From The Texas Tribune · Jessica Priest · · 3m
Dan Patrick's AI ad borrows college football's biggest brands
Three Texas schools guard their trademarks fiercely, but the man who controls their funding just put them in a campaign ad.
In brief
Three Texas schools guard their trademarks fiercely, but the man who controls their funding just put them in a campaign ad. Texas trademark rules and deepfake law both have gaps, and a politician who controls university budgets is the least likely person to get sued over them. Originally reported by The Texas Tribune.
A campaign ad in maroon and burnt orange
Lt. Gov. Dan Patrick used three of Texas college football's best known traditions to mock Democratic candidates in what appears to be an AI-generated ad ahead of November's elections.
The schools say nothing
UT, Texas Tech and Texas A&M would not tell the Texas Tribune whether Patrick had permission, whether staff or resources helped make the ad, or whether they would ask for it to come down.
He holds their budget
Patrick presides over the Texas Senate, giving him real say over how much state money public universities get. He has repeatedly threatened their funding while pushing them to drop policies he calls woke.
Why nobody will complain
Election law attorney Andrew Cates expects the universities to stay quiet rather than risk a fight with the man who shapes their appropriations.
“I'd be surprised if they ask him to take it down because they have a lot to lose politically and financially”
A lawmaker starts asking
State Rep. Terry Canales, D-Edinburg, wrote to all three presidents asking if they authorized the branding. A&M said it would look into it. UT and Texas Tech had not replied by Friday.
What the 50 seconds show
Vikki Goodwin taxes brisket and Longhorn merch at a UT game. Gina Hinojosa demands gun permits from the Masked Rider. James Talarico sits during the 12th Man and calls it so gendered.
“College football is back. Before the first whistle, take a look at the failed playbook Goodwin and her socialist squad have for Texas.”
No AI label, 900,000 views
The ad names Patrick's campaign as sponsor but never says it was AI-generated. By Friday the post had passed 907,000 views on X.
Goodwin pushes back
In a Sept. 8 Facebook video, Goodwin said Patrick used AI to put words in her mouth because he could not beat her on the facts.
The rules he walked past
A&M bans using its symbols and athletics to back candidates and owns the 12th Man mark. Texas Tech requires written permission for political use of Guns Up and the Double T. UT bars unlicensed use of the Longhorn and Hook 'em.
They sue other people
A&M sent a cease-and-desist in May to a Muslim education group calling itself TexAM University. In July, UT sued a Corpus Christi meat market over the Longhorn silhouette and an orange color scheme.
“trade on and receive the benefit of goodwill built up at great labor and expense by the University”
The 30-day loophole
Texas has a deepfake campaign law, but it only bites within 30 days of an election and requires proving intent to deceive. Patrick posted in September, months clear of the window.
Two fixes that died
The House passed a disclosure bill that Republicans said could criminalize memes. The Senate passed one scrapping the 30-day limit. Neither cleared the other chamber, and Cates wants lawmakers to try again next year.
“These campaigns don't only exist for one month before the election”
The key point
Texas trademark rules and deepfake law both have gaps, and a politician who controls university budgets is the least likely person to get sued over them.
