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[ "https://copyrightwitness.com/protect/logo_copyright", "https://wariplaw.com/what-are-the-significant-reasons-behind-copyrighting-a-logo/", "https://www.forbes.com/advisor/business/how-to-trademark-a-logo/", "https://copyrightalliance.org/is-fashion-protected-by-copyright-law/", "https://fabrikbrands.com/logo-copyright-infringement/", "https://smallbusiness.chron.com/can-put-copyrighted-logos-tshirts-57727.html", "https://talglaw.com/copyright-logo/", "https://thecopyrightdetective.com/trademark-vs-copyright/" ]

[ "support", "support", "support", "support", "support", "refute", "refute", "refute" ]

[ [ "Copyright and logos", "Logo copyright is the subject of many enquiries we receive. In particular how copyright protects logos and whether logos are suitable for registration. This page deals with the common questions surrounding this subject.", "Can I register my company logo or brand images with Copyright Witness?", "Yes. In fact, it is common for companies to register their logos with us.", "Registrations can be made for the company logo, and also for any images or artwork associated with the brand or promotional materials. This is often carried out at company start up or prior to the launch of a new product or advertising campaign.", "Copyright does not protect names in their own right, but trading names will still be automatically be subject to trademark protection against ‘passing off’.", "Passing off legislation is designed to prevent a person or organisation from poaching trade from an established company by presenting itself in a way that makes the customer believe that are dealing with the more established company. This would typically involve using the same (or similar) name or logo as the established company or falsely implying an association with the established company. For more details on this, please see our copyright and names fact sheet.", "Can a copyright registration of a logo be used in a passing off case?", "Yes, it may help. Certainly the fact that a logo was registered is evidence of the date and content of the logo. At the very least it can help to demonstrate who was using the name or logo first and who was copying.", "Copyright or trademark?", "Is a logo subject to copyright?", "Yes. A logo that includes artistic or design elements, (i.e. not just the name on its own), is legally regarded as being a work of artistic creation and therefore will be protected under copyright law.", "Copyright protects the logo as an artistic work. As copyright is an automatic international right, it therefore follows that, (other than activities specified under fair dealing rules), unauthorised copying of that logo would be an infringement.", "Could a trademark also apply?", "A trademark will apply to the logo as it is an identifying mark of the brand identity.", "Trademarks and are intended to prevent confusion in the marketplace between competing companies in the same business sector. In most jurisdictions they are automatically protected under common law against passing off (where a competitor uses the mark in a confusing/misleading way, for example to poach trade).", "It is also possible to apply for a registered trademark on a per country or region basis. Registered trademarks are administered nationally by a country's national trademark office (Copyright Witness do not register trademarks); if you are interested in obtaining a registered trademark, you should contact a trademark attorney or your national trademark office for further details.", "In practice, businesses will tend to only seek registered trademarks in countries where they have a strong trading relationship and fall back on copyright or passing off protection in the remaining countries. A registration of the logo with ourselves provides a low cost way to secure independent evidence of your prior claim in case of incidents in countries where you do not have a registered trademark." ], [ "What are the significant reasons behind copyrighting a logo?", "Importance of copyrighting a logo", "Copyright is vital for every creative individual and business. Elements such as your logo play a critical role in establishing your brand. Because of this, it is natural to feel concerned about someone copying your original works. Making your logo copyrightable by adding a copyright symbol is critical to protect your original work from being copied. We’re here to assist you in protecting your original work from copyright infringement.", "Why is copyrighting a logo so critical?", "Should I copyright or trademark my logo?", "How to copyright your logo in Washington, DC", "Gain rights to your creativity with an attorney", "A copyrighted logo is protected as an artistic work. Unauthorized usage of your logo is an infringement of copyright. No one can use any of your original works fixed in a tangible form without your permission.", ".", "Should I copyright or trademark my logo?", "“Can I copyright my logo?” is a common misconception. To answer this correctly, distinguish between what works are subject to copyright and trademark. Registrations serve various purposes, and there are numerous ways to be protected by copyright law.", "Generally, if you use your logo for commercial value, you should register ownership of the trademark. By registering your trademark, you guarantee that people identify your brand. You may protect your logo if it is your original work and is non-commercial. As with a piece of art, copyright ownership preserves your logo’s originality.", "Learn the differences between trademark and copyright protection to determine which you need.", "What is protected by copyright?", "Copyright protects your original works of authorship in a tangible medium of expression. If you use your logo for purposes other than selling products and services, you should apply for copyright registration.", "Copyrights protect items like books and articles, photographs, illustrations, web pages, music and sound recordings, and computer programs from being reproduced by others without the creator’s consent. The copyrighted material is unrelated to the commercial products or services. You may place copyright restrictions on your logo.", "Your logo can be subject to copyright if it is an original work of authorship, such as a computer-rendered design, sketch, writings, painting, or photograph.", "What cannot be copyrighted but trademarked instead?", "Trademarks help consumers recognize the origin of goods and services. Your logo serves as a trademark for the products or services you sell under your brand’s name. Using a trademark registration application allows you to prevent others from using your trademark on similar products or services.", "Typically, trademarks cover things such as business names, slogans, taglines, and logos. They are intended to serve as a source identifier for goods or services. Registering a trademark prevents others from using your mark to similar goods or services.", "If your logo is the artistic work of a professional designer, be careful to include proof of", "work made for hire from the creators to you.", "Submit payment online", "Upload or mail in a copy of your logo", "Wait for approval and your registration certificate and necessary licenses", "The Copyright Office also has an eCO FAQ page to address common concerns.", "There you have it. Nothing beats the feeling of knowing that you have exclusive rights to an original work you made from scratch.", "Determining Your Logo’s Copyright Eligibility", "Logos are not always copyright-protected material.", "If a trademark, logo, or label is only a collection of words, the United States Copyright Office will not register it. Simply using various fonts or colors, frames, and borders also does not qualify for copyright protection.", "Logos are protected under copyright law if they contain artistic or design elements.", "Examples of trademark and copyright-eligible logos include Disney characters (such as Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck), the Car Credit City logo, and the Baltimore Ravens logo.", "Copyrighting Your Logo Is Beneficial", "If you think your logo qualifies for copyright protection, the next logical question is: why bother to register the copyright? The following are a few of the many advantages.", "Labeling, packaging, or advertising content eligible for copyright can be violated without a trademark.", "Copyrights exist to safeguard your creative work. The attention is on the works’ resemblance. On the other hand, to prevent consumer confusion, trademark infringement analyses focus on a series of tests, including the relatedness of products, the validity of the mark, marketing channel overlap, and proof of real confusion.", "Trademark infringement does not require copyright infringement.", "If you want to protect your brands, trademark registration is vital.", "To recap, only artistic and design elements used in trademarks are protected by copyright laws in the US. The rest of your logo may not be protected. For example, if an infringer substitutes a different logo or label but uses the exact wording of your mark, it would likely be actionable as trademark infringement.", "Copyright registration requires only an original work of authorship that contains at least a slight amount of creativity.", "Trademark registration is more complicated. You must demonstrate that the mark identifies a provider of goods or services. Ideally, trademarks should be suggestive, arbitrary, or fanciful to obtain registration. While descriptive marks may gain commercial recognition and then registrability, typically descriptive marks must be filed for registration in the Supplemental Register. A generic trademark is not protected by trademark law. Copyright law’s requirement of minimal creativity does not analyze works of authorship with the same scrutiny.", "Even if your mark is suggestive, arbitrary, or fanciful, it is still possible that the USPTO won’t register it if it determines that it logo may confuse consumers as to the source of your goods or services. Confusion among consumers is unimportant to copyright legislation.", "In sum, even if the USPTO declines to register your trademark, copyright law may be able to help protect you.", "Gain rights to your creativity with an attorney", "Even when your trademark hasn’t been infringed in the case at hand, copyright law may be able to provide more robust protection. To obtain further legal protection for your logo, you need to include a copyright notice. A trademark registration and notice on its own may not be enough.", "Copyrights offer various legal benefits in addition to those of registered trademarks, such as punitive damages. An intellectual property lawyer can help you decide the best line of action for safeguarding your copyrights, trademarks, and other intellectual property. Whether you want to raise copyright issues or learn more about copyright violations, our team of dedicated copyright attorneys at War IP Law can provide you with the assistance you need and a plan of action.", "War IP Law PLLC", "Contact One of Our IP Attorneys", "If you have questions or need help with an intellectual property matter, use this form to ask us a question or just give us a call. We’re here to help.", "Footer Form", "First Name", "Last Name", "Email", "Phone", "I need help with:", "Copyright", "Trademark", "Patent", "Trade secrets", "Infringement claims", "Others", "I want to schedule a consultation", "The contents of this website are intended to convey general information only and not to provide legal advice. The contents of this website, the posting, and viewing of the information on this website, should not be construed as, and should not be relied upon for, legal advice in any particular circumstance or fact situation. The information presented on this website may not reflect the most current legal developments. No action should be taken in reliance on the information contained on this website. We disclaim all liability in respect to actions taken or not taken based on any content of this site to the fullest extent permitted by law. For advice on specific legal issues, an attorney should be contacted. Nothing on this website is an offer to represent you, and nothing on this website is intended to create an attorney‑client relationship. An attorney-client relationship may only be established through direct attorney‑to‑client communication that is confirmed by the execution of an engagement agreement. The content of any unsolicited email sent to War IP Law PLLC, or to any of its attorneys at an email address available on this website, will not create an attorney‑client relationship and the contents of such unsolicited email shall not be considered confidential. Therefore, do not use this website or the email addresses available on this website to provide confidential information about yourself or a legal matter to War IP Law PLLC or any of its attorneys." ], [ "Here’s How To Protect Your Business Logo With A Trademark", "Chauncey grew up on a farm in rural northern California. At 18 he ran away and saw the world with a backpack and a credit card, discovering that the true value of any point or mile is the experience it facilitates. He remains most at home on a tractor, but has learned that opportunity is where he finds it and discomfort is more interesting than complacency.", "Jane Haskins practiced law for 20 years, representing small businesses in startup, dissolution, business transactions and litigation. She has written hundreds of articles on legal, intellectual property and tax issues affecting small businesses.", "Rob is an SMB writer and editor based in New Jersey. Before joining Forbes Advisor, he was a content producer at Fit Small Business. In that role, he was responsible for writing, editing, and strategizing content geared toward small business owners. Before that, he worked at PCMag as a business analyst.", "Contributor, Contributor, Editor", "Updated: Mar 25, 2022, 2:29pm", "Editorial Note: We earn a commission from partner links on Forbes Advisor. Commissions do not affect our editors' opinions or evaluations.", "Getty", "Logos are a unique and valuable business asset that can leave lasting impressions on customers. Business owners who wish to protect a brand and its unique identifier(s) should consider trademarking a logo with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). Trademarking a logo is a fairly straightforward process, but important considerations should go into trademarking a logo before, during and after the application filing process.", "What Is a Trademark?", "A trademark can be a word, phrase, symbol or image unique enough to register as a business’ exclusive brand. By trademarking a logo, business owners acquire legal protection against counterfeits, copycats and fraud. Other companies providing similar goods or services face harsh penalties for using a design similar to a trademarked logo, including foreign entities that import products into the U.S.", "How to Trademark a Logo", "A unique logo can be trademarked by registering it with the USPTO. Anyone can apply online on the USPTO website if the business for which they’re authorized to file is principally located inside the U.S. If based outside the U.S., a patent attorney will be required to make the filing.", "1. Determine Whether You Need a Trademark", "It’s important to first consider whether a trademark registration with the USPTO is necessary, since the process requires time, effort and money. Once a business begins to use a logo to advertise and sell goods or services, they automatically attain common law ownership and the limited protections associated with it—but only if the business can prove it was the first businesses to use the mark. Common law legal protection for a trademark only applies to the geographic area where the business operates. If nationwide protection is needed, then registering a logo with the USPTO is a wise step.", "2. Search for Existing Trademarks", "Before applying for a logo trademark, it’s important to search for existing trademarks that may bear any resemblance. An application may be rejected if the logo submitted is likely to be confused with existing logos for comparable goods or services. Logos cannot be generic and should always be unique to the business.", "Search for existing trademarked logos on the USPTO website using the Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS). Some experts, including those who wrote the USPTO website, recommend hiring an attorney or a specialized service to conduct this search on behalf of a business owner. Attorneys are trained in special techniques to perform a more thorough search before an application is submitted. This may be especially beneficial with graphic marks.", "3. Prepare the Application", "The application process can be time-consuming and complex. Because applications can be entirely rejected for small errors and fees are not refundable, it’s important to ensure each part of an application is correct before submitting. A patent and trademark attorney may be helpful with guidance for this process. Lawyers will be able to write descriptions of the logo using language that’s common and understood by the USPTO better than beginners to the process. This can save time and effort in the long run, especially in the event of any unforeseen complications.", "Prepare the following information for the application process:", "• Name, address and personal details of the entity filing for the trademark. This may be an individual or a business. (Note: Individuals and businesses who are based outside of the US will need to hire a lawyer to complete this process.)", "• Product(s) or service(s) the logo will represent, along the class of goods or services for which you’re registering the trademark.", "• A JPG image file of the final version of the logo or design. If your logo is in color, you also need a description of the colors and where they’re used", "• A JPG or PDF file of a “specimen” that shows an example of how the logo appears on the product or service itself. (This only applies to applicants with actual use in commerce, meaning the business owner has already sold goods or services using the specific logo.) Those intending to use a logo for service later will be required to show this proof later on.", "• Appropriate funds", "Also consider the final version of the logo. Will it be in color or black-and-white?.. While many logos are displayed in color on products or in marketing materials, registering for a trademark in color means that the logo is only protected if it’s displayed in those colors. A business owner must amend the initial application or re-apply for a new trademark if any changes are made to the logo’s color. If you trademark a black and white version, you can add or change colors without filing a new trademark application.", "4. File the Application", "The application can be completed on the USPTO’s website. The USPTO provides detailed instructions on how to navigate the online application, depending on the filing option. Once the application is submitted, the application status can be checked using the Trademark Status and Document Retrieval (TSDR). The USPTO recommends checking the status five to seven days after the initial application is submitted, but reports indicate that the process may take months if errors are found.", "After being received, the filing is assigned a serial number and a government trademark attorney. The examining attorney will review the materials and conduct a clearance search to make sure there aren’t any existing logos for similar goods or services that bear a resemblance to the applicant. If the application meets all of the legal requirements and there are no issues with existing logos, then the examining attorney will approve the logo for publication in a USPTO online journal. If no one files an opposition to the trademark after it is published, it will be registered.", "However, if there are any issues with the application, the examining attorney will send an office action to the applicant. The applicant must provide a response that corrects any problems listed in the office action, usually within six months. Failure to do so means the logo will not be approved.", "After the Logo Is Approved", "Once the logo is registered with the USPTO, a trademark owner will have exclusive rights to use the logo within the approved goods or services class anywhere in the U.S. The owner may sue for any unlawful use of the logo, and may file to stop foreign goods with your logo from being imported into the U.S.", "Business owners can set up a trademark watch by hiring an attorney or specialized service. The attorney or service will continuously monitor and search for illegal use of a trademarked logo. For those concerned with fraud or misuse, a service like this may be useful in catching such issues.", "Trademarks last 10 years. Be advised that renewing a trademark will be required in a decade.", "Copyright Vs. Trademark", "A copyright protects creative works like books, movies, music, artwork or computer programs. The copyrighted work has to be a “tangible medium,” meaning consumers must be able to see, hear or use it. It can’t be an undocumented idea or common string of words. A trademark, to contrast, is a unique phrase, word, symbol or design that represents a company or brand that provides goods or services. It is typically in marketing materials or to label products.", "Logos are often eligible for both trademark and copyright registration. A copyright protects the original design from unauthorized copying, while a trademark helps prevent the logo from being used by a competitor business.. Copyrights are automatically earned upon production of a work in a tangible medium, but registration adds benefit. If you hire someone to create your logo, be sure you have a written agreement giving your business the copyright to the logo. This gives you control over how it can be used and reproduced.", "Frequently Asked Questions", "How long does it take to trademark a logo?", "On average it can take anywhere from several months to over a year for a trademark application to be processed and approved. If there are complications such as re-examination or amendments to the initial application, the process may take significantly longer.", "Can I trademark a logo myself?", "Yes. Anyone can apply online to trademark a logo. However, experts often recommend that business owners hire an attorney or specialized service to handle the process from beginning to end to ensure that your application is prepared properly, and should any complications arise, they will be aptly handled.", "For businesses based outside the U.S., a U.S. patent and trademark attorney may be required to file an application.", "How much does it cost to trademark a logo?", "The USPTO offers two filing options for individuals or businesses: the TEAS Plus ($250 per class of goods/services) and the TEAS Standard ($350 per class of goods/services). There may be additional fees paid directly to an attorney or specialized service if the business owner chooses to hire them.", "Can a logo be copyrighted?", "Yes, a logo can be both copyrighted and trademarked. A logo has a copyright as soon as it has been created, but the copyright owner can also register the logo with the U.S. Copyright Office.", "Is it possible to trademark a business name?", "Yes. To trademark a business name you will need to submit an application through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s website. Similar to the process of trademarking a logo, trademarking a business name can also take several months, and businesses are generally advised to hire professional assistance, such as an attorney or legal service to help ensure the process goes smoothly.", "Information provided on Forbes Advisor is for educational purposes only. Your financial situation is unique and the products and services we review may not be right for your circumstances. We do not offer financial advice, advisory or brokerage services, nor do we recommend or advise individuals or to buy or sell particular stocks or securities. Performance information may have changed since the time of publication. Past performance is not indicative of future results.", "Forbes Advisor adheres to strict editorial integrity standards. To the best of our knowledge, all content is accurate as of the date posted, though offers contained herein may no longer be available. The opinions expressed are the author’s alone and have not been provided, approved, or otherwise endorsed by our partners.", "Chauncey grew up on a farm in rural northern California. At 18 he ran away and saw the world with a backpack and a credit card, discovering that the true value of any point or mile is the experience it facilitates. He remains most at home on a tractor, but has learned that opportunity is where he finds it and discomfort is more interesting than complacency.", "Jane Haskins practiced law for 20 years, representing small businesses in startup, dissolution, business transactions and litigation. She has written hundreds of articles on legal, intellectual property and tax issues affecting small businesses.", "Rob is an SMB writer and editor based in New Jersey. Before joining Forbes Advisor, he was a content producer at Fit Small Business. In that role, he was responsible for writing, editing, and strategizing content geared toward small business owners. Before that, he worked at PCMag as a business analyst.", "The Forbes Advisor editorial team is independent and objective. To help support our reporting work, and to continue our ability to provide this content for free to our readers, we receive compensation from the companies that advertise on the Forbes Advisor site. This compensation comes from two main sources. First, we provide paid placements to advertisers to present their offers. The compensation we receive for those placements affects how and where advertisers’ offers appear on the site. This site does not include all companies or products available within the market. Second, we also include links to advertisers’ offers in some of our articles; these “affiliate links” may generate income for our site when you click on them. The compensation we receive from advertisers does not influence the recommendations or advice our editorial team provides in our articles or otherwise impact any of the editorial content on Forbes Advisor. While we work hard to provide accurate and up to date information that we think you will find relevant, Forbes Advisor does not and cannot guarantee that any information provided is complete and makes no representations or warranties in connection thereto, nor to the accuracy or applicability thereof. Here is a list of our partners who offer products that we have affiliate links for." ], [ "How Is Fashion Protected by Copyright Law?", "This week, you may have seen photographs and videos of long runways where models donned the season’s latest trends and styles. It’s Fashion Week 2022– the time of year when designers finally get to show off months of hard work through their craftmanship of various clothing and accessories.", "What you don’t see during Fashion Week is the laborious process of designers conceptualizing new creations, sketching them out, and capturing them in the fabrics and materials of the clothing they craft. But are these fashion designers rewarded for all their hard work and creativity by copyright—more to the point, are their fashion designs protected by copyright law? The short answer is that it depends.", "Copyrightability in Fashion", "According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, fashion is defined as “the prevailing style of a particular time.” In the fashion industry, trends and designs change from season to season in the form of various elements, which usually manifests itself in a variety of colors, silhouettes, types of fabrics, unique cuts of fabric, and prints.", "When determining whether and how fashion is protected by copyright law, it’s important to understand the scope of copyright protection for fashion items. The Copyright Act does not protect ideas, concepts, or facts. If the color of chartreuse, polka dots, or a simple balloon sleeve is the latest trend, copyright law protections do not extend to those design elements alone. In fact, the Copyright Office Compendium notes that the Copyright Office generally refuses to register “[c]ommon patterns, such as standard chevron, polka dot, checkerboard, or houndstooth designs, “geometric figures and shapes,” “alphabetic or numbering characters,” or simple arrangements of such unprotectable elements.", "For example, the Copyright Office rejected Coach’s registration application for a fabric design containing “a pattern consist[ing] of two linked ‘C’s’ facing each other alternating with two unlinked ‘C’s’ facing in the same direction.” A New York federal district court held in Coach, Inc. v. Peters, that the Copyright Office exercised its proper judgement in rejecting Coach’s application since the Copyright Office reasoned that under copyright law, mere letters of the alphabet and the arrangements of that letter ,“C,” were not sufficiently creative or original enough so that the design was protectable under copyright law.", "Fashion As a “Useful Article”", "The Copyright Act also does not extend protection to useful articles, which is defined as “an article that has an intrinsic utilitarian function that is not merely to portray the appearance of the article or to convey information.” There was a time in the not-too-distant past when the Copyright Office generally refused to register claims to copyright in clothing or costume designs on the “ground[s] that articles of clothing and costumes are useful articles that ordinarily contain no artistic authorship separable from their overall utilitarian shape.”", "But the Office changed its policy in 1991 when it released a Policy Decision about its examining practices with respect to “fanciful costumes.” Specifically, the Office noted that it would register these works “if they contain separable pictorial or sculptural authorship. The separable authorship may be physically separable, meaning that the work of art can be physically removed from the costume, or conceptually separable, meaning that the pictorial or sculptural work is independently recognizable and capable of existence apart from the overall utilitarian shape of the useful article.”", "But in 2016, the U.S. Supreme Court abandoned the physical separability test in the case, Star Athletica v. Varsity Brands. The Court set out a standard for determining copyrightability in fashion designs and for useful articles in general in a case about the copyrightability of cheerleader unforms. According to the Court, while copyright law may not protect the general notion of “style” it does protect design elements which:", "“can be perceived as two- or three-dimensional works of art separate from the” fashion item itself; and", "“qualify as a protectable pictorial, graphic, or sculptural work, either on its own or fixed in some other tangible medium.”", "This is the standard the Copyright Office and courts must use when evaluating copyrightability in useful articles like clothing and fashion accessories (including jewelry).", "So What Fashion Designs Are Protectable Under Copyright Law?", "By way of illustration, here are some design elements where fashion may be protectable under copyright law:", "Graphic Designs: Copyright law would protect the designs on the surface of fashion items just as it protects designs on the surface of a canvas or sheet of paper. For such protections to apply, copyright law only requires that the designs on the surface of fashion items (like the designs contained on the surface of any other medium) demonstrate a very minimal amount of creativity­­. The U.S. Supreme Court also addressed this issue in Star Athletica v. Varsity Brands, stating that “two-dimensional designs appearing on the surface of [clothing]” including “combinations, positionings, and arrangements” of shapes, colors, lines, etc. are protectable by copyright.”", "Textile Designs: Similarly, a producer of fabrics can rely on copyright to protect “designs imprinted in or on fabric—if the design contains a sufficient amount of creative expression.” In fact, the case Unicolors v. H&M, which is currently pending in the U.S. Supreme Court on registration issues, concerns an infringement of intricate geometric patterns that were designed by the pattern-making company Unicolors.", "Logos: Copyright law can protect logos. But the key is that logos must have sufficient creativity and originality under copyright law. The Copyright Office has refused to register copyrights in logos when the logos were deemed have simply contained common letters, typography, and geometric shapes without any elaborate or intricate arrangements that would amount to sufficient creativity under copyright law. For example, the Copyright Office has refused to register various logos of famous brands including Adidas’s “3 Bars” logo and Tommy Hilfiger’s “Flag” logo. However, designers can still generally find protections for their brands’ logos under trademark law.", "And then there are some design elements that copyright law would not protect. For those design elements, it’s important to remember that other types of intellectual property laws, including trademark and patent law, may provide protections for designers.", "Color: Copyright protection does not extend to colors. If a designer wants to protect a signature color or a unique color scheme, copyright is not the avenue. But that doesn’t mean there are no options for protection of the designer’s intellectual property. Trademark protection may be available in these instances.", "Cut: The way that design elements are cut and pieced together is not protected by copyright. The U.S. Supreme Court recently addressed this topic in the Star Athletica case, stating that copyright affords “no right to prohibit any person from manufacturing [clothing] of identical shape, cut, and dimensions.” But, again, that doesn’t mean there aren’t other kinds of protections that cover cuts. Design patents may afford protections for this type of design element. (And unlike copyright, a design patent can prevent others from creating fashions that resemble a sketch of the original design.)", "Whatever the trend, designers work hard to stay competitive and on top of the spirit of the times by laboring on their collections in time for Fashion Week 2022. It’s clear that the creativity and originality in a designer’s expression is what copyright law was meant to protect.", "If you aren’t already a member of the Copyright Alliance, you can join today by completing our Individual Creator Members membership form! Members gain access to monthly newsletters, educational webinars, and so much more — all for free!" ], [ "Logo copyright infringement: Here’s what you need to know", "Here at Fabrik, we’re always getting new ideas for concepts, just by interacting with people or seeing the many different shapes and components of the world around us.", "Unfortunately, when it comes to logo design, it’s important to know when it’s safe to act on inspiration.", "In a world that’s cluttered with millions of companies, and new startups opening their door each day, how do you know that the inspiration taken to create your logo is safe?", "Intellectual property rights can be very difficult to follow, but to help you get started on the right track, we’re going to introduce you to the basics of logo copyright infringement.", "What counts as copyright infringement?", "Intellectual property rights, such as trademarks and copyrights, can deliver both positive and negative opportunities to business owners. On one hand, getting copyright or trademark protection for your business logo means that no-one else can use it.", "However, in the same vein, logo copyright guidelines also mean that you can get into trouble if your designs are too similar in style to something else that exists in the marketplace.", "Anything original created by an artist or company can become something called “intellectual property”.", "The US laws dictate that when you design a logo, create a new product, or even paint a picture, you own intellectual property. To some extent, your intellectual property is immediately protected by IP law.", "However, legal protections come in many different forms, including:", "Patents: Used to defend inventions and innovations.", "Copyright: Used to protect literary and artistic works.", "Trademarks: Intended to distinguish the goods of a specific company.", "In the US, every designer or business automatically owns the copyright to their own work. You don’t necessarily have to register for a copyright with the US patent and trademark office.", "However, registering your copyright, or applying for a trademark can give you more peace of mind. This ensures that if someone else uses your image, you can take them to court.", "Logo copyright infringement happens when you use a critical component of a trademark (like the shape or color of a logo) in your design, without getting permission first.", "What is fair use in logo copyright infringement cases?", "Since there are millions of companies out there, and only a handful of shapes and designs to use in any standard logo, there is some flexibility in copyright law.", "The fair use doctrine refers to the exception in the Copyright Act that makes it legal to use copyrighted works without obtaining the permission of the author.", "For instance, you can reference copyrighted works in a college paper without having to pay for permission to use them. Additionally, if you’re reporting the news and you need to reference a piece of copyrighted work, that’s okay too.", "There’s also something to be said for inspiration in logo copyright infringement examples.", "If you’re inspired by the way that another brand uses colors and shapes in their logo, you wouldn’t get into trouble if you interpreted the crux of that idea differently in your own design.", "The key to success is making sure that you don’t just imitate what’s already there – you transform it into something new.", "Unfortunately, it’s very easy for something that started off as basic inspiration to transform into something problematic.", "For instance, if you think that someone would see your logo and instantly know where you got your inspiration, you’ve probably infringed on a copyright.", "One option in this case could be to request formal permission to use that copyrighted component.", "If, for example, you like the style of a certain typography in your logo and you want to create your own version of it, you can reach out to the company and ask for their permission to use their design as inspiration. They may not grant that permission, of course.", "In the same way, if you apply for a trademark or copyright on your logo, then you could prevent other people from using something that you consider to be “too similar” to your design.", "Examples of logo copyright infringement cases", "If you’re still uncertain about whether certain components of a logo protected by copyright are available to use, it might be helpful to check out some previous cases.", "For instance, in China, the 3M company brought a lawsuit against the Changzhou Huawei advanced material company. The business was using a version of the “3M” logo that included an N instead of an M.", "Although the mark was slightly different, the company had managed to acquire market share and clients simply because the logo was similar to that of 3M.", "A similar case took place for logo copyright infringement in South Korea. A chicken restaurant located in South Korea lost a legal battle with the apparel company Louis Vuitton.", "The court ruled in the favor of the design brand after dictating that the name of the restaurant, Louis Vuiton Dak, was too close in sound and style to Louis Vuitton. Additionally, the packaging and restaurant logo were very similar in style to the iconic imagery of the Louis Vuitton brand.", "Not only was the company in this case asked to stop using the logo and name that it had been building its image with, but it was hit with a fine for $14.5 million after it refused to change its appearance.", "Elsewhere, in India, the parent company of the American Eagle brand, Retail Royalty Company, filed in high court against the fashion and retail business, Pantaloons. The lawsuit claimed that the brand logo of the Pantaloons company was too similar to American Eagle’s iconic image.", "The verdict in that case took longer to establish, as the argument came from an American company. In some cases, copyrights and trademarks are only applied in the countries where companies originally set up their organizations.", "Avoiding logo copyright infringement issues", "There are clearly a lot of circumstances wherein the use of a logo that’s too similar in design or style to something else on the market can lead to significant problems for a business.", "The severity of any logo copyright infringement cases is often dependent on many things, including the nature of the copyrighted work, and the amount of copyrighted information used in the new design.", "If your new logo used a similar color to another company, for instance, but the rest of the components of that logo were different, you may not be hit with a logo copyright notice.", "The unfortunate truth, however, is that it’s difficult to know for certain whether you’re going to be held accountable for a copyright infringement issue or not.", "In most cases of copyright infringement shared by legal companies online, the issues could have been easily avoided. All you really need to do to protect yourself is make sure that you do your research.", "The answer to “How do I know if a logo is copyrighted” is to start by checking online. There are lots of tools available on the web that can help you to search for logos and determine which ones have trademark protection.", "There are also logo design experts that can do your due diligence for you.", "Can you use a logo without permission?", "Some companies assume that just because they’ve changed a few things about a popular logo, or their business is located in a different place to the original company, they don’t have to worry about copyright. Unfortunately, that’s rarely the case.", "Even if you do get away with using another company’s design for a little while, there will eventually be a moment when you’re found out.", "Knowing who owns the rights to a design and how it can be used is essential. If you’re not sure whether an element of your logo is fair use or not, then it’s best to play it safe and avoid the design completely.", "You can even consider speaking to a lawyer if you’re concerned or conducting an in-depth search if you really want to use the logo.", "In the meantime, if you want to simplify the process of getting an amazing logo, reach out to Fabrik today.", "Our co-founder, Steve Harvey, is also a regular contributor to Brand Fabrik, a flagship publication covering topics relevant to anyone in branding, marketing and graphic design. Steve shares his enthusiasm for brand naming through his articles and demonstrates his knowledge and expertise in the naming process.", "Affiliate program", "Fabrik is a participant in Amazon Service LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon.com and other affiliated websites. Read our disclaimer here.", "Affiliate program", "Fabrik is a participant in Amazon Service LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn advertising fees by linking to Amazon.com and other affiliated websites. Read our disclaimer here." ], [ "Related", "After some success selling T-shirts, you may decide to expand your efforts by incorporating copyrighted logos. But before you can proceed, you have to know what the law says about selling shirts with copyrighted images. Trademarks or copyright can protect logos, and both forms of intellectual property protection restrict how others may use the logo. In fact, copyright and trademark violations can in some cases lead to criminal charges. Selling shirts with copyrighted images isn’t impossible, but you should never use someone else’s logos on your T-shirts or other clothing without their explicit permission. Understanding the meaning of copyright and trademark and knowing the instances in which selling shirts with copyrighted images is legal can help you develop your T-shirt logo strategy.", "Understand the Meaning of Copyright and Trademark", "One of the misunderstandings about shirts and logos is that a logo is protected by copyright. But most logos don’t have copyrights. Instead, logos are actually protected by a trademark, which is a legal protection that applies to a name, phrase or logo. Copyrights, on the other hand, are legal protections for people who create original literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works. So although many people use the words “copyright” and “trademark” interchangeably, they are quite distinct. Trademarks for logos are filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office and last 10 years. However, the USPTO does require registrants to file an affidavit after the fifth year that the trademark is still active. If registrants fail to do so, the trademark is canceled and no longer under protection. If you want to use a logo, you should first check the USPTO website to determine if the trademark is still in force. If it isn’t, you may be able to use that logo.", "In some instances, you may want to appropriate a creative work of art into a logo, in which case copyright law would apply. Any works created prior to 1923 are usually considered to be in the public domain. So when it comes to shirts and logos, any logo you want to appropriate from a work of art that was made before 1923 is free and clear for your use. If a work is under copyright, however, that copyright typically lasts 70 years after the death of the creator, or 120 years after the date of first publication – whichever occurs first.", "Understand the Parody Exemption", "Both copyright law and trademark law allow the use of parody as an exemption to infringement. This is significant when it comes to shirts and logos because it means that you can use a logo that parodies an existing logo without being accused of copyright or trademark infringement. You would need to alter the original logo to such an extent that it is clear to anyone who sees the altered logo that you are engaged in parody or satire. For example, you could alter the Apple logo to include worms poking their heads out of the bitten apple. That would clearly indicate to your audience that this is a parody of the iconic Apple logo. But you have to be careful, because if the altered logo is too similar to the original logo, you could be accused of creating a copyright infringement shirt.", "Understand Licensing and Permission", "Rather than risk making a copyright infringement shirt, you can seek permission from the copyright or trademark holder. You can send an email or write a letter that specifies exactly how you intend to use the logo. The original creator may grant you permission under a licensing agreement that requires you to pay a flat fee for use of the logo, or a percentage of every shirt you sell with that logo. Failure to pay the fee or percentage agreed upon, however, will result in you selling a copyright infringement shirt.", "Sampson Quain is an experienced content writer with a wide range of expertise in small business, digital marketing, SEO marketing, SEM marketing, and social media outreach. He has written primarily for the EHow brand of Demand Studios as well as business strategy sites such as Digital Authority." ], [ "Copyright Logo Power Tips and How to Protect Your Valuable IP", "What is a copyright?", "A copyright protects works of fully formed artistic expression and authorship. The classic example of a copyright is a literary work, such as a novel or a poem.", "However, copyright protection expands to music, including the lyrics, musical composition and even live performances, artwork, dramatic pieces, and even architectural design. A copyright grants the exclusive rights to publish, sell and reproduce the work of art.", "The moment you create a fully formed piece of art or authorship, you own the copyright to it. But in a case where someone plagiarizes your work, you’ll have to be able to prove that you created the material first and that the other person copied it from you.", "By registering an actual copyright with the United States Copyright Office, you best protect your unique material from being copied by others.", "First, it creates more of a deterrent for the plagiarist. If he or she sees the copyright symbol next to your work or otherwise confirms that you own the work, he or she is less likely to copy it in the first place.", "Second, you’re protected even if the plagiarist goes forth with copying your work. If he or she is unaware you have registered the copyright, or is willing to take the risk of copying it even with a registration in place, it is easier to prove your ownership and access the legal remedies available to you.", "Can I Protect My Company’s Logo with a Copyright?", "A logo is a unique design that distinguishes a company or product. Logos are fully formed expressions that can include images and/or text, and would seem to fall under copyright law.", "Logos, however, are generally protected by trademarks. The purpose of a trademark is to protect what identifies your business or product to the consumer public. This includes the name of the company or product and any images, symbols, sounds or phrases that distinguish your company or product. Thus, a logo falls under a trademark.", "It is important to remember that a trademark must be something that distinguishes your company, product or service, so it cannot be something too generic. (This comes from the body of law that regulates trademark law, The Lanham Act.)", "Again, once your company begins doing business under a unique name and using a unique logo, it has the right to use that name and logo. Still, registering your trademark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office will better protect you from other competitors using your logo on their products and to conduct their business.", "When Should I Get a Copyright Logo?", "In addition to registering a trademark for your logo, you may also copyright the logo for additional protection. This is common in very large businesses. Companies such as Apple or Coca Cola have logos that gain instant, global recognition. So the symbol of the logo itself is highly distinguishable and profitable.", "Not only is it common for these companies to sell merchandise featuring their logos, they also make an incredible profit from selling the rights to allow others to copy or reproduce their logos. The option to let others copy and print your logo in certain circumstances is protected by your copyright.", "A logo that involves complicated design and artistic expression that a company also prints and sells on merchandise, such as mugs, hats or t-shirts, would be a candidate for copyright logo protection. This can protect that logo from being printed, copied and distributed by others. If you think your logo is exceptional and others will want to copy it, adding a copyright protection would be prudent.", "The Step-by-Step Trademark Process", "The first step, of course, is to either have your logo created or to otherwise have an idea of the logo you would like to create. Be sure your logo is distinguishable and not so generic that it may not qualify for trademark registration.", "Next, and most importantly, you will want to search the trademark registry on the USPTO database. You need to be sure that your mark, or one that is similar, has not been already registered.", "Confirming your mark is unique and distinguishable, you may now prepare and submit your trademark application with the USPTO.", "As a final step in your trademark application process, you will need to submit the appropriate registration fee. There is not a fixed fee.", "Monitor your application once you have submitted it. The USPTO usually takes several months to review an application. The USPTO has a Trademark Status and Document Retrieval website that you may visit during this time to see how it is going.", "You will receive your registered trademark after the application is approved. At this time, you may begin to use the registered trademark symbol every time you use your logo to help ensure it is protected.", "Even once you receive your trademark registration for your logo, you must maintain it. You will have to file more maintenance related documents with the USPTO office as time goes on.", "The trademark process is complicated and every part of the process would best be navigated with the assistance of a trademark lawyer. He or she can ensure you are making decisions with all the necessary legal considerations. In the long run, you’ll have the best protections for your logo this way.", "The Step-by-Step Logo Copyright Process", "The first step, of course, is to create the logo. The Copyright Office accepts many different file types for images, including .gif, .jpg, .bmp and .pdf, among many others. For hand-draws logos, scan it into an electronic format that is acceptable to the Copyright Office.", "Go to the US Copyright Office’s website and click the registration option. If you are a first-time applicant, you can create an account.", "Once you have an account, log into your account and click “register a new claim.” Then find the “start registration” option.", "This will take you through the step-by-step process of filing out the copyright application.", "Once the application is complete, select a payment option. Then you will submit payment for the application fee. The fee rates vary depending on several factors.", "Finally, you will need to send the Copyright Office a copy of the logo. You can either upload it on the registration page or otherwise you will have to send a copy via mail.", "The copyright process, like the trademark process, can be quite complicated. Your best chance of navigating any potential pitfalls is with the help of an attorney.", "Understanding the Best Way to Protect Your Logo", "Are you deciding whether to use a trademark for your logo or whether to also obtain a logo copyright? It will help to have a better understanding of what a trademark is, what a trademark protects, and how it protects it.", "The same goes for understanding a copyright. You will also want to take your particular logo into consideration, including the nature of your logo, how you intend to use it, and how you intend to protect it. Finally, you can consider the different processes of obtaining a trademark and obtaining a copyright. The time, resources and costs of each might play into your decision.", "An intellectual property attorney well versed in trademark, copyright, and company logos is an invaluable asset for your team. An attorney can properly assess the best way to protect your logo.", "The best way to protect your copyright and decide when to obtain a copyright logo can be a complex decision. Consult with an attorney who is familiar with this particular area of law and your company. Knowledge of your market and your consumer can help generate the best possible outcome.", "Author", "Ismail’s legal experience encompasses serving Fortune 500 companies, mid-sized privately held companies, and entrepreneurs. He presently serves as Corporate and Litigation Counsel to large and mid-sized businesses throughout California, Nevada, and Texas, as well as General and Personal Counsel to high-profile hospitality operators in California and Nevada. Ismail’s practice emphasizes Business and Intellectual Property matters, with a focus on healthcare, biopharmaceuticals, biotechnology, and hospitality. Ismail has counseled the firm’s healthcare provider clients in acquiring or selling assets while maximizing return and minimizing risk. He has helped clients acquire or sell over $1 billion worth of healthcare-related assets, including hospitals." ], [ "Trademark vs Copyright", "A common point of confusion for our publishing clients is trademark vs copyright. Most people seem to know that patents, another type of intellectual property (IP), cover inventions, but most do not know what protections are afforded by copyright and trademark. Both trademarks and copyrighted works are IP assets that are offered protection in the U.S. Constitution, but they differ significantly. Let’s look at the differences between trademark vs copyright, determine when protection is given under each law, and talk about obtaining the proper protection for these important intellectual property assets.", "Copyright", "What does copyright law protect?", "U.S. copyright law protects works of authorship like the following: books, songs, paintings, photographs, web content, movies, and some figures, tables, and maps where criteria of uniqueness and originality are met.", "Criteria for Copyright Protection", "United States Copyright Office Circular 34 indicates that “To be protected by copyright, a work must contain a certain minimum amount of authorship in the form of original literary, musical, pictorial, or graphic expression. Names, titles, and other short phrases do not meet these requirements.”", "What can’t copyright law protect?", "Circular 34 also indicates that “The U.S. Copyright Office cannot register claims for brief combinations of words such as:", "Names of products or services", "Names of businesses, organizations, or groups (including the names of performing groups)", "Listings of ingredients, as in recipes, labels, or formulas. When a recipe or formula is accompanied by an explanation or directions, the text directions may be copyrightable, but the recipe or formula itself remains uncopyrightable.”", "How do I get copyright protection for my works?", "It is a good idea to include a copyright statement, however. A copyright statement may alleviate any confusion as to the ownership of the work, and it may deter some would-be copiers from publishing your copyrighted works without permission.", "Copyright protection is automatic today. From the moment a work is created in a tangible form (as long as it meets the criteria of uniqueness and originality), it has copyright protection. That is from the moment content that meets the above criteria is saved on a computer, captured by writing down, or drawing on a piece of paper, it has protection. You do not have to register your copyright with the federal government to claim legal ownership of your work.", "It is wise to federally register works, however. Before you can sue for copyright infringement of your work, you must register your copyright with the federal government. Also, to collect the greatest amount in damages if you are successful in an infringement case, you must have registered the work with the U.S. Copyright Office within three months of publication. (See one of our blogs for more details.) The cost to register a copyright is minimal, but the length of time it takes to receive your notice of registration can be eighteen months or more. Make sure you register your work as soon as it is published in order to get the maximum protection under the law.", "Trademark", "What is a trademark and what does trademark law protect?", "A trademark is a word, phrase, symbol, and/or design that identifies and distinguishes the source of goods or services of one party from those of others.", "Trademark law protects brand names like Coca-Cola and Wonder Bread, images like the NBC peacock and the Nike swoosh, and taglines like Nike’s Just Do It, Wendy’s Where’s the Beef, and Allstate’s You’re in Good Hands.", "Often our clients mistakenly think that their logos are protected under copyright. It is a good idea to register a trademark for important logos instead of counting on copyright protection to save them from theft.", "The quote below from Circular 34 of the U.S. Copyright Office makes it apparent that assuming that copyright will protect an important logo is a bad practice.", "“The federal trademark statute covers trademarks and service marks—words, phrases, symbols, or designs that distinguish the goods or services of one party from those of another. The Copyright Office has no role in these matters.”", "Sometimes a logo may be found to have copyright protection in a court of law. However, logos may not always meet the criteria needed to be recognized by the courts as copyright protected or by the U.S. Copyright Office as eligible for copyright registration.", "The art in a logo must pass certain criteria to be recognized as copyrightable. To be copyright protected, works must be fixed in a tangible form, be unique, and must have a certain level of originality determined by the U.S. Copyright Office and/or in a court of law. Many logos, although certainly fixed in tangible forms, would not meet the other criteria for copyright protection. The simplicity often evidenced in really successful logos like the Nike swoosh or the Target circles within circles, may disallow any claim to the level of originality and uniqueness needed for copyright protection.", "How do I protect my trademarks?", "Federal trademark law, unlike copyright law, does not give to creations automatic protection by virtue of being created in a tangible form. State trademark laws can provide some protection if a logo is registered with a state in association with a business that is registered in that state, but the protection is limited to that state.", "Typically the “TM” symbol is carried on the logo to give notice of a claim of common-law rights in a creation. A TM symbol usually is used in connection with an unregistered mark, to inform potential infringers that a term, slogan, logo, or other ownership indicator is being claimed as a trademark. Many use the TM symbol to indicate that they are in the process of registering their mark with the federal government. It is not a given that the TM symbol will protect the work, but displaying it on your work may discourage others from stealing it.", "More about trademark vs copyright", "A federal trademark is registered under one or more of 45 international classes of use. These can be found at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office website. Proof of interstate commerce is required to federally register a trademark. A trademark for a product for which commerce is conducted solely within one state would not qualify for federal trademark registration.", "Let’s use our company as an example of trademark vs copyright.", "Our company Integrated Writer Services, LLC is a legal liability corporation registered in the State of Colorado. We obtained the domain “TheCopyrightDetective.com” and started using it in 2011 in interstate commerce to market our services and sell goods, namely our published works. The website and all its content is protected under copyright laws.", "The first steps in the pursuit of a federal trademark came when we registered the term “Copyright Detective” in Colorado as a trade name for the company, and “The Copyright Detective” was registered with the Colorado Secretary of State as a trademark in two classes of goods and services. We displayed a “TM” after the words The Copyright Detective™ on the header of the website and elsewhere until we received federal trademark protection. Then we started to display the ® symbol.", "The circled “R” symbol means that the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has acknowledged that the mark has been used in interstate commerce for one or more of several classes of goods and/or services. The process of filing for a federal trademark is rather complex. And the least expensive fee per class of goods/services is currently $275 each. Because of the complexity of the process and the required documentation, attorneys who specialize in trademark law are frequently engaged to file for trademark registration.", "Our company filed the phrase “The Copyright Detective” in four international classes 009 and 016 for goods and classes 041 and 045 for services. After 11 months the application was approved as a “Standard Character Mark” without claim to any particular font style, size, or color.", "Protect Your Assets", "The self education and the education of your staff on the laws and processes related to trademark vs copyright ownership is your best protection of a very important asset– your intellectual property.", "Want More About Copyright Law?", "Order your copy of Copyright Clearance for Creatives for a basic overview of copyright law and essential guidelines on when, how, and where to get permission to use copyright content in your works.", "No part of this blog or other pages on this website may be reprinted, reproduced, or utilized in any form or by any electronic means now known or hereafter invented without the express written permission from the copyright holder.", "The Copyright Detective® is a federally registered trademark of Integrated Writer Services, LLC." ] ]

[ "https://www.askamanager.org/2009/08/does-font-on-your-resume-matter-what-if.html", "https://academia.stackexchange.com/questions/88111/why-do-theoretical-computer-science-people-use-comic-sans-in-their-slides", "https://www.adobe.com/sign/hub/features/font-size-and-style-legal-documents.html", "https://scratch.mit.edu/discuss/topic/212163/?page=2", "https://workplace.stackexchange.com/questions/50702/how-do-i-tell-my-boss-to-not-use-comic-sans-as-their-main-email-typeface", "https://www.boia.org/blog/does-comic-sans-benefit-people-with-dyslexia", "https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comic_Sans", "https://thetab.com/uk/edinburgh/2020/08/15/who-is-everyone-hating-on-the-comic-sans-font-and-what-is-their-problem-66563" ]

[ "support", "refute", "support", "support", "support", "support", "support", "refute" ]

[ [ "It’s not a professional font. It was designed to imitate comic book lettering. It’s informal. It’s despised by graphic designers. There’s a movement to ban it.", "Am I going to disregard an otherwise great candidate over it? No. Is it going to mildly annoy me? Yes. Do you want to be mildly annoying hiring managers by using an unprofessional font on your resume and making them wonder why you don’t know it’s not professional? No. Does it potentially contribute to an overall impression of you as unprofessional? Yes.", "The test of a good resume font is one that doesn’t make the reader think about what font you used. Comic Sans fails that test.", "Post navigation", "{27 comments… read them below }", "I am totally on board with the Ban Comic Sans movement. I can't stand when I see it used in a professional setting. In most cases I would not pass on an otherwise qualified candidate, but their poor judgement would be noted. However, if they were applying for a designer position, or one where they would be in charge of sending out correspondece without oversight I would pass on them in a hearbeat.", "I think Comic Sans is completely unprofessional. If I had two candidates who were equal in other ways, I might eliminate someone just because he used this font. If the resume is on the margin, this would cause it to go in the reject pile. At the very least I would have a conversation on the first day, I would have firm conversation about never using this in the workplace. And, it would cause me to preview everything they did until I was sure that they would not use it. I think it is completely unprofessional.", "Choosing funky fonts is not where one should demonstrate their impact. Instead, he or she should show impact where it counts. For example, a graphic designer can demonstrate impact and enthusiasm by creating a custom-designed marketing piece for the prospective employer.", "Comic Sans is horrible. Totally, totally wrong in so many ways. When I was offered my current role, the service agreement was sent to me in Comic Sans. Its hard to take restrictive covenants seriously when they are in such a stupid font. First task on joining…….", "A CV is there to convey information and there are a whole world of other professional fonts available. I would seriously question a candidate using anything like this, particularly in such a quiet market.", "Here's the thing: This particular font provokes a big reaction in people. That's what it's widely known for–the fact that people hate it.", "If I received your friend's resume, I'd wonder if he's one of those people who's always wanting to do things to get a reaction out of people, or just so completely disconnected from the internet and the people it that he really doesn't have a clue that people really, really hate Comic Sans.", "Either way–not so good.", "Incidentally, a lot of people also don't like Times New Roman on a resume, because it's the default font in word. There are a whole lot of people out there who think using the default shows a lack of imagination.", "I usually tell people to use Ariel. It's easy to read, and it's reasonably non-controversial.", "In my mind, Comic Sans has a permanent association with people who write all their e-mails in boldface magenta text and emphasize words ~+*like this*+~ and still send chain forwards full of animated GIFs.", "Do you want to be or look like one of those people? No? Then don't write in Comic Sans.", "Yes, Comic Sans for a resume or any other professional document or correspondence for that matter is bad news.", "In the business world, the typeface you chose becomes part of the communication. It's akin to the outfit you wear to an interview. You MUST make sure that everything you present to a potential employer is \"on message.\"", "Do you want your resume to show up to represent you in a professional looking business suit (one of the more standard business fonts) or dressed like the green lantern?", "I'm not a big fan of Comic Sans. It implies a lack of professionalism and a little immaturity. (Didn't I just love that font for school projects when I was fifteen?) Might as well just throw on a bunch of clip-art while you're at it!", "I think it goes without saying that using Comic Sans for just about anything is a bad idea. It's arguably the most abused font around.", "There are ways to spruce up your resume without relying on Comic Sans, Papyrus, Impact, Brush Script, etc. Experiment with the layout, search for resume templates to use as a starting point and consult online resources to get a good head start on getting hired. Look for best practices. They're called that for a reason.", "Okay, I'll ask. Why is Comic Sans unprofessional? I see everyone complaining that it is, but haven't seen anyone explain why.", "And please don't say it is unprofessional because it looks unprofessional. Tell me why it looks unprofessional.", "Frankly, the whole \"anti-Comic Sans\" movement seems like a fad itself, with everyone jumping on board because no one wants to be left out. The \"I'm more anti-Comic Sans than thou\" attitude seems laughable to me.", "Finally, the fact that so many business professionals seem willing to waste their time (hopefully not their company's time) on such an insignificant bit of trivia seems unprofessional to me.", "Aesthetics are hard to rationally explain — but everyone knows what they're seeing when they see it. Comic Sans is designed to mimic comic book lettering, and it does a good job of it. Comic books don't scream professionalism.", "Personally, I'm quite fond of the Century Gothic font (I like that it mimics the way letters are written by hand without looking handwritten: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Century_Gothic), and use it for almost everything I type informally. But it's sans-serif, so I've never typed a resume or cover letter in that font. Even if it might have been okay, why take the risk?", "Anonymous @ 1:59 PM: \"Unprofessional\" is probably not the best term to use. What Comic Sans is, above all, is informal. It is a typeface that screams \"don't take this to seriously\" and \".. but I may be wrong about this\". It was designed explicitly to do this, and it does it very well.", "Its original purpose was to show unsolicited on-screen hints to inexperienced computer users where it was a priority to avoid the computophobe's reflexive \"argh, it says I have to do what? My computer will explode if I don't follow this prescription to the letter\". Part of the response to this was to make the typeface as unassuming and non-authoritative as possible.", "This has given Comic Sans a reputation as a \"friendly\" typeface. But it is (depending on your point of view) either a condescending or a self-deprecating kind of friendliness, and neither \"condescending\" nor \"self-deprecating\" is a subliminal message you want to send when you apply for a job.", "How does this work? Most generally, it imitates handwriting. Hand-written notes are generally assumed to be less important and authoritative than typewritten or printed ones.", "Many people get the feeling that computer simulated handwriting is kind of cheating too — as if you want to cash in on the \"heartfelt\" connotations of handwriting without risking exposure of your actual ugly shaking hand.", "But Comic Sans does not imitate just any handwriting; it looks like a particular plain and simple 90� upright handwriting — the kind of lettershapes elementary-school students are supposed to learn. As most people grow up they develop, for better or worse, a personal rhythm and flow to their handwriting. Comic Sans seems to imitate a well-behaved 5th-grader's handwriting, or that of someone who never evolved beyond 5th grade. This helps the typeface achieve its goals of looking non-threatening, but again is a subliminal message quite different from what a job seeker wants to send.", "I consider myself reasonably computer savvy and experienced as a recruiter. I didn't realize that there were such strong feelings about font types. As I look at resumes I only consider if the information is readable, organized and tells a story. The font �issue� just seems like such a non-issue it is laughable that it has generated so many comments.", "First, let me say that using Comic Sans is not a good idea on a professional resume for an office-type job.", "Second, I always stick with Times New Roman or Arial as they are the default fonts. So, every recruiter should have them on their PC. This way when I send my resume in a Word file (as requested by the recruiter) their PC will not try to substitute with a different font (and therefore different spacing) making the line and page breaks different than I had planned.", "Third, While using Comic Sans (or anything other than the default fonts in Word (Times New Roman and Arial) is not a good idea I can certainly undestand why some job seekers do this. See Kerry's comment:", "\"There are a whole lot of people out there who think using the default shows a lack of imagination.\"", "Not that Kerry supports this stupid idea, but I have read enough on various blogs and other sites on the web to know that there are a lot of bad recruiters out there who really do think this way.", "So, yea, using Comic Sans is a not a good idea (although not in the same league as hot pink paper or wearing flip-flops to an interview – come on now!); but can you really blame some job seekers for trying something to stand out?", "This job market is the worst since the days of Jimmy Carter – people are trying anything to try to get any job. Give them some slack – will ya?", "P.S. I am only saying \"give them some slack\" so that my competition for jobs will continue to submit poor-looking resumes thereby eliminating themselves from the pool of candidates, thereby giving me an edge on the job market!", "I won't despise it too quickly. This would work if the position is for an artist, day care, or any position that would require a little off beat creativity. As long as the job seekers keeps up with the essential in how to write a resume, it's just fine. Just keep it clean and professional. No grammar errors, no I and me statement, and use specific figures when you can.", "\"I won't despise it too quickly. This would work if the position is for an artist, day care, or any position that would require a little off beat creativity.\"", "I beg to differ. I am a manager at a children's museum who has evaluated scores of resumes for positions in my marketing department, which requires a lot of creativity. Using Comic Sans absolutely does NOT imply creativity, it implies that you think it's creative, which it's not. It is overused and a terrible cliche, especially when it comes to a position working with children, which is quite the opposite of creative.", "I agree with others in that if you want to be creative, play with layout, or show examples of creativity.", "In any case, you are applying for a job. Be professional. It's that simple. I don't care how extreme this seems, but if opening a resume and encountering Comic Sans, I would first ridicule it with the rest of my staff, and then throw it on the bottom of my pile. I am unsure if I would even read it.", "sorry, it's the universal idiot font. the only way i'd call in a candidate for an interview whose resume or other documents were in comic sans is if i had literally no other qualified applicants to choose from. just the revelation that this person does not GET that it's the universal idiot font would make them unsuitable for business.", "This: “In my mind, Comic Sans has a permanent association with people who write all their e-mails in boldface magenta text and emphasize words ~+*like this*+~ and still send chain forwards full of animated GIFs.” (from Rebecca)" ], [ "I have no data to back up this observation, but it's something I have noticed consistently in research talks and teaching material: People from the theoretical CS community seem to use Comic Sans a lot, a font-face that emulates the look and feel of hand-drawn fonts in comic books. Is this merely a convention or is there a deeper reason behind it?", "EDIT1: Since a couple of users requested examples, here's what I came up with in a 5-minute search:", "@Coder I don't think I've seen a math talk with slides in comic sans even once in my life. In fact it's very rare for the slides to use any font other than \"Computer Modern\" (the default LaTeX font)...", "– user9646", "Apr 15, 2017 at 6:18", "3", "I never (I mean ever) saw any TCS presentation using Sans Serif. Are you sure you talk about TCS? and are you sure you talk about SansSerif and not Euler Math font of latex?", "6 Answers", "6", "There's no deeper reason behind it. I think people just like it, particular its informal feel.", "Theoretical computer science is a pretty informal and laid-back field. Although in many fields Comic Sans would be considered unprofessional, the standards for \"unprofessional\" in TCS are much more relaxed. For example, I've observed that it's far more common for professors and students to be on a first name basis with people in the TCS world, and the tone in which papers are written are much less formal. It is typical for times problems to be described with little narratives or jokes, and often problems retain names based on how they were originally presented. For example, there’s the Handshake Lemma, the Traveling Salesman Problem, and the Arthur-Merlin Protocols. That’s not to say that informal names and presentations of theorems don’t exist in other fields, but in TCS I would go as far as to say it is typical.", "Heck, in his recent landmark paper on Graph Isomorphism, Laszlo Babai wrote something that could very reasonably be interpreted as a sex joke. In many fields innuendoes such as the one found in his paper would be considered wildly inappropriate. I don't know if the sex joke was intentional, but the line (although it's been noticed by many people) hasn't seems to cause any blowback or embarrassment.", "\"and the way papers are written are much less formal\" I disagree with that, at least in the scientific content (unless you mean on the tone of the paper, which I agree and which you should clarify to avoid obvious misunderstandings)", "\"Theoretically computer science\" or \"Theoretical computer science\"? I don't know about any theory that predicts the formality of an academic field. (Is an academic field like a magnetic field but emitted by academies?)", "Most users do not think longer than a few seconds about their font choice and its effect. Thus it happens that they think using a comic/quirky/sloppy font is a good idea for a professional talk – even though it’s the typographical equivalent to giving your talk in a clown costume.", "Once they made this choice, this kind of users wants to realise their intention with minimum effort. Hence they browse through their list of fonts – which is most likely the same as the operating system’s default. On many popular operating systems, this will inevitably lead to Comic Sans – even though it’s rather ugly and worn-down for a clown costume.", "Now the field influences how “professional” people are. In a field where formal attire is customary, I would expect Comic Sans to be less likely – but I have already witnessed professors for medicine giving talks in tie, suit, and Comic Sans. Also the field’s predisposition to LaTeX may have an effect as it’s a little bit more difficult to use Comic Sans there.", "@astronat: There are much better fonts for that purpose. Keep in mind that Comic Sans was created in a very short time without that particular goal. There is no reason to expect that it hit the bull’s eye and is the best choice for this purpose. (Further reading).", "\"even though it’s the typographical equivalent to giving your talk in a clown costume\" - thankfully typography probably isn't even in the top 20 most important things to think about when giving a talk :-)", "I don't use it in slides, but I did consciously choose it for use for some time. My reason was that because of its design, it is very much easier to distinguish different letters visually that could be confused (i/I/l/1 etc) at first glance, and for computer based work that can be very important. The instant clarity of what I'm looking at was worth it and it was otherwise easy to read. (Spend 3 hours trying to figure out an issue only to find it's a 1 not an I, or an i not an l somewhere ..... I removed the problem by choosing a font for my text editor that excluded the problem entirely)", "It was the closest widely available font to otherwise-\"standard\" fonts like arial, to clearly shape these letters differently enough to be immediately clear.", "The reason I heard from a professor who does this is that slides in Comic Sans are more memorable. Apparently during an exam students are more likely to remember the poorly placed explanation with the spelling mistake in Comic Sans than the perfectly aligned, worded and spelled explanation in Computer Modern.", "@lighthousekeeper - I'm confused. I skimmed the article you cited, just a bit, and it looked as though the authors used Arial as the \"easy to read\" font and Comic italicized grayscale as one of the harder to read fonts. That seems contrary to what Stilez said.", "@aparente001 Indeed, this seems to be a methodological problem of this study - the authors assume that Comic Sans is hard to read (like the professor in nwp's answer did), without providing a rationale for this assumption.", "I think the reason is that a lot of academics and academic disciplines are by nature anti-establishment. What better way to show that then Comic Sans as a font.", "I think of it is the equivalent of academics wearing shorts or Hawai shirts to work etc. Basically it's saying judge us by our work not by looks, dress, fonts or other such secondary features. In a slightly different sense it's mocking the establishment with their suits and ties and cow-towing to convention and authority. Universities pride themselves on being iconoclasts.", "Now even within academia individual Departments can be less or more conservative. e.g. Economics / Business would run on the conservative side. On the other hand programmers etc. are on the liberal side.", "While the evidence on Comic Sans and dyslexia may still be anecdotal, there is indeed evidence that some fonts are easier for dyslexics to read. That's why I prefer Verdana. Plus, Verdana clearly distinguishes lower-case \"ell\", upper-case \"eye\", and number \"one\"." ], [ "What’s the best legal document font size and style?", "Make your legal documents look professional using court-approved and other common legal font styles and sizes.", "Legal documents need to be clear and legible. That’s why it’s important to use type styles that look clean and professional. Stick with approved fonts and sizes to make your documents easy to read.", "Court-approved legal document fonts.", "Fonts are important for legibility and readability. If you use an “annoying” font style, it may be difficult to read what you wrote. In a legal setting, it’s especially important to make all writing as clear and professional as possible.", "While there’s no one “official” font style for preparing legal documents, there are a few court-approved fonts that are considered most easily readable:", "Arial", "Century (and Century-related fonts like Century Schoolbook)", "Verdana", "Adobe Caslon Pro", "Adobe Sabon", "You might have noticed that Times New Roman and Calibri didn’t make the list. Although many courts and lawyers accept these “default” fonts, they’re not preferred. And — whatever you do — stay away from novelty fonts like Comic Sans. They’ll just make your document look unprofessional.", "If you’re not sure which font to use, you can always read other legal documents that have been accepted by the court or lawyer and use whichever font they chose. That way, you won’t have to wonder if your font is right.", "Font size also matters for legal documents.", "Similarly to the font style, there’s no “standard” font size for legal documents. Courts only require that the font is legible.", "Most courts and lawyers recommend using a 12-point font for legal documents. That’s large enough for anyone to be able to read and still small enough that you can fit plenty of information on a single page. Using an overly large font is obnoxious to read and takes up too many pages.", "What size paper should you use for a legal document?", "Font style and size for legal documents matter — and so does the size of the paper you use. Paper sizing can affect the legibility and flow of a legal document, which is why your choice of paper should be carefully considered.", "Generally, you'll want to use 8.5” x 14” sized paper, which gives ample space for multiple signature blocks or extra content. Margins are normally kept to the standard print size, resulting in 1” margins on every side around unless they are manually altered.", "This type of paper was also known as “foolscap” paper, and has been associated with the legal profession for hundreds of years.", "While longer legal paper is considered the best and most standard option for legal use, you may also use 8.5” by 11” (standard printer paper size) for correspondence as well. This may be more commonly seen as a type of paper used for reference materials, such as printed email citations or testimony transcriptions.", "Simplify legal font styling with Acrobat.", "Adobe solutions make creating legal documents a breeze. You can choose from pre-approved templates that include the right legal document font and size." ], [ "Make the default website font Comic Sans", "Comic Sans, as per others, look unprofessional and very childish. Keep in mind that Scratch is for all ages. Although I would not be bugged very much by font changes, some teens and adults will get annoyed", "However, I do support a feature that changes the default font; maybe an option in the account settings that deals with “site display”.", "as a teen i would definitely be annoyed by this, yes", "All joking aside, though, I would support the option to change fonts in forum posts with BBcode, or implement full settings for font change throughout. ~", "Make the default website font Comic Sans", "It probably is, since Comic Sans is usually used as a joke font and on unprofessional websites. And anyway, why would Comic Sans be used on Scratch, it is meant for comics, which is why it is called Comic Sans. If Scratch was a comic I would support.", "Make the default website font Comic Sans", "<offtopic id=“rant”> Why does Comic Sans get such a bad rep for a few people using it in not the greatest of places? Blame the person, not the font. #ComicSansForPOTUS2016 </offtopic>", "It's not that. Comic Sans is just not a professional font, yet a lot of people are using it in very professional things. At my school, our CS (well, more like learn-about-the-taskbar-and-his-friends-then-learn-about-the-childish-features-of-PowerPoint not-science. LATTAHFTLATCFOPP NS for short) textbook is printed with Comic Sans and just let me tell you that it does not look good at all.", "Comic Sans MS, commonly referred to as Comic Sans, is a sans-serif casual script typeface designed by Vincent Connare and released in 1994 by Microsoft Corporation. It is a casual, non-connecting script inspired by comic book lettering, intended for use in informal documents and children's materials.", "[…]", "Microsoft designer Vincent Connare began work on Comic Sans in October 1994. Connare had already created child-oriented fonts for various applications, so when he saw a beta version of Microsoft Bob that used Times New Roman in the word balloons of cartoon characters, he felt that the result was a formal look inappropriate for a program intended to introduce younger users to computers. His decision was to create a new face based on the lettering style of comic books he had in his office, specifically The Dark Knight Returns (lettered by John Costanza) and Watchmen (lettered by Dave Gibbons).", "EDIT: I'd just like to add that although Scratch does fit the intended use of Comic Sans, the site itself is not intended to be like that. Comic Sans is more when you are sure only kids just getting into computers are going to use it.", "Make the default website font Comic Sans", "<offtopic id=“rant”> Why does Comic Sans get such a bad rep for a few people using it in not the greatest of places? Blame the person, not the font. #ComicSansForPOTUS2016 </offtopic>", "It's not that. Comic Sans is just not a professional font, yet a lot of people are using it in very professional things. At my school, our CS (well, more like learn-about-the-taskbar-and-his-friends-then-learn-about-the-childish-features-of-PowerPoint not-science. LATTAHFTLATCFOPP NS for short) textbook is printed with Comic Sans and just let me tell you that it does not look good at all.", "Comic Sans MS, commonly referred to as Comic Sans, is a sans-serif casual script typeface designed by Vincent Connare and released in 1994 by Microsoft Corporation. It is a casual, non-connecting script inspired by comic book lettering, intended for use in informal documents and children's materials.", "[…]", "Microsoft designer Vincent Connare began work on Comic Sans in October 1994. Connare had already created child-oriented fonts for various applications, so when he saw a beta version of Microsoft Bob that used Times New Roman in the word balloons of cartoon characters, he felt that the result was a formal look inappropriate for a program intended to introduce younger users to computers. His decision was to create a new face based on the lettering style of comic books he had in his office, specifically The Dark Knight Returns (lettered by John Costanza) and Watchmen (lettered by Dave Gibbons).", "EDIT: I'd just like to add that although Scratch does fit the intended use of Comic Sans, the site itself is not intended to be like that. Comic Sans is more when you are sure only kids just getting into computers are going to use it." ], [ "Because they're my superior, I feel awkward bringing it up, but I think it's something that needs to be brought up. How do I word it to my boss so they are not offended but also change their typeface to something more professional?", "The top answer to What is wrong with Comic Sans? on the graphic design site is written with remarkable restraint. Unlike most things written on Comic Sans it is pretty non-offensive, while still getting the point across", "To answer the question title specifically, You don't. You can try all of the suggested answers below to convince him to change his ways on his own, but in a corporate setting, you cannot force your boss to do anything he doesn't want to - and if he wants to use Comic Sans and will not be convinced to change his font type, you should not risk losing your own job over it.", "Why do you think that 1) Everyone who gets the email sees what font it was composed in, rather than the font they prefer to read? and 2) Of those who do see the email in its original font, what percentage do you think actually cares? Oh, and #3: Why on earth do people use anything but ASCII text in email, anyway?", "I started to laugh, but then remembered the time when a student said she couldn't take my business class seriously because I used Comic Sans for a font. (For the record, it was Apple's Chalkboard, but still...)", "Just as an aside, it's interesting how country cultures can differ. In a country like the Netherlands it would be a total non issue to casually mention something like this to your boss and it will be seen as a sign that you actually care. A reaction like \"you should feel awkward bringing it up\" is nearly impossible to imagine over there.", "I read an interesting article the other day, which said that Comic Sans has a mixed reputation in the business. I wonder what our client thinks about it, perhaps they don't care, but just thought I should let you know.", "This gets the message across, doesn't sound condescending, ensures that your manager doesn't lose face, and also saves you from the awkwardness of \"recommending\" a font to your superior, because you are putting the decision in his hands. If your manager is a reasonable person, it is hard to imagine him taking offence to this, especially since you offered to first understand his reason rather than just pass judgement. :)", "In addition, it also lets you save face if the manager has some genuine reason. For example, if the font was the default on his computer and he hasn't figured out how to change it, or the client \"likes\" that font!", "PS: As David K pointed out in the comment, you might want to keep such an article handy. Make sure that it is from a reputed source, not a random blog, and don't send it to your manager unless he insists.", "Consider sending just one email though. One danger of splitting the message is that he can't use the information in the second message to influence his answer to the first message. You first ask him to confess he adores the font, and then tell him the entire world thinks otherwise. If you first tell him about the reputation, only then does he have a real chance to save face and, instead of admitting he loves the font, being aloof and blaming it on his secretary :-)", "@JoeStrazzere: I don't disagree, but it is a pity these non-confrontational openings are sometimes necessary for bringing up such a trivial matter. If it were me using the font with no idea of its reputation, I'd prefer a direct \"Stop using Comic Sans, it's unprofessional,\" after which we both move on to other things.", "@MarcksThomas I would prefer direct communication too, but I found out over time that the threshold for what offends them is very low for a lot of people. Over time, I have gained increased mastery over this practice of sugarcoating the most mundane things, although it makes me cringe each time I do it. :-)", "There is a website Comic Sans Criminal, which allows you to sent your boss an anonymous e-mail informing about the inappropriateness of this font. If you do choose an appropriate timing and are not known as a typography expert at work, it should not be relatable to you.", "Of course, this at most works for this particular problem and if your boss chooses to switch to Papyrus, you need a different solution. Also, you are probably burning the bridge to bring up this topic in a non-anonymous way, should this approach not work.", "Note that I have not tested this service yet and thus do not know whether the mail contains IPs or other identifiable information. Neither do I know what they do with those e-mail adresses. Use at your own risk and better test it with a mail to yourself first.", "Finally note that sharing your boss’s email may be or may be considered a breach of rules.", "I am not so sure it is a good idea to talk to your boss anonymously. This approach might get around this problem, but what about the next time he needs to have an awkward conversation with his boss? Awkward conversations are unavoidable in the workplace, you will run into them sooner or later, especially as you climb up the ladder. It is important to learn how to deal with them directly, than from behind the anonymity of internet.", "Is there a reason to avoid directly asking the question? If you have regular one-on-one's with your boss, you could ask him about this during one of them (if you aren't having them start!). He may simply be unaware of how a typeface can affect the perception of the message.", "I see no need for anonymous communication. This is an opportunity to show you are looking out for the company image and want to help.", "You could start with something like:", "Can I ask you a question about the font you use in email messages? I think you're using Comic-sans and in my experience it can carry a negative connotation, especially in a business setting. This is an area I'm interested in and I'd be happy to help select a strong font to carry our business message to our customers.", "You could also come prepared with the website mentioned @Wrzlprmft's answer. And if you do go the route of wanting to suggest alternatives that are not \"Times Roman\", come prepared with those too. Bring solutions to the table!", "Really the best way to approach your superior about something awkward is either make it a meeting or take them out for lunch. Believe it or not, bosses are people too and they do make mistakes as well. Ask him if you can treat him to a lunch, which will not only help your personal reputation but put him in a setting where he doesn't have his guard up, like most people do at work. If you want to have a meeting, send him an email to schedule something and say you wanted to talk about a few general things that are of concern to you.", "The Conversation", "There's nothing better than being blunt. Truly, there are two ways to go about telling him: professionally or comically. Going the professional route would mean explaining to him all the details of why you're concerned and really showing him that you care about this. The comedic route would result in a small joke that he may or may not brush off by the end of the work day. Either way, do whatever you feel more comfortable with. It's perfectly ok to express any concerns you have in the workplace.", "What Not To Do", "Definitely do not tell him that the font is unprofessional. He will get upset if you insult him. Rather, say that you think that this is petty, but a better font might make the emails look cleaner. Compliment him on his writing or such before you bring this up.", "Never start a conversation by saying that what you're about to say is useless or stupid. It seems to be a habit of people to degrade their topic of discussion before saying it so that they don't seem ridiculous. Make sure it is known that you really care about this topic.", "I would tend to avoid some of the the possibly over-cautious approach of these answers. Of course, subtlety and wit is very important in a corporate environment, and naturally your job is something you want to be very careful with - but brevity is the soul of wit and he/she will appreciate your honesty.", "Think of it this way, he's making a mistake - and he's unaware of it. One can either tell him, risking animosity over negative feedback, or leave him to keep making that mistake and make a fool of himself. He's (hopefully) not a tactless moron and he'll appreciate your courage to step in and try and help him out.", "It's very important that you exercise compassionate speech and comradery in a situation like this, adhering strongly to the principle of \"constructive criticism\". So long as you can stay away from patronizing him or treating him with disrespect he'll probably be very grateful that you decided to inform him.", "If it were me I'd find a time where we were both together under immediate pressure, and say something like", "Hey, I'd been meaning to talk to you actually.", "I'm a little concerned that a lot of people don't see the font you use in your emails as being appropriate for corporate communication - there's a general consensus that it's a kind of silly font. While I don't think any of us are in any way offended, this idea is pretty widespread and I'm just concious that you mightn't know of this. If you'd like I'd be interested in helping pick a font to better represent our business ...", "It might seem childish or blunt to some, but in my own experiences I've found that simple honesty rarely goes amiss - speak your mind in a respectful manner at an appropriate time and there's very little to go wrong :) Good luck!", "In the end it will come down to who the boss is, who the other party is, and their relationship. I don't deny that there are people out there who would take that badly - but if the boss in question is a stable, grounded, man or woman, then honesty is always as sensible path." ], [ "Does Comic Sans Benefit People with Dyslexia?", "Comic Sans is controversial. Since its release in 1994, the playful, Batman-inspired font has been panned as “ugly” and “unprofessional,” particularly when used in situations where comic typefaces might be inappropriate.", "Despite the criticism, Comic Sans remains one of the most popular sans-serif fonts available — and according to some disability advocates, Comic Sans has at least one potentially important application: It may be more legible for people with reading disabilities.", "Does research support using Comic Sans for accessibility?", "In accessibility discussions, it’s important to listen to the experiences of people with disabilities. If someone says that a certain font helps them read, they’re probably telling the truth.", "But it’s also reasonable to be skeptical of these claims: As we’ve discussed in other articles, dyslexia is not a vision disorder. The condition affects a person’s ability to distinguish between phonemes (the sounds that make up words).", "A number of dyslexia-specific fonts are available that claim to improve text legibility by using unique designs for every character. This is based on the idea that people with dyslexia “flip\" characters when reading.", "However, those studies did not specifically investigate Comic Sans as a dyslexia-friendly font. And the design of individual characters isn’t the only factor to consider: The spacing between letters and characters can certainly affect readability.", "Sans-serif fonts do not have extending features (called serifs) at the end of letters and numbers, so there’s usually more space between the characters. Research suggests that this improves reading speed, comprehension, and recall.", "Should I use Comic Sans for accessibility?", "Typefaces may affect web accessibility, but if you want to provide a better experience for readers, Comic Sans isn’t the only option. The best practice is to use a widely available font with no extra decorations or flourishes.", "It’s important to remember that while typeface is important, the size and color of your text will have a much greater impact on accessibility. The Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), considered the international standard for digital accessibility, does not require the use of any specific font.", "However, it does have several important requirements for text:", "WCAG 2.1 SC 1.4.1, “Use of Color,” requires that color is not used as the only visual means of conveying information. For example, you shouldn’t use text color alone to indicate that a certain word is especially important.", "Since users can control the size of text, WCAG doesn’t have requirements for text size. The default font size for web browsers is approximately 16 pixels (px), which is roughly equivalent to 12 points (pts), so the best practice is to stay predictable.", "Creating Accessible Content for All Readers", "As a web designer or developer, your job is to provide the best possible user experience. Following WCAG helps you create content that works for as many people as possible — that includes people with dyslexia, but also people with disabilities that affect their vision, hearing, memory, cognition, and mobility." ], [ "Microsoft designer Vincent Connare began working on Comic Sans in 1994 after having already created other fonts for various applications. When he saw a beta version of Microsoft Bob that used Times New Roman in the word balloons of its cartoon characters, he believed the typeface gave the software an overly formal appearance. He believed this was inappropriate for the aesthetics of the program, which was created to introduce younger users to computers. In order to make Microsoft Bob look more suitable for its intended purposes, he decided to create a new typeface with only a mouse and cursor, based on the lettering style of comic books he had in his office, specifically The Dark Knight Returns (lettered by John Costanza) and Watchmen (lettered by Dave Gibbons).[4]", "Comic Sans Pro is an updated version of Comic Sans created by Terrance Weinzierl from Monotype Imaging. While retaining the original designs of the core characters, it expands the typeface by adding new italic variants, in addition to swashes, small capitals, extra ornaments and symbols including speech bubbles, onomatopoeia and dingbats, as well as text figures and other stylistic alternatives.[7][8][9] Originally appearing as part of Ascender 2010 Font Pack as Comic Sans 2010, it was first released on April Fools' Day, causing some to initially assume it was a joke.[10][11][12]", "Comic Sans has become most infamous for its use in serious circumstances, like warning signs and formal documents, in which it might appear too informal, unprofessional, or inappropriate.[3]", "During the summer of 2010, NBA superstar LeBron James left the Cleveland Cavaliers in free agency, in a highly publicized media affair that culminated in a TV special called The Decision. The majority owner of the team (at the time), Dan Gilbert, reacted by posting a letter to Cavalier fans. The letter was criticized for its use of Comic Sans.[14][15][16]", "In October 2012, a Dutch World War II memorial called Verzoening (\"Reconciliation\") was revealed on which the names of Jewish, Allied and German military deaths alike were written alongside each other in Comic Sans. The names were eventually scraped off after complaints from Jewish organizations, but the rewritten message was once again in Comic Sans. According to the city government, this was done because the letters fit the shape of the stone and were easily visible from a distance. It was, however, criticized for making the memorial appear \"ugly\" and \"cheap\".[17]", "In August 2015, a number of Greek Prime Minister Alexis Tsipras's Syriza party members split and formed a new party, headed by Panagiotis Lafazanis. The official document of resignation was allegedly written in Comic Sans.[19]", "In July 2018, a statue of former Chilean President Pedro Aguirre Cerda was inaugurated in Santiago. The plaques on the monument were written in Comic Sans, drawing negative attention on social media.[20]", "In October 2019, when the United States House Intelligence Committee requested that two of Rudy Giuliani's associates, Lev Parnas and Igor Fruma, present documentation regarding their involvement in the Ukraine scandal, former Trump attorney John Dowd penned a letter of explanation printed in Comic Sans.[21]", "That same month, as part of the United Kingdom's Brexit debate, the Conservative Party tweeted an image stating \"MPs must come together and get Brexit done\" using Comic Sans.[22] The post was heavily mocked, but some commentators saw it as a deliberate attempt to use the typeface's notoriety in order to bring their message to a wider audience.[23]", "A research article published by Cognition in 2010 showed disfluency could lead to improved retention and classroom performance. The article stated that disfluency can be produced merely by adopting fonts that are slightly more difficult to read.[25] In the case studies cited in the article, Comic Sans was used to introduce disfluency.[26] A 2010 Princeton University study involving presenting students with text in a font slightly harder to read found that they consistently retained more information from material displayed in fonts perceived as ugly or disfluent (Monotype Corsiva, Haettenschweiler, and Comic Sans Italic) than in a simpler, more traditional typeface such as Helvetica.[25]", "More often, however, Comic Sans is described as especially legible, and is frequently used in school settings or as an aid for people with dyslexia.[27][additional citation(s) needed] Some people have reported that typing in Comic Sans has helped to clear writer's block, claiming that its casual appearance and high legibility create less mental tension.[28] Compared to other typefaces, Comic Sans has fewer rotated and mirror-image glyphs (ex. the letters \"b\", \"d\", \"p\", and \"q\"), has particularly wide letter spacing, and is sans serif.[29][27][30]", "Several reinterpretations of Comic Sans have been created as a result of its popularity. In April 2014, font designer Craig Rozynski released a modernized version of Comic Sans called Comic Neue. In 2015, graphic designer Ben Harman created Comic Papyrus (later renamed \"Comic Parchment\" for legal reasons), which combines the features of Comic Sans with the similarly panned typeface Papyrus.[31] In 2019, Tabular Type Foundry released Comic Code, a monospaced version of the typeface.[32]", "In 2017, it was reported that Vincent Connare, the typeface's designer, had only used it once.[33]", "Because of its ubiquity and misuse, Comic Sans has been opposed by graphic designers. The Boston Phoenix reported on disgruntlement over the widespread use of the typeface, especially its incongruous use for writing on serious subjects, with the complaints urged on by a campaign started by two Indianapolis graphic designers, Dave and Holly Combs, via their website \"Ban Comic Sans\".[34] The movement was conceived in 1999 by the two designers after an employer insisted that one of them use Comic Sans in a children's museum exhibit. The website's main argument is that a typeface should match the tone of its text and that the humorous appearance of Comic Sans often contrasted with a serious message, such as a \"do not enter\" sign.[35] The movement ran until 2019, when it was renamed \"Use Comic Sans,\" which was because Dave Combs believed the hatred had \"gotten out of hand\" and \"it's gotten to be so bad that it's almost cool again.\"[36]", "Dave Gibbons, whose work was one of the inspirations for Comic Sans, said that it was \"a shame they couldn't have used just the original font, because [Comic Sans] is a real mess. I think it's a particularly ugly letter form.\"[37]", "Film producer and The New York Times essayist Errol Morris wrote in an August 2012 posting, \"The conscious awareness of Comic Sans promotes—at least among some people—contempt and summary dismissal.\" With the help of a professor, he conducted an online experiment and found that Comic Sans, in comparison with five other typefaces (Baskerville, Helvetica, Georgia, Trebuchet MS, and Computer Modern), makes readers slightly less likely to believe that a statement they are reading is true.[38]", "In the Netherlands, radio DJs Coen Swijnenberg and Sander Lantinga decided to celebrate the typeface by having a Comic Sans day on the first Friday of July. Comic Sans Day has been held since 2009. Some Dutch companies have their website in Comic Sans on this day.[39]", "According to a 2020 Twitter poll held by TES, 44% of teachers sampled used Comic Sans in their teaching resources. Comic Sans is widely used in schools due to its high legibility.[better source needed] Other reasons include:[27]", "Vincent Connare is reportedly not offended by the negative backlash over Comic Sans. At the Fourth Annual Boring Conference, he claimed to find the contempt for his work to be \"mildly amusing.\"[40] He has stated that he is proud of his creation, offering different rationales. One of these was that \"Comic Sans does what it was commissioned to do, it is loved by kids, mums, dads and many family members. So it did its job very well. It matched the brief!\" He has also referred to it as \"the best joke I've ever told.\"[41] In 2014, commenting on Comic Sans' critics and fans alike, Connare said, \"If you love it, you don't know much about typography, [but] if you hate it, you really don't know much about typography either, and you should get another hobby.\"[42][43]", "Lauren Hudgins of The Establishment argued that people who use Comic Sans should be treated with respect, not mockery, because \"people without dyslexia need empathy for those who need concessions to manage the disability.\"[44]", "On May 22, 2012, The Comic Sans Song[46] was released by YouTube content creator and musician Gunnarolla, in collaboration with musician Andrew Huang. The song makes reference to Comic Sans and features commentary around the impact the font has had on pop-culture.", "In October 2022, Comic Sans became the representative of Dyslexia Scotland and their ad campaign, There's Nothing Comic About Dyslexia.[55] The campaign's purpose is to inform people on the typeface's benefits among dyslexic people, and to encourage the creation of typefaces that are more formal, but also dyslexic-friendly.", "The song \"Tacky\" by Weird Al Yankovic, a parody of \"Happy\" by Pharrell Williams, features Yankovic listing a number of \"tacky\" behaviors ranging from stylish faux pas to obnoxious and rude behaviors as examples of what makes a person potentially \"tacky.\" Among them is writing a resume in Comic Sans.", "^Terri Stone (4 April 2011). \"Comic Sans Pro Not an April Fool's Joke |\". CreativePro.com. Archived from the original on 2015-04-18. Retrieved 2015-04-17. The Comic Sans typeface, one of Microsoft's most popular designs, has received a makeover courtesy of Monotype Imaging. Today the company has introduced the four-font Comic Sans Pro family of typefaces. Featuring elements such as speech bubbles and cartoon dingbats, Comic Sans Pro extends the versatility of the original Comic Sans, designed by Vincent Connare for Microsoft in 1994.", "^Hudgins, Lauren (2019-04-15). \"Hating Comic Sans Is Ableist\". The Establishment. Archived from the original on 2019-12-13. Retrieved 2019-12-21. Comic Sans is recommended by the British Dyslexia Association and the Dyslexia Association of Ireland...People without dyslexia need empathy for those who need concessions to manage the disability.", "^Sotomayor, Bella Vanessa (December 15, 2016). \"UNDERTALE: A Game That Is Still Amazing Today\". ComicsVerse. Archived from the original on 7 May 2020. Retrieved 20 March 2020. Some of the characters also have different fonts in their text boxes, which highlights their different personalities. For example, two brothers named Sans and Papyrus use the comic sans and papyrus fonts in their text boxes, respectively." ], [ "Who is everyone hating on the Comic Sans font and what is their problem?", "There are few things more controversial and hated than the Comic Sans font. There are memes online about it, tweets of hatred and even petitions for its removal – yes, seriously. It’s incredible that the curvature and spacing of letters can evoke such emotions.", "I have had enough of this unnecessary hatred. For one, Comic Sans is actually the most accessible font for dyslexic people.", "More importantly, how exactly is your life so boring that you have all this free time to hate on, wait for it, a font? I’m almost impressed by your passion. Almost.", "Where the font began?", "Comic Sans is a 90’s baby (like the best of us) described as “a non-connecting script inspired by comic book lettering, intended for use in informal documents and children’s materials”. Originating from comic books is pretty cool if you ask me. Vincent Connare, its inventor, cites The Dark Knight comic as one of the inspirations.", "Comic Sans is also the bad boy of all the fonts. Connare said it “was breaking the typography rules” due to the difference in heights of all the letters. So, if you’re looking to spice up your next piece of coursework, I dare you to submit it in Comic Sans.", "Where did the hatred start?", "Honestly, we’ll never know. Maybe the perception of it as childlike makes adults want to distance themselves to show they have outgrown the need for Comic Sans.", "Please know that if you ever see me using Comic Sans on my Instagram story it is because I am embroiled in a hostage situation and I’m trying to signal to you that something is very wrong", "Whether people hate the font because it’s “childish” or because they have nothing better to do, online mockery is everywhere. There’s even a website called Comic Sans Criminal to call out people for using the font. It even includes a name and shame section. I wish I were joking.", "https://www.comicsanscriminal.com/", "Whilst people are entitled to their own opinions on fonts, the argument that the font is childish and unprofessional is entirely down to systematic prejudices.", "Why Comic Sans is actually elite", "Comic Sans is listed by The British Dyslexia Association as one of the best fonts to use for people with learning disabilities such as dyslexia. Citing that it spaces the letters out more so than other fonts (*cough* Times New Roman *cough*). With it being estimated that in the UK one in ten people have dyslexia, this font’s accessibility should be celebrated.", "If you are hating on Comic Sans just because it looks unprofessional, ask yourself why? How can the way letters are arranged on a screen dictate so much meaning?", "Get off your Helvetica high horse.If a font makes reading something easier, I don’t understand the issue.", "https://www.instagram.com/p/CDp_sixh12I/", "If you have joined the band wagon of hating Comic Sans for absolutely no reason at all, please consider why you hate it so much. I am not by any means saying that the font is the best and only font that should be used. I merely want people to stop the Comic Sans witch-hunt.", "If Comic Sans were a club, it would be Hive: polarising but accessible to everyone.", "People say they don’t like it, but really, you can’t deny it is good fun." ] ]

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