In this episode of No Infringement Intended, Austin Padgett and Rusty Close use their shared love of television and Super Bowl nostalgia to unpack the legal world of major event branding. They explain why so many advertisements avoid saying “Super Bowl” and instead lean on “the big game,” breaking down how trademark law and the Lanham Act empower rights holders like the NFL to control sponsorships, police false affiliations, and protect the value of being “official.” Austin and Rusty walk through where harmless reference ends and risky commercial use begins, and why sometimes the safest move is to let the big game do the heavy lifting for your marketing.

Insight Industries + Practices