FONT LICENSE VETTING
Need to license a new font?
After initial consultation with you to find out exactly how the font will be used, Font Shield will review the EULA (end user license agreement) of the prospective font. If the licensing of the font is deemed to be “generous” and “simple”, we’ll advise you to proceed with the purchase and tell you exactly which licensing models you require.
If the font is deemed to be “restrictive” (and often expensive in order to lift restrictions) we will secure a price based on your requirements. We will also source and recommend alternate fonts that will honor the same look, feel, and integrity of the prospective font and have licensing terms and conditions that are more generous and simple – as well as cost-effective.
FONT LICENSE VETTING
Need to license a new font?
After initial consultation with you to find out exactly how the font will be used, Font Shield will review the EULA (end user license agreement) of the prospective font. If the licensing of the font is deemed to be “generous” and “simple”, we’ll advise you to proceed with the purchase and tell you exactly which licensing models you require.
If the font is deemed to be “restrictive” (and often expensive in order to lift restrictions) we will secure a price based on your requirements. We will also source and recommend alternate fonts that will honor the same look, feel, and integrity of the prospective font and have licensing terms and conditions that are more generous and simple – as well as cost-effective.
FONT LICENSE VETTING
Need to license a new font?
After initial consultation with you to find out exactly how the font will be used, Font Shield will review the EULA (end user license agreement) of the prospective font. If the licensing of the font is deemed to be “generous” and “simple”, we’ll advise you to proceed with the purchase and tell you exactly which licensing models you require.
If the font is deemed to be “restrictive” (and often expensive in order to lift restrictions) we will secure a price based on your requirements. We will also source and recommend alternate fonts that will honor the same look, feel, and integrity of the prospective font and have licensing terms and conditions that are more generous and simple – as well as cost-effective.
Greg Mitchell, Founder & CEO
Well-respected in the advertising industry, Greg has a vast depth of knowledge in – and passion for – typography. He has mentored art directors, designers, developers, production and QC staff, and countless others on the delivery of a quality typographic product.
As a typographer for over 40 years, Greg has witnessed many changes in the world of typefaces, fonts and the technologies that use them. Significant changes have also occurred in font licensing terms and conditions.
Greg graduated from The George Brown College of Applied Arts and Technology in Toronto in their three-year Graphic Arts Printing Technologist Program, specializing in Typography.
His first job was with two traditional typographers who taught him the craft of typesetting for the next seven years. Following that, he freelanced around Toronto in various type houses.
In 1990, Greg joined Ogilvy & Mather Advertising as a typesetter/production artist and shortly after moved into the role of Type Director until 2012.
After a few years of developing and implementing a font management and licensing policy for Ogilvy & Mather North America, Greg became Type Director with Ogilvy’s Global Creative Technologies Group in June 2014.
In March 2015, Greg moved to IBM Global as Type Director, working on font management and licensing for the WPP account.
Having worked with fonts in an advertising environment for most of his career, Greg is acutely aware how convoluted font licensing can be. This can put brands and agencies at risk by misunderstanding their licensing requirements.
Realizing the need for font licensing expertise in the advertising industry, Greg launched Font Shield Inc.
Greg Mitchell, Founder & CEO
Well-respected in the advertising industry, Greg has a vast depth of knowledge in – and passion for – typography. He has mentored art directors, designers, developers, production and QC staff, and countless others on the delivery of a quality typographic product.
As a typographer for over 40 years, Greg has witnessed many changes in the world of typefaces, fonts and the technologies that use them. Significant changes have also occurred in font licensing terms and conditions.
Greg graduated from The George Brown College of Applied Arts and Technology in Toronto in their three-year Graphic Arts Printing Technologist Program, specializing in Typography.
His first job was with two traditional typographers who taught him the craft of typesetting for the next seven years. Following that, he freelanced around Toronto in various type houses.
In 1990, Greg joined Ogilvy & Mather Advertising as a typesetter/production artist and shortly after moved into the role of Type Director until 2012.
After a few years of developing and implementing a font management and licensing policy for Ogilvy & Mather North America, Greg became Type Director with Ogilvy’s Global Creative Technologies Group in June 2014.
In March 2015, Greg moved to IBM Global as Type Director, working on font management and licensing for the WPP account.
Having worked with fonts in an advertising environment for most of his career, Greg is acutely aware how convoluted font licensing can be. This can put brands and agencies at risk by misunderstanding their licensing requirements.
Realizing the need for font licensing expertise in the advertising industry, Greg launched Font Shield Inc.
Greg Mitchell, Founder & CEO
Well-respected in the advertising industry, Greg has a vast depth of knowledge in – and passion for – typography. He has mentored art directors, designers, developers, production and QC staff, and countless others on the delivery of a quality typographic product.
As a typographer for over 40 years, Greg has witnessed many changes in the world of typefaces, fonts and the technologies that use them. Significant changes have also occurred in font licensing terms and conditions.
Greg graduated from The George Brown College of Applied Arts and Technology in Toronto in their three-year Graphic Arts Printing Technologist Program, specializing in Typography.
His first job was with two traditional typographers who taught him the craft of typesetting for the next seven years. Following that, he freelanced around Toronto in various type houses.
In 1990, Greg joined Ogilvy & Mather Advertising as a typesetter/production artist and shortly after moved into the role of Type Director until 2012.
After a few years of developing and implementing a font management and licensing policy for Ogilvy & Mather North America, Greg became Type Director with Ogilvy’s Global Creative Technologies Group in June 2014.
In March 2015, Greg moved to IBM Global as Type Director, working on font management and licensing for the WPP account.
Having worked with fonts in an advertising environment for most of his career, Greg is acutely aware how convoluted font licensing can be. This can put brands and agencies at risk by misunderstanding their licensing requirements.
Realizing the need for font licensing expertise in the advertising industry, Greg launched Font Shield Inc.
BRAND OWNERS & FONTS
If you’re a brand owner and have received a “cease and desist” or a “corrective licensing” letter from a font foundry stating one of their fonts is being used on your brand without adequate licensing – that’s serious and can cost you a significant amount of money and reputation risk. It’s definitely something that shouldn’t be ignored.
The obvious question on your mind is “how did this happen?”. The answer could be any one of the following:
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One of your agencies or production partners failed to secure their own font licensing for their particular use of the font on your brand materials (in other words, no licensing was purchased at all).
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One of your agencies or production partners who did purchase their own font licensing failed to read and fully understand the licensing terms and conditions in the EULA (End User License Agreement) and misused the font, violating the terms and conditions.
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Whoever initially chose the font for use on your brand failed to inform you, the brand owner, of your own responsibilities to license the font (when/where applicable).
When brand owners partner with advertising agencies (or anyone else who uses fonts) in the creation of their marketing materials, depending on the fonts chosen and how they are used, both agencies and brand owners may contractually require their own separate licensing. Failing to obtain proper licensing can lead to expensive (and embarrassing) litigation due to copyright infringement of someone’s intellectual property.
Brand owners should fully expect that their agencies are well versed in the font licensing space in order to protect all parties from legal issues, and also be able to advise brand owners of their own font licensing requirements.
PROTECT YOURSELF
Brand owners – have your advertising agencies and production partners consult with Font Shield whenever they use fonts in your marketing materials. We can proactively ensure there are no licensing gaps in the materials you produce together and keep you safe.