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Si6392903

: Is it inappropriate to ask for royalties on a logo design if the client decides to print the logo on products and sell them? I am fairly new at graphic design and I have just finished creating

@Si6392903

Posted in: #Branding #Logo

I am fairly new at graphic design and I have just finished creating a logo and marketing materials for a client. I only intended for the images to be used for marketing and advertising of their business, but I'm wondering what kind of rights I have if they randomly decide to try and sell products with the logo. Is there any way to give my client the rights to use the images for anything they want unless it involves selling items with my designs? If they started selling t-shirts or something, would it be inappropriate to ask for royalties? I keep reading that it is appropriate in this situation to sign over all of the rights to my client since it is their branding materials, but I just don't understand. Has anyone ever had experience with this? We don't have any sort of contract at the moment (which I now know was a mistake), and I can't seem to find the answer to this question anywhere.

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@Cugini998

It is very appropriate depending on the company you're designing for and what products they will be using the logo on. For example... Jim Phillips designed the first Santa Cruz logo back in 1978 and still receives royalties to this very day, in a lot of cases though a flat rate is more fitting for the situation. As a designer it's your right to discuss this with your client so aim for what you think will be the most beneficial in the long run. There are a lot of designers out there with major regrets over this same issue of not not being payed royalties for their renowned designs.

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@Gonzalez368

All logos created by major ad agencies are based on intended usage and
companies have to sign a license agreement, to pay royalties.
This is standard business protocol since the 60's.
Why do you think a company like Symantec would pay 1.2Billion for a logo ?
It's because many sites use their anti-virus software, and after every scan
they show the logo, and the agency get's royalties from that.
250Millions scans per day sum up to this 1.2 Billion and every day more...

People selling their logos for flat rate became usual as many
designers just don't know, and/or want to sell anything at any cost.
Also selling the source file separate is standard too.
You don't give your original work file unless you get paid.
Usually 3x the flat rate. If you get royalties, you should
give them for free.

Any designer who doesn't sell his design on royalties base,
looses a very big part of income !

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@Nimeshi706

It is customarily not appropriate to ask for royalties on logo usage.

Traditionally all rights are transferred to the client in logotype projects and the designer retains nothing. I've never, ever, ever heard of any designer trying to limit the usage of a logo designed for a client. That's simply not done in my experience.

It's their logo and they need to be free to use it in any and all manners they see fit. Design pricing should have considered unlimited rights transfer.

Logos are not the same as other artwork. While negotiating royalties for print-on-demand items (mugs, t-shirts, etc) is absolutely appropriate for most artwork, a logotype is a company identifier and the company must be allowed to market and advertise in any manner free from usage restrictions. Are you expecting a royalty for company uniforms? name badges? hats? cups? Pens? notepads? Signs? business cards? Really?????

If a client of mine were to approach me asking the reverse of your question -- "Our designer wants to negotiate royalties for t-shirts with the logo on it." -- I'd tell that client to run as fast as they can away from that designer.

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