Legalities of printing Snap-On logo?

[Nation03]

I was asked to print about 150 crew neck fleece with the snap-on logo on the front. Do I need a license to print that logo? I always figured the snap-on guys go through snap-on for their apparel needs, but if anyone has info on this topic I'd appreciate it.

[Dottonedan]

The only time people might question this is if you are asked To put a logo on something that doesn't seem to go together and doesn't seem to be "for snap on".  Is this customer a representative or employed by Snap on?  If so, then no need to worry but they should doing them directly for Snap on.  Looks like typical ASI work.

[Nation03]

Thanks for the info. I know who the guy is, he owns a snap-on franchise, so I guess I'm safe? It's a simple print that he wants done to give to his customers for christmas so I guess he didn't want to bother going through snap-on.

[royster13]

And you have liability insurance?

[Nation03]

Didn't even think of that. No, I do not.

[prozyan]

If he owns a franchise, then he is authorized to use the logo in advertising (which giving the garments to his customers would fall under).  On the worry scale of 10, I would rate this a solid 2.

[royster13]

If he owns a franchise, then he is authorized to use the logo in advertising (which giving the garments to his customers would fall under).  On the worry scale of 10, I would rate this a solid 2.

And you know this how?.....Or are you just assuming something that might get the OP in a world of hurt?....

[prozyan]

And you know this how?

I do the same type of work for local Lowe's, Sutherlands, and McCoy's every year.

Or are you just assuming something that might get the OP in a world of hurt?

No.  Copyright laws are nothing to be paranoid about as long as you know what you are doing.

[Evo]

Didn't even think of that. No, I do not.

I'm short on cash. Remind me to come slip and fall in your shop...

 

[Nation03]

Well I'm out of my basement at the moment. When I move to an actual shop then my business will definitely be insured.

[Fresh Baked Printing]

All this talk of copyright infringement, how many of us (you) have ever been confronted with a legal issue regarding copyright?

[Dottonedan]

All this talk of copyright infringement, how many of us (you) have ever been confronted with a legal issue regarding copyright?

As many know, the Co. I used to work for was in many. With me being in our apparel department, I have been involved in some very large battles. One was directly with a screen print shop and copyrights where he thought he owned all rights to the art they created for us...and technically would have...if we did not already have the needed language in our contract that he forgot about.  Normally, without a contract saying otherwise, the creator does own all rights to the art even if it's of a licensed character. I just can't fo anything with that art...unless it's for that Company that holds the license.


Another major time was when someone from my department (now promoted to a higher position) knocked off another major outside brand design so closely that with a quick turn of the head, you would think they were the same design.. This outside brand was so well loved by the youth culture that this deparent store brand got word of our product right away. We were slapped with a law suit and another printer and dye house went under because of it. The printer had all of his eggs resting on this one order/customer (being us) so when we got sued, so did he. He had to shut his doors. Lost everything on that one deal. That is why it's important to diversify.  Our company's fault got letting it happen and didn't lift a finger to help the dye house. In fact, they put a new policy in place to help make sure they don't get caught up in someone elses losses in a situation like this.  The outside brand would have won the case with no contest. Paid off.


In this guys case that made the post, yes, I would rate it a 0 to a 1 on risk factor.
As with Everything on here and every forum, we are not lawyers and all information is free and to the best of my own small minds advise. Everything should be really checked into with the proper people. With all that said, 0-1  the reason being, is that he is dealing with a franchise owner. Yes, 99 times out of 100 they will have the ability to order shorts with the logo. In fact most require YOU to buy your own. This us really every day business of a screen printer.  The local McDonalds can order the local school colored shirts and have you print the golden arches for them. Happens all the time.

[royster13]

What a franchisee can do with a logo depends on the franchise agreement from the company that owns the logo......As a former claims adjuster who has been involved in a number of claims/lawsuits over logos, I have seen the pain caused by not following the rules......The risk factor may be low but there is still a risk factor....

[Denis Kolar]

Could you just make a call to Snap-on and explain them that you have an order from on of their franchises. Usually, the companies will tell you if it is OK or not.
I have made a call to BMW this year about the embroidery order from a local dealer. They were OK to order from me if they had their dealer logo with the BMW logo in it, but the problem was that they wanted to order a BMW logo only on the hats. After the call, I called the dealer back and thanked them while I was declining the order.

[Sbrem]

All this talk of copyright infringement, how many of us (you) have ever been confronted with a legal issue regarding copyright?

At my first t-shirt shop, in '75, my boss took a photo of the Fonz from the local paper, and we printed it on white t's, and took out an ad in the Boston Globe TV Weekly as the Fonz t-shirt Company. We printed a few thousand before Paramount Studios sent a cease and desist letter. He stopped, and that was it. It certainly could have gone worse. More recently, about 10 years ago, we were hired by a store to print "their" designs, but apparently, their original printer created the art, even though it was mostly clip art from the Corel CD, and had no ©, he had the copyrights. So, of course we stopped, and had to pay no damages, but lesson learned. I think the Snap-On guy is OK though, I've printed for motor parts distributors who use logos from the parts manufacturers...

Steve