npace 110 Posted June 19, 2012 I am comfortable telling customers "not without written permission or the funds to pay any fines that may come from cutting/printing/screen/embroidery", but I'd like to hear how others respond. Do you have a sign that says if it has "this, this or looks like this, then NO" or a printout or just verbal no? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
top53 53 Posted June 19, 2012 Forget abut the part about funds to pay for fines. Just say no. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dr12volt1338 116 Posted June 19, 2012 I always just go with a verbal "I'm sorry but that is a trademarked logo and I am not authorized to to produce them." I also let them know that if they want to bring me a letter stating they have or have received permission for me to produce them then I will be more then happy to. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
npace 110 Posted June 19, 2012 Point taken top53! Easier that way- no one's ever actually paid the astronomical amounts I toss out anyway.. Good thing too or I might be too tempted to spend the "fine cash" on more equipment to play with. Volt - Anyone ever produce a letter? I've only had a couple but not for vinyl jobs. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
mark-s 1,126 Posted June 19, 2012 No because it`s a copy right logo,image whatever. mark-s Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dr12volt1338 116 Posted June 19, 2012 Point taken top53! Easier that way- no one's ever actually paid the astronomical amounts I toss out anyway.. Good thing too or I might be too tempted to spend the "fine cash" on more equipment to play with. Volt - Anyone ever produce a letter? I've only had a couple but not for vinyl jobs. Negative Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OWJones 1,981 Posted June 20, 2012 I got a request yesterday to cut a logo for a famous sports team - I told them that I'm not licensed, but if they would be willing to pay the $5,000 license fee (a number I just made up on the spot) that I would be more than happy to cut their decal for them. They suddenly decided that maybe they would buy something else... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Dr12volt1338 116 Posted June 20, 2012 I got a request yesterday to cut a logo for a famous sports team - I told them that I'm not licensed, but if they would be willing to pay the $5,000 license fee (a number I just made up on the spot) that I would be more than happy to cut their decal for them. They suddenly decided that maybe they would buy something else... If you look into getting a contract to do stuff like this you will see most of them do not require a fee up front... You have to be able to guarantee so much in sales each year.... (I believe Ford was $300,000) You also have to give X amount from the sales of their product to them.... I think it was posted here somewhere that I read that even... I also looked at doing stuff here for the teams in Detroit because I get so many requests every week to do them but it was very unpractical for me at this point... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OWJones 1,981 Posted June 20, 2012 Speak of the devil... I run a weekly contest on my Facebook page and give away one free up to 2-color up to 8"x8" custom decal to the person who wins. It costs me very little and encourages people to "like" my page so they can enter the contest which just provides me a free way to advertise... I kid you not, this is the response I got today from last week's winner: "I won last weeks decal contest. Do you any copywrite logos? Like nfl?". Doesn't that sound suspicious? Why would you specifically ask if I have copyrighted logos (at least that is what I assume they are trying to ask)? I wrote back and told her nope, don't have a license for those, can't do it. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
lakewoodlettering 4 Posted February 16, 2013 OW Jones. I have seen your facebook page, NICE, How do you chose the winner of your contest, AND Great idea. George https://www.facebook.com/LakewoodLettering?fref=ts Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OWJones 1,981 Posted February 17, 2013 OW Jones. I have seen your facebook page, NICE,How do you chose the winner of your contest, AND Great idea. I have a teeny-tiny set of brass gaming dice (like the kind you use for Dungeons and Dragons) on my desk, and when the contest deadline is reached, I count up the number of entries (comments) and roll the appropriate dice and then I count down to whatever number I rolled and they're my winner. You can't really tell scale from this picture, but each one is about the size of a small kernel of corn. I got them at a gaming store that was going out of business - I have no idea why I bought them as I haven't played those types of games for over 10 years... Heck, the only reason I was at the store in the first place is that they had a used heat press for sale... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gcextreme 475 Posted March 13, 2013 Heres a question...can u make copyright logos like ford emblems..and not sell them..just use on your own truck? 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
OWJones 1,981 Posted March 13, 2013 Heres a question...can u make copyright logos like ford emblems..and not sell them..just use on your own truck? From a purely legal standpoint - no. It is still copyright infringement to do so. You're not legally allowed to duplicate someone's intellectual property without their permission, with a few exceptions such as "fair use". However, as long as you don't turn yourself in, you will probably not get in trouble. The roving, entrapment-loving investigators are looking for the people who are selling, not the people who have it on their truck. Once you start making them for friends and family, you're opening yourself up to legal issues, even if you are doing it for free it is still illegal even if no money is involved. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gcextreme 475 Posted March 13, 2013 Yeah thats what i thought.... In college we had an Ethics and Copyright class about stuff... And i may be wrong..but from my understanding if u take something like a wrench...and u modify it and change like 10% of what it is...then it is now a new design... Like wrenches..they all perform the same tasks but there are hundred of companies making them (craftsman, snapon, pro-grade, stanley, etc) they change the dimensions, lengths, curves, etc... Im not sure how this applies to art...and brand names like Ford... But i know the name Ford in their specific style font in a blue oval is copyright... Like my business..GC-Extreme (Glenn Cox Extreme Designs) and my domain name GCExtreme.com.... I was getting emails from some GELID GC extreme thermal compound..something to do with graphics cards...and another GC Extreme Air Valves.....in regards to my domain name...which ive owned since highschool.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MZ SKEETER 4,709 Posted March 13, 2013 You can find this on copyright law Know the Law It is illegal (and in most states a criminal act) for anyone to create trademark-bearing goods intended for sale without written permission directly from the trademark owner. There are no exceptions. It is also illegal to resell such goods, even when they have been purchased in good faith from someone else. Therefore, if you are purchasing goods for resale, you should make sure that you can legally resell them, beyond merely taking the word of the person you purchased them from. Your seller may not know that the goods are counterfeit, but even if the seller does know, he or she could have a vested economic interest in misleading you. Note that making minor changes to the shape of a logo or changing the words inside of a logo does not change this. There is no “X% of change” that creates a safe harbor for the unauthorized use of trademarks. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gcextreme 475 Posted March 13, 2013 I believe it..but ive seen many business logos with the harley davidson deisgn..... Ive also seen stuff like the Honda wings....used and changed slightly. U can copyright a name design...but not always a name... Like TomHanks.com if a guy named Tom Hanks uses it then the famous actor Tom Hanks cant sue because the other Tom has just as much right to the name too. If a guy named Jim Ford who is in no way related to Henry Ford, wants to sell stuff with his name "Ford" on it then he can...as long as its not the same font and in a blue oval... Also if there is no % change rule..y are there tons of styles and brands of wrenches, spoons and forks, screwdrivers, sockets, ratchets, soda drinks, ....and so on. You can take something and change it and sell it..aka GM and Ford...Stanley tools and Craftsman tools....like i said..it may be different when it comes to art.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
MZ SKEETER 4,709 Posted March 13, 2013 You may see a lot of stuff, that is copyrighted, but if they are not reported to the owners, how are they supposed to know?. They can't look everywhere. But I bet if it is reported,, it will come down... There are tons of copyrighted stuff up on EBAY and others sites being sold, they go up faster than you can open a site. Others see those and say. OH, I can sell those also. Not true. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
gcextreme 475 Posted March 13, 2013 Oh i thought it was funny when harley davidson was going on about copyrighting their exhaust sound...lol.. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
