Pearson Virtual Schools Trademark Usage Guidelines

 Last Updated: April, 2022

These Trademark Usage Guidelines (the "Guidelines") set forth the rules for using or referring to the trademarks, service marks, trade names and trade dress owned by Connections Education LLC, dba Pearson Virtual Schools USA ("PVS”). For the purposes of these Guidelines, "PVS Trademark(s)" shall include all registered or unregistered trademarks, service marks and trade dress (such as words, names, symbols, devices, slogans, appearance, packaging, or combination of these) and trade names owned by PVS, including but not limited to the trademarks and service marks listed on the PVS Trademark List. These Guidelines apply to PVS authorized agents and re-sellers, schools, customers, business partners, social media users, and all other parties wishing to use the PVS Trademarks for any purpose and in all mediums, including but not limited to print materials, web sites, social media sites, or any other medium.

PVS considers the PVS Trademarks to be among its most valuable intellectual property assets. The goodwill derived from using the PVS Trademarks exclusively inures to the benefit of and belongs to PVS. As such, PVS intends to take all appropriate measures to preserve the strength of and retain its exclusive rights to use its marks. Except for the limited right to use as expressly permitted under these Guidelines, no other rights of any kind are granted hereunder, by implication or otherwise. PVS asks that you assist us by following these Guidelines. If you have any questions about the Guidelines, please direct them to OBL-legal@pearson.com.

In the event of a conflict between these Guidelines and a written agreement with PVS, the written agreement will take precedence over these Guidelines to the extent the Guidelines are inconsistent with the written agreement. PVS reserves the right in its sole discretion to modify these Guidelines at any time and the updated Guidelines will be effective when PVS posts the revised Guidelines on PVS’s website at www.ConnectionsAcademy.com/terms-of-use/trademark-guidelines/. Any revised Guidelines will supersede all previous versions.

Authorized Uses of PVS Trademarks

  1. Use to Refer to PVS’ Products or Services. With the exception of PVS’ Design Marks (which include the Connections Academy & Design, “star person” Design and other design marks owned by PVS) (the use of which must be expressly authorized and approved by PVS), you generally may use PVS Trademarks to refer to PVS’ products or services in advertising, promotional, and sales materials, assuming that you have the necessary authority to sell or promote PVS’ products or services (e.g. authorized agent, re-seller, or other business partner).
  2. Use in Publications, the Internet and in Social Media. You may refer to or use PVS Trademarks (other than Design Marks the use of which must be expressly authorized and approved by PVS) when discussing PVS’ products or services in publications and on web sites or social media – including but not limited to social networks, blogs, wikis, virtual worlds, or any other social media – that serve only as noncommercial electronic informational forums, provided you otherwise comply with these Guidelines. You cannot make any representations or claims about PVS that PVS has not authorized, or imply or suggest an affiliation or endorsement of the social media page by PVS. 
  3. Or in the alternative if unable to add the above, then the following language: "This is not a Pearson Virtual Schools operated, sponsored or affiliated site. The opinions, representations and actions of any party under this site are not under the control of, and do not reflect those of, Pearson Virtual Schools, its affiliates, officers, directors, employees or contractors.”
  4. Use PVS Trademarks to Indicate a Relationship to PVS Products or Services. You may indicate the relationship of your products and services to PVS’s products or services by using an accurate referential phrase in connection with your product or service provided that: (a) the PVS Trademark appears less prominent than the product or service name; (b) the PVS Trademark is not a part of or incorporated in your product or service name; and (c) the referential phrase is accurate and complies with the requirements set forth in these Guidelines and any agreement with PVS.

Prohibited Uses of PVS Trademarks

  1. Do Not Use PVS Trademarks in the Name of Your Company, Products, or Services, or as a Domain Name or in the Name of a Social Media Page or Website. Unless in accordance with an agreement with or express written consent from PVS, you may not use or register in any jurisdiction, whether foreign or domestic, any PVS Trademark as all or part of your company, product, or service name in a manner that is likely to create confusion as to PVS’s sponsorship, affiliation or endorsement of your company, product, or service, or that may dilute the PVS Trademarks. Similarly, you may not register in any jurisdiction, whether domestic or foreign, a domain name or use as part of the name of a social media page or site any PVS Trademark in a manner that is likely to create confusion as to PVS’s sponsorship, affiliation or endorsement of your company, product, or service. (see above on disclaimer image and language to be used).
  2. Do Not Use PVS Trademarks in any Manner that Implies Ownership. Your use of PVS Trademarks may not imply ownership by any party other than PVS.
  3. Do Not Use PVS Design Marks Without Permission. You may not use any PVS Design Marks unless you have an agreement with or express written consent from PVS authorizing such use and any use must be strictly in accordance with the permission granted.
  4. Do Not Use PVS Trademarks Outside the United States. Use of PVS Trademarks is limited to the United States and United States territories and on the World Wide Web. Except with the prior written approval of PVS and with respect to lawfully enrolled students outside the United States, you may not use PVS Trademarks in any jurisdiction throughout the world except for the United States.
  5. Do Not Use PVS Trademarks in False or Misleading Advertising. Advertising for PVS or its products or services offered under the PVS Trademarks must not be false or misleading in any way and must not be in violation of any applicable law, municipal ordinance, or administrative agency regulation of any State or country.
  6. Do Not Use PVS Trademarks in Objectionable Material. You may not use PVS Trademarks on or in connection with any defamatory, scandalous, pornographic, or other objectionable materials of any sort.
  7. Do Not Use PVS Trademarks to Disparage PVS. You may not use PVS Trademarks to disparage PVS, its products or services, or in a manner that, in PVS’ reasonable judgment, may diminish or otherwise damage the reputation of PVS or the goodwill in the PVS Trademarks.
  8. Endorsement or Sponsorship. You may not use any PVS Trademarks in a manner that would imply PVS’s affiliation with or endorsement, sponsorship, or support of a third party product, service, web site or social media page.
  9. Merchandise Items. You may not manufacture, advertise, sell or give-away merchandise items, such as T-shirts and mugs, bearing any PVS Trademark except pursuant to an express written agreement with PVS.
  10. PVS's Trade Dress: You may not imitate the distinctive PVS packaging, web site design and/or layout, trademark designs, or typefaces.

Rules for Proper Usage of PVS Trademarks

Proper usage of PVS Trademarks is important for their continued protection. Proper usage aids consumers who depend upon PVS’ products and services and helps prevent PVS Trademarks from losing their distinctiveness and becoming generic. Licensees of PVS Trademarks may have different rules of usage set forth in their license agreement, in which case Licensees should follow those guidelines.

  1. Set PVS Trademarks Apart from Surrounding Text. When a PVS Trademark is used in a non-stylized form, such as in the body text of an advertisement or publication, it should be set apart and distinguished from the other words in the text. In order to do this, the PVS Trademark may be rendered in boldface type, italics, capital letters, underscored, or set in quotation marks.
  2. Alteration of PVS Trademarks. Do not alter PVS Trademarks in any manner by changing their proportion, color or font, or removing trademark symbols.
  3. Use PVS Trademarks as Adjectives. Trademarks are adjectives and should be followed by the generic term they modify. Never use a trademark as a noun, a verb, or in the possessive form. 
  • Improper Use: My student completed a LiveLesson® today.
  • Proper Use: My student participated in a LiveLesson® session today.
  1. Do Not Abbreviate or Alter the Spelling of PVS Trademarks. You should not vary the appearance of PVS Trademarks by abbreviating them, incorporating them into acronyms, changing their spelling, or using improper capitalization. The PVS Trademark List provides the proper spelling and capitalization for each trademark.
  2. Use The Proper Trademark Symbol. A PVS Trademark should appear with the proper trademark symbol, which can be found on the PVS Trademark List. In written materials, the appropriate symbol must be used with the first or most prominent appearance of the PVS Trademark in headlines and the first time the PVS Trademark appears in body text. This appropriate symbol also should be used on each subsequent page if the topic is different or if the pages can be separated and distributed independently. If the materials, product packaging, social media page or web page includes a properly licensed PVS Design Mark, which already includes the appropriate trademark symbol, it is not necessary to include a trademark symbol after the word "PVS" in the text in that material, product packaging, social media page or Web page.
  3. Adherence to Quality Standards. The PVS Trademarks should be used only in the form listed on the Trademark List. If you have written permission from PVS to use a Design Mark, it must always be used in the colors specified on the Trademark List unless otherwise approved by PVS.
  4. Use the Proper Trademark Attribution Statement. All marketing collateral, advertisements, product packaging, web pages, and publications that include PVS Trademarks also must include the proper trademark attribution statement crediting ownership of the PVS Trademarks to Pearson Virtual Schools USA. Typically, the attribution statement is displayed at the end of the material, in the footer of the document, or on the back of the package. This requirement will not apply in situations where use of the attribution notice is not practical due to space limitations, such as on small promotional items including but not limited to note pads, magnets, pens, pencils and other similar items. The correct trademark attribution statement is: 

[Include a list of Pearson Virtual Schools trademarks actually used] are trademarks of Pearson Virtual Schools USA. Other names may be trademarks of their respective owners. All rights reserved. Any use of any PVS marks must comply with the Trademark Usage Guidelines published by Pearson Virtual Schools USA, a copy of which can be found on the company's website.

Misuse of PVS Trademarks by Others

If you learn of any uses of any trademarks that are confusingly similar to the PVS Trademarks, please notify PVS by sending an email to legal@OBLeducation.com. Similarly, if you become aware of any use of a PVS Trademark that violates any of the rules described above, including failure to identify PVS Trademarks as belonging to Pearson Virtual Schools USA, please notify us at legal@OBLeducation.com. If possible, please provide a copy of the article or other medium in which the trademark violation appeared.