Endorsements and Sponsorships
Protecting the university's reputation and image.
Policy Information
The Endorsements, Sponsorships, and Advertising Policy governs how nonuniversity entities are able to associate themselves with Rutgers.
This policy applies to all employees, units, departments, and registered student organizations at the university.
What Does the Policy Do?
- Prohibits Rutgers employees and entities from endorsing vendors, products, services, or external companies. Endorsements include qualitative statements, actions, or displays that imply preference.
- Requires sponsorship acknowledgements and advertisements placed in Rutgers materials be clearly labeled.
- Prohibits ads that may harm the university's reputation, violate university policies, imply discrimination, can be considered obscene, indecent, or profane, or that include weapons, explosives, cannabis, or the illegal use of alcohol in any Rutgers' materials.
How Does the Policy Affect You?
You should understand these key policy provisions:
- Endorsements are not permitted, except in exceptional cases and only with the consent of the Rutgers Board of Governors
- A statement of fact is not an endorsement
- An endorsement is a subjective statement about the quality or performance of a person, vendor, product, or service
- The policy allows sponsorships and advertisements in accordance with the established policy and guidelines
- No advertising or sponsorship is allowed in or on print or electronic materials, websites, or other university assets that students are required to access to complete their studies, or that prospective students are required to access when seeking admission to Rutgers
- All sponsorship agreements must be shared with University Communications and Marketing before a contract is signed
Endorsement and Sponsorship Information
Endorsements
The name, logo, or images of the university or any of its campuses or units may not be used in any statement, website, print or electronic communication, or activity to market, sell, promote, or endorse any corporation, business, product, service, or candidate for public office.
All requests for vendors or service providers to use the Rutgers name in a client list, case study, or any other promotional materials must be reviewed by University Communications and Marketing. Rutgers faculty or staff may not provide statements endorsing any outside vendor, service provider, or organization on behalf of or in association with the university.
Sponsorships
All sponsorship agreements involving the use of the Rutgers name or any Rutgers logos must be shared with University Communications and Marketing before a contract is signed.
Rutgers, not the sponsor, should receive primary recognition in any university communication; this includes any university website and any university video or film production.
Sponsorship agreements may not include the purchase of goods and services from the sponsor or any gift-in-kind of goods or services to the university that would ordinarily be obtained through the purchasing system.
Any Rutgers school, unit, or office wishing to act as a sponsor of a third-party nonprofit or for-profit entity’s activity, event, or program, may do so as long as they follow the same general rules outlined in the policy.
Sponsorships Are Not Partnerships
Do not confuse the university’s relationship with a sponsor as a partnership. The common legal definition of a partnership is a contract between two or more persons or entities to invest money, property, or other resources into a venture in which the parties are co-owners and share profits and losses. The university’s relationship with its sponsors does not amount to or create a partnership.
Linking to Non-Rutgers Websites and Webpages
Links to external vendors on Rutgers websites and pages are permitted but should be to the entity's homepage or other nonpromotional page. For more information, see the Guidelines for Sponsor, Partner, and Third-Party Promotion [PDF].