12 risks of Xmas | no. 8

On the 8th day of Christmas... you broke the IP law

During the last few weeks of the year, businesses compete with each other more than ever: with the overall sales going through the roof, every company wants to get their share of profits and puts their marketing efforts at the top. Naturally, not every business has the time and resources to produce original and exclusive work akin to a John Lewis advert.

What's at risk?

The majority of businesses, even those with in-house creative departments, use stock imagery in their marketing. Stock libraries have millions of creative assets to offer, but they all might come with different types of licencing. However, with the rush of getting numerous seasonal campaigns out, it's easy to overlook the copyright compliance small print, exposing your business to the possibility of a plagiarism or IP infringement claim.

How to avoid it?

Photos, videos and graphics posted on social media, however, have to come either royalty-free or with proper documentation along with it, making sure the author gives you full rights to execute their work to your company's liking. Having a stock library licence sometimes isn't enough - some images have their own restrictions. Ensuring the correct use of intellectual property can save you big bucks on a copyright infringement case. This is why IP infringement insurance exists as part of PI cover - to protect your business' reputation in the worst-case scenarios.

Read about the 9th risk of Christmas.