Scool Rocks taps into Champsmania

Designer and entrepreneur Andre Millwood is one of many persons tapping into the Champs fever now gripping the island.

Millwood is one of the directors of a design company called 'Stik Wid It', which created the Scool Rocks line of stickers, T-shirts, caps, and other gear that allow students and past students to show their support for their alma mater during the Champs season.

He explained that his company was careful not to breach any of the laws governing copyright in creating the products in their Scool Rocks line.

NO COPYRIGHT INFRINGEMENTS

"We didn't want to infringe on any intellectual property, so what we did, outside of going to the Jamaica Intellectual Property Office to check out the artwork that are already trademarked to ensure that we didn't infringe, we also engaged the schools. Some have said no, we can't use their imagery, which is their crest, while we are in dialogue with other schools," he said. Millwood said that they are not trying to stop schools from getting any revenue that's rightly theirs.

"So we don't misrepresent the schools by taking their names and crest and throw it on to our product without the school's consent," he added.

However, he believes that a system needs to be established through which Champs patrons can purchase products that show support for their favourite schools.

"A system needs to be worked out where everybody can benefit. The schools as well, maybe, need to open their doors to allow for persons to sell products on their behalf and they can collect a percentage of the profits rather than stopping it totally because it is a channel through which people can earn their bread," he said.