Images, copy and brand assets need clear permission for their intended use. A file being available online, delivered by a supplier or paid for does not by itself establish that a business owns copyright or has all the rights it needs.
Identify the asset and its intended use
List the photographs, illustrations, logos, fonts, copy and other materials involved. Record where each will appear, which markets it will serve and whether it will be adapted. Website publication, paid advertising, print and use by another supplier can require different consideration.
Keep an identifiable final file linked to the relevant agreement. A vague approval for some photographs becomes difficult to interpret when several versions exist. Give the launch reviewer a usable asset register rather than expecting them to reconstruct the history from email.
Distinguish licensing from ownership
Copyright generally exists without a copyright symbol. Finding an image through a search engine does not grant permission to publish it. Establish a licence, ownership, applicable permission or a properly assessed exception before use.
A licence permits specified use without necessarily transferring copyright. Record restrictions on duration, territory, media, adaptation, attribution and onward use where relevant. Keep evidence of the terms that applied when the asset was acquired.
Agree commissioned work in writing
For commissioned copyright work, the creator is generally the first owner unless otherwise agreed in writing. Employee-created work can have different ownership rules. Payment, delivery and access to an editable file are not substitutes for clear rights.
An implied licence may sometimes permit the original commissioned purpose, but it does not necessarily transfer ownership or support broader reuse. Have the agreement reviewed for the intended work, including any proposed transfer and third-party materials included by the creator.
Ask what happens when another agency or supplier needs the source files. Specify the permitted handling and practical delivery arrangements. Keep copyright questions distinct from who happens to possess the file.
Review people, locations and other rights
Assess permissions associated with identifiable people, private locations and third-party branding where relevant. The appropriate review depends on the material and use. Do not assume a photographer's copyright licence resolves every other issue in the image.
For AI-created material, retain provenance and review the output and applicable terms. Check for inappropriate real-world likenesses, visible third-party marks or misleading representations. A generation record is useful evidence of the process, not universal legal clearance.
Assess brand protection by market
A UK trade mark registration protects the brand in the UK and Isle of Man; it does not automatically provide protection everywhere else. Review the intended markets, goods and services before relying on an existing registration.
WIPO's Global Brand Database can assist searching, but its coverage is not exhaustive. Consider relevant national and regional registers and appropriate trade mark advice. A quick database search is a starting point rather than a clearance certificate.
Keep permission usable after launch
Assign an owner to the register and record expiry or review dates. Recheck permission when changing the campaign, territory, format or supplier. Keep the approved asset version and attribution instructions available to the people publishing it.
If permission is uncertain, resolve the question before distributing the material. Replacing an image later does not undo every copy already published or shared. Keep an orderly correction route for genuine rights concerns.
Asset review checklist
- Identify final files and proposed uses.
- Retain licences and ownership agreements.
- Check commissioned and third-party materials.
- Review relevant additional permissions.
- Assess brand protection in intended markets.
- Assign owners and monitor restrictions or expiry.
Our brand asset guide helps organise approved materials. The website image guide covers accessible delivery after permission is established.
