Written permission to reproduce copyrighted characters. Does everybody have it? - Page 2

I've had a couple people I know directly affected by copyright attorneys contacting them, so they don't always just warn you to stop before suing you. If you don't have permission, don't do it.

You would be amazed how often companies will grant permission.  Disney, of course, is not one of them (sadly).  

 

I live in Charleston, SC.  All the local colleges (USC, Clemson, & College of Charleston) simply ask you to complete an inquiry form.

 

I have also been granted for single use from Survivor (for a groom's cake) & Crown Royal. 

 

It can't hurt to ask!  ....unless of course you plan on doing it anyway. Then, you've alerted the company.

Forgive me if this is a dumb question as I was not aware of all of the above but does the same apply if you don't receive money for a cake, eg you make it as a gift?

 

maybe/ maybe not

 

say you operate a bakery and you donate a mickey mouse cake for a charity event and it gets all publicized

 

that could get you zapped because you are def profiting from the exposure

 

so it depends on how and where you are donating and who you are

 

but if you think about it as those characters and logos are the property of someone else then you get the better grip on how to operate

 

if i had an order for an airplane cake for a friend who worked at fedex--i would consider using the logo without specific written permission--might that get me zapped --might but i'd prolly risk it--i might ask him to give a heads up to the legal department--depends

 

now if i was supplying a store in the airport with fedex logo airplane cookies on an ongoing basis--no i'd expect to get get zapped

 

if i was making a cake to give to a neighbor's kid--i'd probably not do a character cake--because i do not want to open that door

 

so lots of variables

 

some of it is our right as people to be ourselves and a certain fair use of the world we live in and some of it is thievery

 

and having an on-line presence or not is a factor too--tons of variables--there are no real clear lines--

 

because the people with the copyrights have to be vigilant to protect them too

 

although for every rigid legalistic interpreter there will be those that are fast & loose about it

 

so i think being considerate and as true as reasonably possible works for me

 

and of course request the permissions

Yes, according to copyright law infringement occurs when the infringing item is sold, transferred, or displayed publicly. So if you make a cake for your own personal use and do not post pictures of it online you should be OK, but if you give the cake to someone else that's infringement unless you have permission to reproduce the copyrighted characters.

Thank you that was all very helpful. I am a hobby baker and all my cakes have been for family so I wasn't quite sure how that law applied to me.