The #1 Brand in Black Fandom

Blerd Community Use Guidelines

Blerd® exists to lift up Black fandom. These guidelines make it easy for fans, creators, and partners to celebrate the culture while respecting our intellectual property. Read this if you write about blerd culture, sell merch, host events, or want to license Blerd assets.

We embrace descriptive use in culture. We protect brand use tied to our registered trademarks and trade dress.

1) What “Blerd” Means

Blerd, LLC began legitimizing the brand in 2014 by securing blerd.com and building a real business around it. We own federal registrations for BLERD that cover apparel and entertainment services. These registrations are public on the USPTO and come with legal presumptions of validity for those classes.

Trademark rights are about how a term is used. A word can be slang in conversation and still function as a brand on products or shows.

2) What We Own

• Registered word mark: BLERD in Class 025 (apparel) and Class 041 (entertainment services).
• Registered logos and face mark, and associated trade dress.
• Blerd Camo pattern and Blerd character IP used in brand storytelling.

3) Descriptive Use vs. Trademark Use

Allowed without permission (descriptive, non-brand use)

• Using “blerd” in lowercase within text to describe a person, audience, or community. Example: “A gift for blerds who love comics.”
• Editorial and academic references to blerd culture.
• Hashtags that use “#blerd” to describe community topics.

Requires permission or a license (brand use)

• Product titles, shop names, brand fields, or packaging that use Blerd as a source identifier. Example: “Blerd License,” “Blerd Brand Hoodie.”
• Any use of the Blerd logos, word mark styling, face icon, Blerd Camo, or character art on products, packaging, or marketing.
• Event names, series, or services branded with “Blerd” as a title or identifier.

4) Creator Do’s and Don’ts

Do

• Use blerd in lowercase to describe people or culture in sentences. Example: “A panel celebrating blerd culture.”
• Use Black nerd on anything you want.
• Talk about us in news or commentary. Editorial and descriptive uses are welcome.
• Reach out if you want to collab. We genuinely want to work with community creators.

Don’t

• Use “Blerd” (capitalized) in a product or shop name without a license.
• Print our logos, face icon, or Blerd Camo on anything without a license.
• Name an event or media series “Blerd” anything without permission.
• Imply an official affiliation with Blerd, LLC without an executed agreement.

5) Examples

Good

• “A gift guide for blerds who love anime.” (descriptive, lowercase)
• “Blerd culture is thriving at this year’s convention.” (editorial)
• A podcast episode titled “Exploring Blerd Culture” without using our logo or implying affiliation.

Not Allowed

• A shirt that says “Blerd” on the chest in our brand font without a license.
• An Etsy shop called “Blerd Apparel” or “Blerd Merch.”
• An event called “The Blerd Fest” without an executed agreement.

6) Licensing Paths

A) Community Creator License

For indie creators, small shops, and community members. Start small with one or two SKUs. Clear style guide, quality controls, and fast approvals.

B) Brand & Retail License

For established brands and retailers. Co-develop capsules with full style approvals, sample reviews, and sell-in support.

C) Event & Media License

For conferences, conventions, podcast networks, and media productions. Name the stage, capture the data, roll the recap.

7) Required Disclaimers

When you refer to our brand in listings or descriptions, use this exact language:

• Blerd® is a registered trademark of Blerd, LLC. Used under license.

Place it near the top of the description, in the same font size as surrounding text. For official assets and usage, an executed license and current style guide are required.

8) Visual Standards (Summary)

• Use only assets provided in the current Blerd® style guide.
• Do not alter logos, colors, or character art without written approval.
• Maintain minimum clear space around the word mark and face icon.
• Do not place our marks on backgrounds that reduce legibility.

9) Quality Controls for Licensees

• Submit pre-production samples or mockups for approval before manufacturing.
• Finished goods must match approved samples in print quality and placement.
• Do not release product or event materials before written sign-off from Blerd, LLC.

10) Reporting Concerns

If you see confusing or infringing uses, email [email protected] with links and screenshots. We investigate all reports and prioritize community tips.

11) Friendly Enforcement Policy

We prioritize education first. Most issues are fixed with:

• Clearer titles that avoid brand use
• Descriptive lowercase references
• A proper disclaimer
• Removing prohibited logos or trade dress

Creators: if you receive a platform notice, contact us. Many matters resolve with tweaks to titles, disclaimers, and tags. Repeated violations, counterfeit goods, or bad-faith uses may lead to formal takedowns.

12) FAQ