FAQ

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS:

NOTE: Customized products will ship in 10-15 business days. Engraved product will ship in 3-5 business days.

What images are NOT acceptable to use?

• Artwork that may infringe the copyright of a third party

• Artwork that may infringe the trademark of a third party

• Artwork that infringes the Right of Publicity of a third party

• Names, logos, pictures, or other intellectual property of drinks, foods, musical artists or groups, famous destinations like Walt Disney World, or other properties.

• Sports teams names, logos or other intellectual property of colleges/universities, clubs, fraternaties, or organizations, such as New York Yankees, Real Madrid, Notre Dame, or a non-profit organization – e.g. the Red Cross

• Trademarks, names, or logos of companies. For example, you cannot use the name of a company such as ZIPPO or a company    logo such as the ZIPPO logo

• Copying of an existing piece of artwork, cartoon, photograph or video frame. Changing a piece of artwork by rearranging the    elements of the artwork is not acceptable

• Photos, logos, caricatures, or other artwork depicting celebrities or other third parties. Just because you take a photograph does    not give you the right to use that photograph on merchandise, even if you digitally manipulate the photograph

• Inappropriate content or nudity

• Artwork that exploits minors

• Artwork that is obscene or vulgar, contains offensive remarks or harasses, threatens, defames or abuses others, or is racist or    Nazi

• Artwork that depicts violence, is obscene, abusive, fraudulent or threatening

• Artwork that depicts or promotes violence or abuse to animals

• Artwork that glamorizes drug use or alcohol abuse; or

• Material that is generally offensive or in bad taste, as determined by ZIPPO in its sole discretion


The list is not exhaustive. It is only a general guideline for you to consider when you submit artwork to ZIPPO.

Does ZIPPO own the rights to my artwork?

If you submit artwork to be placed on lighters that you intend keep or gift to someone else, you retain all rights to your artwork but do grant a limited, non-exclusive license to ZIPPO to allow ZIPPO to place your artwork on its lighters or other product and ship your products to you.

If it does not have a copyright notice, is it ok to use?

Almost all works are protected by copyright, even if they do not have a copyright notice. Therefore, you need to obtain written permission to use any artwork that you did not create.

Is it ok to use an image I found on the internet?

No. Simply because an image (artwork, photograph, etc.) is on the internet does not mean that it is in the public domain or available for your use. You cannot use the work unless the author of the work has explicitly granted you a license to use the work or it is in the public domain. Further, a person who posts an image on the internet and claims that you are free to use it may not have had the right to post the image in the first place. Thus, your use of the image may violate the rights of the actual copyright owner or a person’s right of publicity or right of privacy.

If I took a photograph of a celebrity or a company logo can I use it to make merchandise?

No. Taking a photo of a person, company building, product, brand, or logo does not give you the right to sell merchandise featuring that photograph. There are two distinct intellectual property rights in a photograph: (1) the rights in the photograph itself and (2) the rights in the subject of the photograph, such as the product or person shown in it. In order to order merchandise with the photograph, you will need to obtain explicit permission from the celebrity.

I based my artwork on the artwork of a third party, is that ok?

Not generally speaking. It depends on what you mean by “based it on.” Artwork derived from the previous work of another will likely violate the rights of the owner of the previous artwork. If you are creating a design that is based on the work of someone else, you will probably need to obtain permission from the owner of the original artwork prior to using it. If the other artwork just inspired you to create a new piece of artwork that is truly new artwork then you should not be violating the copyright of the other person. However, you should consult with an attorney before using any artwork based on the artwork of another person.

Is parody ok?

Maybe. ZIPPO generally does not accept parody artwork and will not automatically accept such artwork for use on its lighters or other products. Often we require you to obtain an opinion from your attorney that such use is legally acceptable.

I am using Clip Art, is it ok?

No. Most clip art, photo collections, or graphic programs contain a license agreement. The license agreement sets forth the specific permissible uses for the clip art. In most instances the license does not grant you the right to use the clip art commercially, for the sale of merchandise. You should consult the clip art license agreement and your attorney to determine whether you can use the images.

Is the design on my lighter guaranteed for a lifetime?

No. We have made every effort to insure that the imprinted design on your Zippo lighter meets the high quality standards you have come to expect. The design will, however, wear with use and is not covered by our warranty.