Despite previous reports, the University will not take part in Victoria’s Secret’s upcoming PINK Collegiate Collection.
University Associate Athletics Director Tom Wistrcill said the school notified the company that the clothing line was not in step with the University’s values and focus.
However, a press release sent out this week by Victoria’s Secret had the University listed as one of its 33 schools involved in the line.
“Quite frankly, the press release and the attention it received caught us completely by surprise,” Wistrcill said.
Wistrcill said there may have been miscommunication between the parties involved, as the University uses the Collegiate Licensing Company as its middle man between companies requesting licenses and the school.
That middle company means that the University didn’t directly communicate with Victoria’s Secret, he said.
The University turns down about 20 out of every 50 licensing requests “right off the bat,” Wistrcill said – as those often involve alcohol-related products.
Those decisions are made as a cooperative effort between athletics officials and university relations, he said.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison is listed as a school involved with the line, and the school’s trademark licensing director Cindy Van Matre said that’s still the plan.
The school usually approves tasteful trademark requests, and has approved ones similar to the Victoria’s Secret line before, she said.
“Those types of (loungewear) products we license several other companies to produce several products,” Van Matre said.
The clothing line is set to launch next month.
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