Stacey K
I like making signs
Long story short: Even if it's approved, it might not be approved...
Man came in with a plastic toy semi lettered as our local "Acme" company and a blank metal one (it's a nation wide company but based here locally). He wanted me to replicate the decals and put them on the metal one. Of course, I said no, and of course he argued with me. I said I would need written permission and it was in summer so I said I was too busy anyway, sorry, can't help you! I do work for this company and I knew they would not approve - they are EXTREMELY PICKY.
A week later - he smugly dropped them on my desk and said I would be getting an email from Acme. I'm like "are you F-ing kidding me?" He conned some lady in the legal department to approve it. She emailed me and I told her I can't get to it until Fall - commercial work takes priority. She emailed me every couple weeks to see how the project was going. I said - not till Fall. I did the artwork last week and was ready to print this week and install so they were on my counter.
SO -- My employee's husband works at Acme and he's the director of transportation. She saw these on the counter and asked what I was doing. I explained this miserable story and she was SHOCKED. She said she could guarantee me, this is NOT approved by the right people. I had her take a photo of the plastic truck, which is solid "red" and a photo of the white metal truck. He immediately texted her to tell me to stop because this design was for "red" trucks ONLY, marketing took years to get all of it trademarked - it did not belong on a white truck. He then went and talked to the "higher-ups" and this was not approved by marketing or higher-ups. He basically gave me a cease and desist notice today.
I emailed the legal department and told her what happened and that I was scrapping this project. I was instructed to destroy all files. She seemed scared and happy this got caught before it was done.
I was scared. I do a fair amount of work for this company. What would have happened if this guy posted on social media - because you KNOW he would have! Yes - I did have written permission, but it would have made me LOOK TERRIBLE. And the nerve of this guy to bully me into doing this...grrr
JUST SAY NO!!!!! Never agree to do this stuff. Don't use "permission" as an excuse, it backfired on me. Thankfully we caught it in time!
Man came in with a plastic toy semi lettered as our local "Acme" company and a blank metal one (it's a nation wide company but based here locally). He wanted me to replicate the decals and put them on the metal one. Of course, I said no, and of course he argued with me. I said I would need written permission and it was in summer so I said I was too busy anyway, sorry, can't help you! I do work for this company and I knew they would not approve - they are EXTREMELY PICKY.
A week later - he smugly dropped them on my desk and said I would be getting an email from Acme. I'm like "are you F-ing kidding me?" He conned some lady in the legal department to approve it. She emailed me and I told her I can't get to it until Fall - commercial work takes priority. She emailed me every couple weeks to see how the project was going. I said - not till Fall. I did the artwork last week and was ready to print this week and install so they were on my counter.
SO -- My employee's husband works at Acme and he's the director of transportation. She saw these on the counter and asked what I was doing. I explained this miserable story and she was SHOCKED. She said she could guarantee me, this is NOT approved by the right people. I had her take a photo of the plastic truck, which is solid "red" and a photo of the white metal truck. He immediately texted her to tell me to stop because this design was for "red" trucks ONLY, marketing took years to get all of it trademarked - it did not belong on a white truck. He then went and talked to the "higher-ups" and this was not approved by marketing or higher-ups. He basically gave me a cease and desist notice today.
I emailed the legal department and told her what happened and that I was scrapping this project. I was instructed to destroy all files. She seemed scared and happy this got caught before it was done.
I was scared. I do a fair amount of work for this company. What would have happened if this guy posted on social media - because you KNOW he would have! Yes - I did have written permission, but it would have made me LOOK TERRIBLE. And the nerve of this guy to bully me into doing this...grrr
JUST SAY NO!!!!! Never agree to do this stuff. Don't use "permission" as an excuse, it backfired on me. Thankfully we caught it in time!
