Licensed Products Expand McGruff's Reach

When McGruff first arrived on the scene, The Advertising Council, Inc., owned and controlled his image and had the responsibility of reviewing and approving all licensing requests. Shortly after McGruff's introduction, many law enforcement agencies were interested in using the character for their local crime prevention activities.  The Ad Council allowed NCPC to work with its first licensee, Walter E. Cribbins Co., to produce mugs, T-shirts, key chains, pencils, and caps for use by crime prevention practitioners.

A licensing program was established to protect the character from inappropriate uses, to offer an additional source of revenue for the National Citizens' Crime Prevention Campaign, and to expand the audience for McGruff's crime prevention messages.

NCPC's family of 19 licensees manufactures, promotes, and sells more than 800 different McGruff and Scruff educational licensed products and programs.  Each company is carefully selected and screened. The products developed help NCPC achieve its mission by reinforcing important crime prevention messages. Most of the products can be personalized with a sponsor's name, logo, contact information, and message.  McGruff products increase the effectiveness of crime prevention activities by giving participants tangible and long-lasting reminders of McGruff and Scruff's important messages. Investing in licensed products generates valuable royalties, which are used to match the federal grant and help fund the agency's National Citizens' Crime Prevention Campaign.

One licensee produces more than a million trick-or-treat bags featuring McGruff's Halloween safety and crime prevention tips. McGruff licensed products have expanded from five basic offerings in the early days to include personalized books for children, costumes, fully animated robots, fingerprinting identification kits, and many other exciting items.

NCPC carefully selects and screens McGruff licensees to produce a variety of high-quality products with educational messages.  Approved companies obtain the right to use our registered marks, McGruff the Crime Dog, his nephew Scruff, and the "Take A Bite Out Of Crime" slogan, on specific manufactured products.

NCPC has long-term working relationships with many of its licensees because they believe in McGruff and NCPC's mission. They want to help prevent crime, and they view themselves as major contributors to McGruff's campaign and the NCPC family.

Thousands of law enforcement agencies, schools, businesses, and community organizations use McGruff licensed products and programs to reinforce basic, effective crime prevention techniques and messages.  McGruff products are a great way to expand educational efforts and make them more effective.

For more information on licensed products, visit www.ncpc.org or call 202-466-6272. Selected individual licensed products including McGruff and Scruff beanbag dolls, travel mugs, keychains, and retro t-shirts are available for purchase at www.mcgruffstore.org.