Red Ribbon License (for Germany)

Please note that the Red Ribbon Licensing information is only applicable for Germany.

In the past there has been some misunderstanding in regard of the trademarking of the Red Ribbon (in Germany). With the following, we would like to clarify the situation:

It is correct that Red Ribbon Germany together with the German AIDS Foundation are holding the rights for the trademark Red Ribbon (in Germany). The trademark was registered on 4 May 1995 and was issued on 29 May 1996 under the no. 395 18 903. As for the validity of the trademark, the day of registration is the one that counts. By registering the trademark, we wanted to stop the uncontrolled commercialization of the Red Ribbon (in Germany). This was a reaction to the negative experience of the USA where large exploitation of the symbol has negatively influenced the credibility of the Red Ribbon's original idea.

The license rules laid down by Red Ribbon Germany as a result of the trademarking apply only to the use of the Red Ribbon on commercial products. These rules include a donation of at least ten percent of the sales price of each Red Ribbon product which will be forward to the German AIDS Foundation or any other AIDS charity group. The German AIDS Foundation uses 100 percent of these funds to support those affected. That way, AIDS charity organizations applying for money from the German AIDS Foundation benefit from the commercial trade with the Red Ribbon.

Unfortunately, some AIDS charity organizations got the impression that we will also ask them to license the use of the Red Ribbon (in Germany). Of course, that does not hold true as long as it concerns exclusive solidarity work or non-commercial products. Only if commercial products with the Red Ribbon are involved we also expect AIDS charity organizations to talk to us before product launch. That way we will also avoid that different AIDS groups plan identical or similar Red Ribbon products which will then compete each other.

We would like to ask all AIDS groups and supporters of our work (in Germany) to help us in forcing everybody to act according the license rules. The AIDS groups themselves will also benfit as license money generates regular funds for the German AIDS Foundation and hence for the AIDS groups in Germany. That's why it is important that we all search for individuals promoting Red Ribbon products which they are selling without donating any money to AIDS charities - although they often indicate to their customers that they will donate a percentage of the royalties from the sale of the respective product (unfortunately, we have seen quite a number of such black sheeps in the past).

Products licensed by Red Ribbon Germany in the past include e.g. enamel badge (by from: Red Ribbon Shop), key chains, T-shirts and other fabrics, watches (by from: Zeit für Leben), lighters as well as door mats (by from: Gift Company).

In parallel to the extension of the trademark rights, Red Ribbon Germany has in July 2005 transfered the rights to the German AIDS Foundation. For that reason, please contact the German AIDS Foundation directly in regard of all licensing issues.