Using "LDS" in public event names for personal profit

What is the policy to use the word "LDS" in a public event name when a person is profiting off of the event? For example, I am an independent Travel Agent. There are many public boat cruises available for me to book. Can I invite LDS singles on the cruise and coordinate it, calling it an LDS Cruise? There will be hundreds of non-LDS people on the cruise as well. It's not sponsored by the church (ward, stake, etc).

This is happening in our area and others. Travel Agents, who happen to be LDS, are calling events LDS Cruises on cruise lines available to the world. They are making money off of these bookings. And they are booking shuttles & hotel rooms, making money off of the bookings. All of this is called an LDS xxxx Cruise. They are advertising them on LDS pages on Facebook.

What is the policy, and if against church policy, how should we handle this?

I'd check the Terms of Use page on the main site. Especially the section "Trademarks" and "Questions" and the link to "Guidelines for Use of Church Trademarks."

The "Questions" section gives you a contact for an authoritative answer.

The Church has discouraged members from using the abbreviation "LDS," more so in the past couple of years than ever before. So, whether or not it's appropriate legally to use the abbreviation as a business, as a customer, seeing the term "LDS" in many cases would turn me away. Although some people still use the term "LDS," from an official Church perspective the term is obsolete and outdated – because of that, I would see a business using that term as an appeal to Church culture with a disregard or ignorance of current prophetic direction.

sbradshaw wrote:The Church has discouraged members from using the abbreviation "LDS," more so in the past couple of years than ever before. So, whether or not it's appropriate legally to use the abbreviation as a business, as a customer, seeing the term "LDS" in many cases would turn me away. Although some people still use the term "LDS," from an official Church perspective the term is obsolete and outdated – because of that, I would see a business using that term as an appeal to Church culture with a disregard or ignorance of current prophetic direction.

Very nicely put!

sbradshaw wrote:The Church has discouraged members from using the abbreviation "LDS," more so in the past couple of years than ever before. So, whether or not it's appropriate legally to use the abbreviation as a business, as a customer, seeing the term "LDS" in many cases would turn me away. Although some people still use the term "LDS," from an official Church perspective the term is obsolete and outdated – because of that, I would see a business using that term as an appeal to Church culture with a disregard or ignorance of current prophetic direction.

I understand your point, but I don't think "LDS" is going away that easily. In this situation, "Church cruse" is too broad and "Cruse for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints" is pretty awkward. I don't think "TCoJCoLDS Cruse" would be effective. Using "Mormon" is even less favorable.

"Christian Cruse" is likely to get everyone except members.

Unless someone can think of something I've overlooked, "LDS" seems like the best option at the moment.

In re-reading the OP, since singles was mentioned, "YSA", "SA", or even maybe "Mid-Singles" (depending on age group being targeted) would work as they target single members.

russellhltn wrote:In re-reading the OP, since singles was mentioned, "YSA", "SA", or even maybe "Mid-Singles" (depending on age group being targeted) would work as they target single members.

That's how they do it around here when they plan a cruise for members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.