clients and perhaps new clients. Adidas does this frequently. The "three stripes" is here to stay, yet how boring if year after year it was the same logo. Not good for sales. Strategically adidas comes out with a new line, the samba or the Lionel Messi line. All new logos associated with the "three stripes". If done at the right time and the right way, sub-branding can enhance the original brand. One quick example, The Center Logo pictured right.
*Other topic related references see
<Rush Soccer Brand Mark Usage and Trademark Guidelines>.<115 88 – Brand>; (This is a brief outline of some of main body posted above).
<SPI 600 77 – Logo License Agent Letter>; (This is a letter provided to our partners for allowing third partner entities Brand usage).
