Can advertisers run a Super Bowl promotion in our newspaper?
Both the words Super Bowl and the logo are trademarks. While they can be used in editorial copy, you must pay licensing fees to use them in conjunction with any advertising promotion. The NFL is very aggressive in tracking down violations, and employs spotters to look for unauthorized uses of the words or logo. Even a seemingly innocuous reference to a Super Bowl sale is in violation if proper fees are not paid. A merchant selling products that have already been licensed by the NFL can promote the sale of these items in advertising, provided the appropriate wording is used. For instance, the Super Bowl beer sponsor can be described as the official beer sponsor but not as the official beer.
