Embroidery Shop Logos: Copyright Issues?

[LibrarianChef]

I found out last summer that my director had given one or two of the local embroidery shops some copies of the PC logo and that they put it in their computer system and can now put it on anything we bring in if we just pay for the embroidery/thread costs (bring in a sweatshirt, purse, blanket, jacket, etc.). I don't want to inappropriately question my director, but is it possible to do this at any embroidery shops? Aren't there copyright issues or corporate licensing that has to take place? Sorry...maybe it's just the librarian coming out in me, but now I'm full of questions on legality of this practice.

 

[vwpamperedchef]

I would think you are NOT allowed to do this. Yes copyright laws.

 

[wadesgirl]

I work for a t-shirt printing company and my director (what's the step below NED?!) called HO to see if she could have it done at my work and they said no even though she's an upper director and I work for the company.

 

[vwpamperedchef]

I think they should give us a logo or SOMETHING we can do on our own .... because MERRILL is TOO MUCH. I mean if I wanted two polos, I am up to about $40, not to mention shipping. Ridiculous. So I can see WHY people do it.

One cheffer on here, I saw this post this morning makes scarves. But she uses her own "cooking" lingo. Like "GOT CHEF?" Cute things. Sure to be a conversation piece.

But I think with the merchandise vendors, PC should give their consultants a choice who they want to deal with. Not just one vendor. Don't get me started on the new credit card...........LOL

 

[chefann]

We also cannot have the words "Pampered Chef" nor "The Pampered Chef" used by other embroidery/printing companies. Nor the tagline (Discover the Chef in You).
I understand why HO does that - it's to protect their copyright and to make sure it's not used on shoddy merchandise or things that do not properly represent the company. But I wish there were another choice of vendors for merchandise.

 

[LibrarianChef]

I would think you are NOT allowed to do this. Yes copyright laws.

That's what I thought. Just making sure I'm not misunderstanding. And if Wadesgirl's upper level director couldn't even get approval, then I'm quite sure there hasn't been permission on this deal either. The shop apparently puts it on anything from nice button-down shirts to aprons to chef's hats to bank bags, etc. You just buy (or make) the item and bring it in and they'll do the handywork. I've seen an item or two from my director and it looks really nice. She uses it for herself for advertising (and possible for door prizes for consultants at our cluster meetings).

My other question would be about the car decals. I've read on here that some people have gone with another company (other than Merrill) and had specialized car decals made saying The Pampered Chef. Isn't that the same kind of licensing scenario?

Don't get me started on the new credit card...........LOL

Yeah, I totally hear you! After graduating from Dave Ramsey's FPU course I finally understand more of the inner workings of credit card companies. :yuck: It just burns me up that consultants would be limited to one, as business owners. Yet our guests can use anything they'd like. I'll just stick with my debit for now.

 

[Debala715]

My other question would be about the car decals. I've read on here that some people have gone with another company (other than Merrill) and had specialized car decals made saying The Pampered Chef. Isn't that the same kind of licensing scenario?

What I've read in here is they have bought the Merrill decals, then had the other company make them signs with only their website addy and/or phone number to add under the Merrill decal.

 

[janetupnorth]

On the logo issue, giving the actual logo to an embroidery company is against the rules!On the clings on the car, what people did was order the Merrill "Pampered Chef" one with the logo which is licensed, then have another company make one to put on their vehicles with their personal website address and other catch phrases not protected by PC like "shop online 24/7" "check out current specials".

 

[janetupnorth]

Ok, Debbie, I was typing as you were!

 

[vwpamperedchef]

yes Janet is correct. In fact I have the new decal on my car and love it. Since driving with one of the MERRILL magnets, ONE FELL OFF. and yes, I have a grudge.

But I used the merrill PC logo under neath my website. Apparently you are allowed to do that. So I did.

IfI ever get around to taking a pic I will post it.

 

[chefann]

Here's the applicable portion of the Policies and Procedures document. (emphasis mine)

The Pampered Chef® Logo:
All Consultants can use the Pampered Chef® logo in print advertising, on flyers, as part of e-mail signatures and in e-newsletters. The Pampered Chef® logo must be utilized in one of the four Home Office approved formats for advertising and publicity as set forth below; as long as you include your name and proper title (see above). The logo is available for download from Consultant’s Corner. Click on Promoting Your Business and then Advertising and Publicity Policies. The logo may not be altered in any way. You may not use the Chef’s hat icon alone. If you are utilizing the logo in any other format, it must be replaced with one of the approved formats below.

The best way to protect our trademarks is to use the promotional flyers the Home Office produces and makes available in Consultant News and in downloadable format on Consultant’s Corner, as well as the marketing materials available through our licensed merchandise vendors. Other examples of trademarks include product names like Chillzanne®, Woven Selections™, Simple Additions®, The Grate Container®, Egg Slicer Plus®, etc. You must use the proper trademark symbol, TM or ®, if you use trademarked names in materials you produce.

Approved Vendors:
Do not give the logo, tagline or other trademarks to outside vendors for use on items such as personal checks, business cards, promotional merchandise, etc. The following licensed merchandise vendor is the only authorized vendor to make and sell business supplies and promotional items that feature The Pampered Chef® logo and trademarks.
Take a look at the selection of Pampered Chef® products this vendor has to offer.​

 

[LibrarianChef]

That makes sense on just adding the website address after purcasing the Merrill decal.

I'm also assuming that we also can't use VistaPrint or any other business card or printing service if we say "pampered chef" or "discover the chef in you" or anything that gives away our business name? BOY this is tedious! But my time in librarianship already gives me an appreciation on licensing and copyright. I was actually quite surprised when my director told us about the logo printing service and told us to use it whenever we wanted.

 

[LibrarianChef]

Approved Vendors:
Do not give the logo, tagline or other trademarks to outside vendors for use on items such as personal checks, business cards, promotional merchandise, etc. The following licensed merchandise vendor is the only authorized vendor to make and sell business supplies and promotional items that feature The Pampered Chef® logo and trademarks.
Take a look at the selection of Pampered Chef® products this vendor has to offer.

Yep, that's what I'm remembering. So VistaPrint is definitely out.

 

[chefann]

The rule used to include "can't use the words Pampered Chef", but I don't see that in there any more. I have cards from Vista Print (as do many of us), just no logo or tagline.

 

[LibrarianChef]

The rule used to include "can't use the words Pampered Chef", but I don't see that in there any more. I have cards from Vista Print (as do many of us), just no logo or tagline.

Okay, so it's more of a rhetoric thing then. Semantics change it all. I suppose I was thinking of the logo as being the words "The Pampered Chef" with the little trademark sign, of course. But if the logo is only a logo if using the same font and same design as what is printed on corporate materials, that's a different situation altogether.

So, then, if we only type out the logo name then it's no longer considered a logo, right? Even if we put the logo trademark symbol with it? Thanks for all your words of wisdom, Ann!

 

[chefann]

The logo is the picture - the specific words, in the specific font and the specific layout(s). The company name is "The Pampered Chef." Two completely different things.

 

[ChefBeckyD]

And the tagline - "discover the chef in you" cannot be used in any way. This is one that I see abused all the time.

 

[LibrarianChef]

The logo is the picture - the specific words, in the specific font and the specific layout(s). The company name is "The Pampered Chef." Two completely different things.

Right, the way I've been seeing it is that the logo is usually considered the overall graphic design and the company name, with trademark insignia, is usable aside from the graphic elements.

 

[pcmissyfee]

I understand why HO does that - it's to protect their copyright and to make sure it's not used on shoddy merchandise

...like shirts that are not sized consistently or accurately and shrink everytime you wash them...

 

[chefann]

...like shirts that are not sized consistently or accurately and shrink everytime you wash them...

Ok, I guess I set that one up perfectly for you. I was thinking more like the really cheap Oriental Trader type junk. But you have a point about Merrill's quality.

 

[Paula R. Lewis]

I know a director who has done this locally, but she said she actually paid some sort of "fee" to allow the embroidery place to use the logo...something to do with purchasing the "rights" to it.

Perhaps this director did that as well, or someone else did at this location as well? Anyway, my understanding has been, though I've personally not been there, is that, once this "fee" is paid, any Consultant who wants to can take products to them for personalization for a nominal charge, like $5 or something like that. The initial cost helps them to generate the "blueprint" of the image. Once they have it in their computer system, it's very easy for them to reproduce, so the initial costs are the most expensive.

Hope that makes sense!

Blessings,
Paula

 

[chefann]

That fee was probably what they charged to make a digital "map" of the logo that the embroidery machine can use. It's called digitizing. And digitizing the logo to use without HO's permission is still against the rules.

 

[ivykeep]

Reviving an old thread, rather than posting a new one... I realize that we can not give the logo to any other company to use and recreate, however, we can use it ourselves in our own materials (including those we send to Staples or Office Depot (I don't so am mis-remembering right now who we have a discount with).So does that mean that I can use the logo on a t-shirt I make myself, for myself?What about my own car decal (I have a klic-n-cut so can do my own professional cutout on vinyl or cling)?

 

[NooraK]

If you create it yourself, you should be fine. That means you can create a flyer and have Office Max/Depot/Staples/FedEx Office print it for you, but you can't give the logo to their design department to create it for you. If you have a system that allows you to cut your own vinyl for the car, you should be OK. You can also buy iron on transfer paper (or a Yudu I suppose) to make your own shirt.

What you also can't do is sell the things you create to other consultants.

 

[NooraK]

I know a director who has done this locally, but she said she actually paid some sort of "fee" to allow the embroidery place to use the logo...something to do with purchasing the "rights" to it.

Perhaps this director did that as well, or someone else did at this location as well? Anyway, my understanding has been, though I've personally not been there, is that, once this "fee" is paid, any Consultant who wants to can take products to them for personalization for a nominal charge, like $5 or something like that. The initial cost helps them to generate the "blueprint" of the image. Once they have it in their computer system, it's very easy for them to reproduce, so the initial costs are the most expensive.

Hope that makes sense!

Blessings,
Paula

That sounds like paying a licensing fee to reproduce the logo, except it's backwards. The business should be paying the licensing fee, because they don't own the copyright to use the logo. Just like if you wanted to create soemthing with Mickey Mouse on it, you would have to pay a licensing fee to Disney for it.

The problem is, we as consultants do not own the PC logo, and can't sell (or give) licensing for it, that's why we can't provide it to another business to reproduce.

Just because someone paid $5 to the embroidery store for them to digitize or upload the image, doesn't give the embroidery store the license to use the trademarked and copyrighted logo.

 

[colegrovet]

We also cannot have the words "Pampered Chef" nor "The Pampered Chef" used by other embroidery/printing companies. Nor the tagline (Discover the Chef in You).
I understand why HO does that - it's to protect their copyright and to make sure it's not used on shoddy merchandise or things that do not properly represent the company. But I wish there were another choice of vendors for merchandise.

hmmmm but they still let Merrill sell stuff... I'm not impressed with their quality.

 

[JennLizFran]

I'm so glad someone brought this up. I just got some iron on transfer paper and window cling paper and wanted to print some items.

 

[mountainmama74]

The first day I got my consultant number I was on the website and saw where I could download the logo for flyers/etc. Now I can't find it for the life of me. Can someone direct me?

Thanks!

 

[JennLizFran]

Go to Promoting your business and then licensed merchandise vendors. You can download them there!