Mav is everything at Colorado Mesa University. I mean this almost literally — Mavily, MavZone, Mavcards, MavPav and now finally, mavroon. Mavroon is the new official color of Colorado Mesa University, created by former Associated Student Government President Ben Linzey.
While attaching “mav” to everything can seem a little annoying, ridiculous and pointless, it brings a sense of uniqueness to this campus. Mavcards certainly sound much better than “school ID cards.” It has a ring to it that makes it memorable. And “mavroon” is simply fun wordplay when maverick meets maroon.
A little-known fact about colors is that they help to make up a logo, which is then trademarked and used for advertising, marketing, branding, etc. Because they support a company’s identity, colors can actually be trademarked.
This concept was actually discussed a 2012 article published by Business Insider, which reported Christian Louboutin trademarking their red heels (in case anyone didn’t know what Cardi B was referencing in Bodak Yellow). Trademarking is not copyrighting; companies cannot “own” colors, but it does give companies the right to use color combinations in their own industry.
Aleksi Tzatzev, the author of this article, said, “Trademarking a color simply allows a company to use a particular combination and shade of color in its own industry.” The colors need to be specific, much like Tiffany & Co.’s “Tiffany Blue,” the University of Texas’ Pantone Color #159, or University of North Carolina’s Carolina Blue. These colors help identify the companies, and when we see these colors, it’s their corresponding companies we think of.
So if Colorado Mesa University wishes to pursue trademarking “mavroon,” white and gold as their colors, other universities and colleges would not be able to use those same exact colors. Sure, the idea of “mav” everything is a little tedious, but it’s part of what makes CMU unique. Colleges in many ways act like their own mini-towns, they have a distinct identity that leads to a greater sense of community.
Branding under this color pallet would support that feeling, as silly as the idea may seem. Not to mention how useful it would be for CMU’s marketing team. Mavroon isn’t just something to joke about—it’s something to look forward to.
