posted
You design a sign for proposal to a client. They give the job to someone else....and then you discover your design is now their logo, company- wide. No 'thanks'. No 'we owe you at least something.' Ouch. It happens.
Here is the question: What if you had printed your design on a postcard and snail-mailed it to yourself to serve as postmarked proof when it was first submitted. Then sent them a copy with a bill for logo design...a fair amount. Would they respond? Would it hold up in the US as primary evidence?
I would appreciate your comments!
-------------------- Preston McCall 112 Rim Road Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 text: 5056607370 Posts: 1558 | From: Santa Fe, New Mexico | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
Perhaps this should be called a "Hillbilly" copyright?
-------------------- Preston McCall 112 Rim Road Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 text: 5056607370 Posts: 1558 | From: Santa Fe, New Mexico | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
Do you add any type of clause on your draft that you are sending to them to let them know that it belongs to you until they purchase it? We have this line at the bottom of our Art Template. At least that gives you a little to fall back on, to charge them.
"This drawing was prepared for illustration purposes and are intended for use at Raap Signs only. These rights are released by act of sale only."
-------------------- Patricia A. Raap Raap Signs 2615 Arthur Coopersville, MI 49404 616-677-0158 pat@raapsigns.com Posts: 580 | From: Coopersville, MI 49404 | Registered: Nov 2003
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""Good judgment comes from experience; and a lot of that comes from bad judgment" - Will Rogers Posts: 3489 | From: Beautiful Newaygo, Michigan | Registered: Mar 2003
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Nice touch. I will use that one. I looked up a bit about trademarks and copyrights and apparently if you place a TM in a circle, it is considered a regional trademark, unregistered, but enforcable out to some reasonable area, if you have some bonafide proof when it was created. Not the R in a cirlce, but a TM. Still, they seem to forget about that "who owns it" clause because they did not sign it or buy.
-------------------- Preston McCall 112 Rim Road Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 text: 5056607370 Posts: 1558 | From: Santa Fe, New Mexico | Registered: Nov 1998
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posted
When I send a design to a new or unknown customer, all over the design is my watermark logo reading "Signs by Alicia" Also, it is send in a very lo-resoultion. But you know, it happens to all of us. Even fancy guys like Dan Antonelli from Kick Start signs. His stuff gets copied all the time. Maybe not exactly, but the same flavor.
-------------------- Signs by Alicia Jennings (Mudflap Girl) Tacoma, WA Since 1987 Have Lipstick, will travel. Posts: 3822 | From: Tacoma, WA. U.S.A. | Registered: Dec 1999
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