Can you use company logos on your website

Nor is it misleading or defamatory. The trademark integrity is protected For example, with the logo being used as is, and not in any distorted, dismembered or misinterpreted forms.

The application of the fair use doctrine is a fact-intensive inquiry. To increase the likelihood that it applies to your account-based marketing campaigns, you should keep in mind the following best practices. Be sure to consult a lawyer when considering personalized ABM campaigns.

For example, you can use our Clearbit integration to customize your messaging based on the industry sector, tech stack, company size, location, and more. This sign up flow is built for maximum security. By Disha Sharma. What Is Account-based Marketing? Originally published August 13, - Updated November 12, I want to receive the Convert Newsletter. You can always change your preferences later.

How do you spend your days? Managing Tech Team. So you need to be very careful in how you use the logos. The most conservative choice is to use the media logos only in relationship to those specific media quotes or articles. When using logos for a non-media company or an event, you need to be extra careful. In that case, a customer could reasonably assume that the company or event is affiliated with you, or even employs you.

One way to get permission is to make that logo linkable back to their website, thereby giving them something back. In some cases, you may need to put in a specific disclosure disclaiming any affiliation.

Logos are also protected by copyright law. Do not be misleading. Makes sure that the way you use the logos does not make it seem like these brands are endorsing you. Check their brand guidelines. With the Coca-Cola logo, there are four basic elements: typeface, specific letter sequence, typeface color and background color. No one would argue that the use of a red background alone constitutes a fair use violation.

Use of the same typeface and type color makes it appear somewhat less innocent. If the same letter sequence — coca-cola — is also used, the accumulation of all four elements makes the violation more probable than the use of one or two elements alone. If the potentially trademark-violating design appears in 8-point type at the bottom of the page — especially in association with other logos discussed in the same article — that's less obviously a trademark violation than if it headlines, solo, at the top.

The answer to the question about the effect on the owning company's market isn't determinative alone, but it's important. If a competitor's "Apfel" logo uses so many similar design elements as Apple's original as to confuse a potential buyer, this harms Apple directly because that buyer may mistakenly buy an Apfel watch instead of Apple's.

The fourth important consideration in determinations of fair use is how the competing use affects the business and reputation of the original trademark owner. Often this negative effect is monetary — the buyer mistakenly buys an Apfel instead of an Apple product.

But if Apfel's inferior product fails to meet the buyer's expectations, then Apfel's use of a confusingly similar logo also harms Apple's reputation. The buyer may believe that it is Apple, not Apfel, that's delivered the inferior product. I am a retired Registered Investment Advisor with 12 years experience as head of an investment management firm.

I also have a Ph. By Patrick Gleeson, Ph.