Ethical or Not?

rocky_star · March 2010

Hey guys,

The printer that we intend to use for our invitations puts their logo on the back of every invitation. I don't think it's right for me to be paying them to advertise on my wedding invites. 1. Is this normal? Has anyone else seen this? and 2. How do I approach the subject with the printer? Thanks!

rocky_star · March 2010

I haven't gotten a proof yet, I know from a friend that they put the logo on. I don't intend to let them put the logo on without my permission. It's a small town printer - there are no contracts. They could print them in a day for me and they're cheap but gorgeous.. Guess I'll have to talk to him once we get our proof. Just wanted to know if this was normal or not

Spunkchin · March 2010

Not normal. Ask them not to print it on there, and if they say no, take your business elsewhere.

Night_Sprite · March 2010

This is not standard operating procedure. I would figure out how to avoid having his logo on the back as planned. If they are inexpensive, it is possible he will charge you another fee or decline to remove the logo. You have no recourse as there is no contract, so be prepared to go with a backup if necessary.

psichick · March 2010

do they design the invites themselves? if so then they have the right to do this. if they are putting their logo on the back of another company's product however that is not right.

think about it this way - when you buy a car, you do not get the option of the car manufacturer's logo on the car as they made the car. but you do get a choice of having the dealership's name on it as well, because all they did was sell it to you.

so depending on the situation, they could have the right to put the logo.........

rocky_star · March 2010

Having the logo on the invitations is NOT the same as buying a car. I work at a design firm, we do not put our logo on the items we design.

psichick · March 2010

you don't, but there's no reason that other shops can't. hallmark puts their name on their cards, and many stationary companies do as well. photographers sign or watermark their work.....there's no reason why a company can't put their name on their designs (and prints) if they choose to do so.

if you work at a design firm and seem to have the answer to your question based on your job, why are you here asking then?

caitm730 · March 2010

I ordered my invitations from Wedding Paper Divas and my wedding invites don't have a logo on the back, but my rehearsal dinner invites do. I didn't know that it was going to be on there, but I don't really mind. We were invited to a wedding last summer where the invite had the company's name on the back. I was planning my own wedding so I was glad that it was on there so I could look it up.

rocky_star · March 2010

We don't design wedding invitations. I understand buying cards from Hallmark etc. would have the logo on it - you're buying a brand. But a logo on the back of a wedding invitation? Why would we pay them to advertise on our invites? Especially for a small company, it's unethical. I'm going to ask him to remove it, or atleast charge us less for this free advertising he's getting.

siorsolas · March 2010

I think it's perfectly ETHICAL - just not necessarily aesthetically pleasing. He has a right to put his seal on his product (so long as he lets you know beforehand), and you have a right to go elsewhere if you don't like it.

squirrly · March 2010

I think it's not ethical if he doesn't disclose it or give you an option to get them without the logo. You're not offering to advertise for him.

However - if you're planning to mount the invite panel to a mat, his logo would get covered up anyway. Just a thought.

JenPhil6212 · March 2010

I made my own invitations. But I would think if it's on the back no one will notice. If it's on the front then kick and scream and through yourself around!!!

kaburns1214 · March 2010

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_invites-paper_ethical-not?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:cd062f89-8272-496a-b0ab-225e1f87acecDiscussion:e896ba28-21ce-4562-bec3-39f139e439bbPost:173b26d7-8481-497e-8564-9a0ec6cb06d7">Re: Ethical or Not?</a>:
[QUOTE]I think it's not ethical if he doesn't disclose it or give you an option to get them without the logo. You're not offering to advertise for him. However - if you're planning to mount the invite panel to a mat, his logo would get covered up anyway. Just a thought.
Posted by squirrly[/QUOTE]

Did the company/printer design the invitations?

Are you sure its not a copyright mark?

EMF9903 · March 2010

this is kind of a silly thing to get bent out of shape about really.... like a PP said if its on the back people wont notice and people do throw the invites away. You have lots of other wedding things to worry about, put it in perspective and move on.

I think other posters have a point too about if it is his design.... if it is he has every right to put his name on it.

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