Duke University slams 'The White Lotus' for misusing its brand
What's the story
The third season of HBO's critically acclaimed series The White Lotus has been criticized by none other than Duke University.
The show, set in a Thailand luxury resort, stars the Ratliff family, whose members, Timothy (Jason Isaacs) and Saxon (Patrick Schwarzenegger), are both Duke alumni.
In recent episodes, Saxon kisses his younger brother and joins him in a threesome, while Timothy is under the FBI's money laundering investigation and contemplates suicide while sporting a Duke T-shirt.
Official statement
Duke University expressed discontent over the show's portrayal
Duke University's vice president for communications, marketing, and public affairs, Frank Tramble, spoke out against how the show depicted its alumni.
In a statement to Bloomberg, he said that The White Lotus "uses our brand without permission, but in our view uses it on imagery that is troubling, does not reflect our values or who we are."
The university is especially upset over the scene where Timothy considers suicide while wearing a Duke-branded T-shirt.
Logo controversy
Duke's logo can 'create confusion and mistakenly suggest an endorsement'
Tramble further explained, "Duke appreciates artistic expression and creative storytelling, but characters prominently wearing apparel bearing Duke's federally registered trademarks create confusion and mistakenly suggest an endorsement or affiliation where none exists."
The image of Timothy holding a gun to his head has gone viral on social media, especially amid March Madness, the NCAA national college basketball championship.
Some even suggested that if Duke loses, it would be "an all-time meme."
Trademark stance
Duke University's stance on trademark use and artistic expression
Tramble stressed that the university didn't approve of its logo being used in The White Lotus, particularly in connection with suicide.
He said, "Suicide is the second-leading cause of death on college campuses. As imagery from the show is being shared widely across social media, we are using our brand to promote mental health awareness and remind people that help is available."
However, Jeanne Fromer, an intellectual property law professor, said that artists are protected under the First Amendment.
Twitter Post
Check out what Duke University said
Suicide is the second-leading cause of
— Duke University (@DukeU) March 25, 2025death on college campuses. Rivalry is part ofMarch Madness, but some imagery goes too far. If you or someone you know needssupport, call or text the Suicide Prevention Hotline at 988. 💙
Past incidents
Similar controversies involving brands and TV shows
Notably, this isn't the first instance a brand has taken issue with a TV show.
In 2021, exercise bike company Peloton was miffed after a particular character in the Sex and the City reboot And Just Like That... had a heart attack after using one of their machines.
Earlier this year, California's Pepperdine University filed a lawsuit against Netflix and Warner Bros. for trademark infringement after a fictional basketball team in Running Point donned their colors and team name.