NSW Can You Show Brands in a TV Pilot?

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xx_maree

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12 October 2014
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Hi,

I'm wondering if you can show brands in a television pilot.

The pilot is a graduate project, so I doubt it will be shown on television but we are having a large screening night open to the public. We have received financial 'pledges' through a crowd funding website.

It's being filmed at a bar so there are heaps of different labels.

Will this be an intellectual property or trademark issue? We never refer directly to any of the brands, they are just in the background.

Any advice would be appreciate - thanks!
 

Tim W

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The Arts Law Centre has some useful information ->here.
 
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xx_maree

Member
12 October 2014
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Thanks I've checked it out previously, and tried to speak to someone from arts law but their funding has been cut so they weren't able to advise me.

Hoping for some specific advice as it is just a student production...
 

Tim W

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Under the terms of the Community Guidelines,
the lawyers here are not permitted to provide client-specific legal advice.
That's why so many of us have disclaimers to that effect in our signatures.
 

Rod

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As someone who has been in marketing I can say that any chance to promote products is normally seen in a good light. Though you need to be careful that the brands/products are not shown in a negative way without prior approval. I'd imagine some parodies/spoofs featuring brands/products may not be approved.

Maybe call a TV producer to see what advice they can give.
 

Sarah J

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16 July 2014
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I would also write a letter to the brands informing them that you are intending to use their brands in a short shot in your film, the expected audience reach and link them to a pre-screening of the video so they can view it and object to it if they feel the need to. However, as Rod said, chances are, they will not object to it as all publicity is good publicity.