University of Indianapolis Sues IU Indy Over Branding

Two Indiana universities are headed for a legal showdown over a branding dispute.

On Tuesday the University of Indianapolis sued Indiana University over its use of the name “IU INDY,” a term that plaintiffs said is too close to their federally registered trademark “UINDY.”

The University of Indianapolis registered the name in 2003 and has used it since 2022, according to the lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana. But in early 2024, Indiana sought to register the term “IU INDY” for its Indianapolis campus after IU and Purdue University broke up Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis, a joint venture.

Plaintiffs alleged in the lawsuit that the similarity is “likely to cause confusion, mistake, and deception among the relevant consuming public” and has caused “irreparable harm.” The University of Indianapolis is suing IU for trademark infringement and is seeking an injunction to prevent the cross-town campus from using the name, as well as unspecified monetary damages.

Indiana University has not yet issued a legal response.

The lawsuit follows similar legal battles over brands in recent years. Last year Baylor University sued Boston University for trademark infringement for using a similar logo. That case is ongoing. In another case over similar logos, Drake University and Des Moines Area Community College reached an agreement in January after more than a year of litigation over branding.