Creating a business logo seems like a purely artistic project with some undertones of marketing, but it’s a much bigger deal than many business owners suspect. Your logo is the way you’ll introduce the world to your business, and that’s a huge step.
Lucy Taylor is an avid blogger who enjoys sharing her tips and suggestions with her online readers. Working as a legal expert at LY Lawyers, Lucy often helps people dealing with legal problems, addictions
- Get Total Ownership of Your Logo
- Avoid Accidentally Offending People
- Check Your Logo Against Your Competitors
If your logo is similar to another logo (even inadvertently), the legitimacy of your logo can be challenged. If a direct competitor or someone is a similar line of business with a
- Always Register Your Logo
If your logo isn’t registered as your logo, there’s no documentation to legally prove that you own it and it’s a part of your business. Make sure to file all the appropriate paperwork to ascertain your logo’s association with your business. Without it, you’re limited to the claims you can make about intellectual property and brand identity.
- Avoid Incorporation of Copyrighted Material
Certain symbols, colors, or shape configurations in your logo might already be copyrighted by someone else or another corporate entity. People own some of the simplest things – even the official “happy birthday” song cannot be used without the express permission of the copyright holder. Accidental copyright violations are easy. If there’s any question about the origin of something you’re using, check to see if it belongs to someone.
- Protect Associated Taglines and Slogans
Your slogans, tagline, and marketing text that will frequently accompany (or be incorporated with) your logo are just as important as the actual imagery. Don’t forget to register the appropriate trademarks and copyrights you need to protect the text. That information completes your logo and should be safeguarded from theft or misuse.
- Keep a Lawyer on Standby
If any issues should arise with your logo, whether it’s someone making a claim against your logo or someone using it without permission, it helps to have a lawyer handy. A lawyer can help you argue and settle cases where you feel as though your logo is being stolen or misappropriated, or defend the originality of your logo if someone else files a useless lawsuit against it.
In the world of business, your logo is essentially your face. It’s important to keep it safe, recognizable, and most importantly, yours. It never hurts to double check as far as legalities are concerned.
Very informative article and important for anyone starting a new business period. I think it is easy to overlook certain things like this and focus on how to make money and reach clients. All the hard-work can come to a grinding halt if there a loose ends like this which can affect your progress. As far as having a lawyer to assist you, do you have any recommendations that are cost effective for someone starting out with little to no funds for legal aid? Thanks again for the valuable information and I look forward to hearing any recommendations you have.
I can see you made the right point. As an entrepreneur, we focus on business and forget to look into laws and other overhead we might have to establish a successful business. Legal advice is sometimes available by business councils and business clubs, we have a couple of them here in Dubai. Business councils are sometimes connected to embassies of foreign countries and help new businesses to establish on the market. A lot of lawyers also work on success fees, meaning once a business is up and running they ask for there fees. It’s cheaper than hiring directly a lawyer, thank you for bringing it up
Thank you very much for the 7 legal tips. You are right: besides creativity and beauty, there is much more involved when creating your business logo. Nobody wants to have trouble along the successful journey when your brand is already recognizable, but someone claims that your logo, your “business face” is either illegal or unethical. It’s important to pay attention to each legal aspect at the beginning of the journey in order to protect the brand and its recognition when your business is thriving. Your “7 legal tips when creating your business logo” is a great reminding note to all entrepreneurs who are just starting their venture.
Thank you Julia, you are right to say trouble free on legal roads to success. Focusing on what you are making is essential for success, thank you
Your post 7 Legal Tips When Creating Your Business Logo was very well written. I can understand ALL of the important points that you are making. Although there was one in particular that many MANY people make the mistake of doing. Yes, they go for images that have a copyright and end up in hot water. Great article, and thanks very much for refreshing my memory
Whatisweightlossabout (Simon)
Yes Simon, you are right, copyright on artistic work and photos had to be refined at some point. We had a topic just a couple of weeks ago on our blog.
thank you
https://skillzme.com/photo-copyright-ownership/