A promo hat is a custom baseball cap with your company name or logo stenciled on the front. While many companies can do this for you, it’s essential to know what you’re getting into before agreeing to any contract. The primary function of a promotional hat is to get your company name out in front of the public. They’re typically given free to customers and potential customers but can also be worn at events like races or fundraisers.
Before you design your hat, it’s essential to know a few legal things first! This blog post will discuss five of the most important legal aspects when designing a promo hat.
- Copyright
A designer should consider whether the company owns the copyright to any logos or other images being used. If so, they have no issue as ownership rights are transferred from one party to another. However, if you do not own the copyright and want to use it on your promo hat design, you must receive permission from its owner. If you are caught using copyrighted images without the owner’s permission, you can be sued for damages.
Because of this risk, many designers recommend that customers do not include any logos in their hat designs. Instead, they want customers to focus on a solid color or pattern that will make their company name stand out more prominently when seen by the public.
- Use Only Your Slogan
When designing your hat, you should specifically request that no slogans be printed other than those used by the company itself. Customers may try to include their slogan or tagline in an attempt to “be creative.” However, these are often trademarked phrases owned by another company and infringe on legal rights if included without permission.
To avoid this situation entirely, it’s best not to include any slogans at all. Instead of asking for a slogan, focus on requesting specific font types and colors that will compliment the design as much as possible.
- Contracts
It’s important to know what you agree to when designing a promo hat. While the process will likely be straightforward (most of which can be done online), ensure that you read through the contract before signing on any dotted line. Be particularly careful with clauses about refunds and cancellations, as these are often non-refundable.
- Product Liability
When designing a promo hat, you should be aware of the potential liability that comes with it. For example, if your company name is printed on a product and someone becomes injured while using it (or even just holding it), they may file suit against your business. Even if your promotional item did not directly cause the injury, you could be held liable if your company name was displayed on it.
- Don’t Copy Designs
One final thing to consider is whether your company will infringe on someone else’s design. When designing a promo hat, make sure that you do not copy any other companies’ caps exactly (even if it seems like an improvement). Instead, focus on creating something unique and original for your own business! This will protect your company from any potential legal problems in the future.
