[StBernard] Jindal campaign to keep passing out 'Tigers' sticker

[Westley Annis]

By MICHELLE MILLHOLLON
Advocate Capitol News Bureau
Published: Aug 8, 2007 - Page: 1A 

LSU and U.S. Rep. Bobby Jindal's gubernatorial campaign are at odds over the
purple and gold "Tigers for Jindal" stickers cropping up on car bumpers.

LSU Chancellor Sean O'Keefe said Tuesday that the Jindal campaign agreed to
stop distributing the bumper stickers after watchdogs of the university's
franchising and brand raised the issue of the campaign using the school's
colors and mascot.

"It is an identifier with LSU," O'Keefe said.

O'Keefe said LSU polices the use of the university's colors and mascot
because they are so closely associated with the school. LSU is not singling
out Jindal, he said.

Jindal, R-Kenner, did not respond Tuesday to interview requests made in a
phone call and four e-mails.

However, his campaign press secretary, Melissa Sellers, said Jindal will
continue to distribute the Tiger bumper stickers.

She did not respond to further questions about the issue. The primary
election is Oct. 20.

LSU's objection stems from the combination of the word "tigers" and the
purple and gold, said Eric Monday, associate vice chancellor for finance and
administrative services.

"LSU doesn't take exception to the use of the colors in and of themselves.
It's the use of the colors and one other element such as the word 'tiger' or
'tigers,' " he said.

Monday said he thought the Jindal campaign agreed to stop producing the
bumper stickers.

"We'll have to have another conversation with them," he said.

Jindal is not the first candidate to put his name on a bumper sticker using
LSU's mascot and colors, Monday said.

Suzanne Haik Terrell handed out "Tigers for Terrell" bumper stickers when
she ran for public office several years ago, he said.

Terrell ran for the U.S. Senate in 2002 and for state attorney general in
2003.

Her campaign agreed to stop distributing the stickers at LSU's request,
Monday said.

Secretary of State Jay Dardenne plans to give purple and gold yard signs to
supporters in Baton Rouge as part of his re-election bid this fall, his
spokesman, Jacques Berry, said.

Dardenne is recycling signs he used in a previous campaign, Berry said.

The signs only use LSU's colors and do not include the university's mascot,
he said.

Dardenne is an LSU graduate. Jindal graduated from Brown University in Rhode
Island and attended Oxford University in England.

An LSU fan sent an e-mail to O'Keefe last week asking about the Jindal
stickers.

O'Keefe responded a day later, saying "LSU does have strict guidelines and
standards for the use of its marks and colors and
closely monitors infringement on the university's trademark rights. Several
recent campaigns have used the school colors, and we took steps to curtail
such use."

The chancellor went on to write that "We have been made aware of the issue
you reference, have already contacted the campaign, and they have agreed to
stop producing and distributing the materials."

The university did not send the Jindal campaign a formal letter, O'Keefe
said Tuesday.

O'Keefe said he can only recall issuing one such letter and that was
concerning purple and gold confederate flags.

The flags created a stir on campus several years ago when they popped up
dyed in LSU's colors.

In that case, Monday said, the university told flag vendors and other
companies authorized to use LSU's mark that the use of the colors with the
confederate symbol was not condoned.