License Your First Responder, Fire, Rescue Company

London Fire EngravingLONDON – The Brand Licensing blog of Adam Bass of London reports that his company, Golden Goose, is licensing the imagery and icons of the London Fire Brigade.

This is fascinating, as there are so many municipal fire, police and rescue companies that have long histories, and not just in the U.K.

The NYPD has been aggressive in its licensing, as have other municipal safety organizations. And it is not just fire and police squads, but but rescue squads, beach patrols and the like. In fact, any city with a surf or beach patrol has a jackpot bonanza with not only licensing, but the promotional value of a good licensing program with tourism and local citizen goodwill.

If you are in the licensing or marketing business, it might be a good idea to look at your local fire, police and rescue companies to see if there is opportunity, either to license what they have, or help them build a program. Very often, municipalities are not only cash strapped, but they do not have good design sense. In addition, while their official record keeping is good because it is mandated by law, the photos, logo histories and iconography of these organizations is not always well preserved.

Licensing can be broadly construed to include not only logos and trademarks but toys, events that include a group, films depicting a group and other commercial representations of the group, including uniforms.

The best known case of this sort of marketing was the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, which for a time were licensed by Disney. Today, the Mounted Police Foundation handles the licensing, which not only controls the use of the famous seal, but any commercial use of the uniform and nomenclature.

Author

  • Garland Pollard

    J. Garland Pollard IV is editor/publisher of BrandlandUSA. Since 2006, the website BrandlandUSA.com has chronicled the history and business of America’s great brands.

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