{"id":34491,"date":"2015-03-25T13:29:00","date_gmt":"2015-03-25T13:29:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.zilliondesigns.com\/blog\/?p=34491"},"modified":"2026-04-17T13:32:33","modified_gmt":"2026-04-17T13:32:33","slug":"copyrights-trademarks-derivative-designs","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.zilliondesigns.com\/blog\/copyrights-trademarks-derivative-designs\/","title":{"rendered":"Copyrights, Trademarks, and Derivative Designs"},"content":{"rendered":"

The nastiest thing that the design fraternity has to deal with is copyrights and trademark protection. It is also one of the many reasons why the work of a logo designer is not considered valuable. Trademark violations and copyright protection issues in the past have established a negative image of logo designers, in addition to the belief among clients that copying a design is somehow acceptable. However, it never was the case, and never will be so. In this video, we will discuss three separate concepts to clarify and identify the differences between logo trademarks, copyrights, and derivative designs. If you are a newbie designer, you need to understand the differentiating criteria.<\/p>\n

For more guidelines, explore: FAQs for Designers<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Before going into detail, here is a little prelude of design rights:<\/p>\n

Design Rights<\/h2>\n

Logo designs can be registered in a way quite similar to patents. They can be applied to both trademark and copyright protection, but for that the design idea must be truly exceptional. Watch the video to find out how you can differentiate between the two.<\/p>\n

Logo Trademark<\/h2>\n

A logo trademark is an image you can register and use to represent your business. It is often used interchangeably with copyrights, but there is a difference between the two. A trademark can be used to register a logo symbol or design that represents a unique idea.<\/p>\n

Logo Copyrights<\/h2>\n

They are applicable to creative intellectual property that reaches a requisite level of creativity. This usually includes music, literary arts, dramatic work, films, and typographical arrangements. A unique design concept can earn copyrights protection.<\/p>\n

Derivative Designs<\/h2>\n

They are created by using an original work for inspiration. If your idea appears too inspired, you might face trademark violation or copyright infringement issues. We will help you create a distinction. Find out how you can know your design appears derived.<\/p>\n