Michigan applying for trademark on "Wolverbear"
The University has applied for a trademark on the vintage wolverine logo or Wolverbear as I have learned from the comments. According to the application it is to be used for "Caps; Sweatshirts; T-shirts". I could have swore I saw this during the telecast of the Utah Game? I've also seen the shirts and hats with it as I'm sure most of you have already.
What makes this interesting is they just recently applied for it two weeks ago and it's the first time I have seen any official mention of this logo by the University. It could be they are just protecting the logo or Adidas and/or Nike have further plans for it. If this were just a graphic for T-Shirts, Im not sure they would go through all of the trouble of trademarking it when a simple copyright would be just fine.
http://tsdr.uspto.gov/#caseNumber=86772195&caseType=SERIAL_NO&searchType=statusSearch
The sailor hat (at least that's what I think it's supposed to be) seemed to be a very popular design concept at some point. EDIT: It appears these style logos were created by a man named Arthur Evans. He designed a lot of mascots/logos and was a former artist for Disney. Not sure if he created the original design or not.
Here are a few others I found at https://www.behance.net/Ren1969
NOTE: These designs are actually redone using a more modern approach but the logos themselves are very close to the originals. I actually like the Michigan version better than the one being trademarked.
October 14th, 2015 at 9:23 AM ^
and only because I used to work with a USAF Major that was a Va Tech grad and he had a bunch of vintage VT stuff at his desk, including a pennant with the "Fighting Gobblers" logo as seen above.
October 14th, 2015 at 8:51 AM ^
October 14th, 2015 at 8:52 AM ^
It's public information. See the .gov link.
October 14th, 2015 at 8:57 AM ^
Complete accident, was on the site looking for something else and ran across it.
October 14th, 2015 at 8:55 AM ^
Penant which my Dad got for me in 1969.
October 14th, 2015 at 9:00 AM ^
Is that a maryland terrapins curse shrine? Are you putting a small spartan figurine there this week?
October 14th, 2015 at 9:44 AM ^
Sure - let's go with that.
Though, actually, it is another childhood keepsake. A piggy/turtle bank that my uncle made for me (also circa late '60's). The Jackson Pollock-esque 'M' artwork in the background is relatively "modern" art - made by my daughter a few years ago ('M' is for Mia - her first name - in this instance).
October 14th, 2015 at 9:02 AM ^
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October 14th, 2015 at 10:00 AM ^
October 14th, 2015 at 8:59 AM ^
I've noticed a remarkable increase in Wolverbear apparel. Actually mentioned it at my NW tailgate.
Love it!
October 14th, 2015 at 9:00 AM ^
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October 14th, 2015 at 9:02 AM ^
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October 14th, 2015 at 9:04 AM ^
Is Miami the only school that actively still uses one of those Evans mascots?
October 14th, 2015 at 9:07 AM ^
I like that there is apparently only one way to make an old-school tiger logo.
October 14th, 2015 at 9:14 AM ^
There's a story behind that. Which is where I found the info on the artist.
http://www.warblogle.com/2013/09/20/miscellaneous/the-true-origin-of-th…
October 14th, 2015 at 9:46 AM ^
Who are the ad wizards who came up with this one?
October 14th, 2015 at 9:13 AM ^
I'm pretty sure they already own the trademark. It lists U of M as the current owner, and anything you buy with the Wolverbear already has the "TM" icon. I don't know how trademarks work. Do they need to be renewed?
October 14th, 2015 at 10:07 AM ^
I found no such TM on my late '60's era penant (photos above). So, either it was not (yet) trademarked in 1969 or ...? I'm fairly certain my Dad bought it on campus (e.g., at Ulrich's) as he was giving my older cousins (who were from St, Louis and were beginning to explore college options) tours of both M and State when they came up for a visit.
October 14th, 2015 at 10:11 AM ^
BTW, he also brought home a State penant for my sister (with the muscular looking Spartan head). She did indeed end up going to MSU (for both her undergrad and DVM degrees) whereas I indeed ended up going to UM for undergrad. Prophetic penants, I suppose.
October 14th, 2015 at 10:17 AM ^
Yeah, probably wasn't trademarked in 1969. Anything you buy now has the TM icon.
October 14th, 2015 at 9:22 AM ^
After some brief research it appears the sailor hat may actually be a hat refered to as a dink. The dink was a hat required to be worn by students, usually freshman, on many campuses. This tradition/practice seemed to end sometime after WWII, although students at Hood College still wear a dink. The style of the dink changed over the years but an article titled: "Caps, Canes, and Coonskins: Princeton and the Evolution of Collegiate Clothing 1900-1930" mentions the dink as having the appearance of a sailor hat during the 1920's.
October 14th, 2015 at 9:38 AM ^
Great bit of information, thank you.
October 14th, 2015 at 9:23 AM ^
October 14th, 2015 at 9:29 AM ^
I hate that awful logo. The plain block M (not the split M) is the best.
Neg away.
October 14th, 2015 at 9:30 AM ^
Pictured is the mascot wearing what is known as a "Jimmy Cap"
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October 14th, 2015 at 9:30 AM ^
What was the significance behind that silly sailors hat on all the mascot logos?
Is that like the teal introduced to the pro jerseys in the late 90s?
October 14th, 2015 at 10:04 AM ^
October 14th, 2015 at 1:17 PM ^
My research on this (and Paul Lukas at Uniwatch ran an article that backed it up but I can't find a link at the moment) indicates that these logos represent the "freshman cap" tradition of the turn of the 20th century, where freshmen were required to wear caps at all times on campus as a means of identification (read: profiling).
The Bentley has an article on freshman caps here:
October 14th, 2015 at 10:06 AM ^
Love the Wolverbear. I have a t-shirt with that logo.
October 14th, 2015 at 10:11 AM ^
From like 75 years ago. Will be interesting if the University can pull it back into a protected status, especially since they weren't the creator or originator.
October 14th, 2015 at 10:37 AM ^
I like Wolverbear as a secondary logo.
October 14th, 2015 at 11:02 AM ^
the Wolverbear and the LSU tiger look like stroke victims
October 14th, 2015 at 9:21 PM ^
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