This Copyright and Intellectual Property Policy outlines the ownership and usage rights of all materials created, used, or provided by DesignVault Studio. By engaging with our services, you agree to the terms and conditions outlined in this policy.
1. Ownership of Deliverables
DesignVault Studio retains ownership of all creative materials, designs, concepts, and project deliverables produced until full payment has been received. Upon final payment, ownership of the agreed-upon deliverables is transferred to the client, including:
- All digital files and assets created specifically for the project.
- Intellectual property rights to use, reproduce, and distribute these deliverables as outlined in the project agreement.
2. Rights Granted to the Client
Upon completion of payment, the client is granted the following rights to the final deliverables:
- Full Ownership Rights: Clients receive exclusive ownership rights to final project assets, allowing them to use, modify, and distribute these assets for their intended purposes.
- Commercial Use: Clients are permitted to use the deliverables in commercial, marketing, or promotional efforts, as outlined in the project scope.
These rights do not extend to any underlying proprietary assets, templates, or software used by DesignVault Studio in the creation of the final deliverables unless explicitly agreed upon in writing.
3. Rights Retained by DesignVault Studio
DesignVault Studio reserves the following rights, unless otherwise agreed in writing:
- Portfolio Use: We retain the right to display final deliverables in our portfolio, website, social media, and promotional materials as examples of our work. This includes showcasing project designs and sharing case studies, provided no confidential client information is disclosed.
- Template and Asset Reuse: DesignVault Studio may retain any templates, generic assets, or processes created during the project for internal use or future projects, provided they do not include any unique, client-specific customizations.
- Copyright for Non-Transferred Work: We retain all copyrights and intellectual property rights for preliminary concepts, rejected designs, and any work not included in the final deliverable.
4. Use of Third-Party Materials
If the project requires the use of third-party materials, such as fonts, stock images, or software, DesignVault Studio will:
- Clearly communicate the use and cost of any third-party assets.
- Obtain the appropriate licenses on behalf of the client if required, or advise the client to obtain their own licenses.
- Provide details of any licenses for client records, ensuring compliance with third-party usage terms.
The client will be responsible for any additional costs related to third-party materials and for adhering to the third-party terms of use.
5. Client-Provided Materials
Any materials provided by the client for use in the project (e.g., logos, text, images) remain the client’s intellectual property. By providing these materials, the client warrants that they have the necessary rights and permissions to use and share them with DesignVault Studio. DesignVault Studio will not be held liable for any copyright infringement resulting from client-provided materials.
6. Prohibited Uses
Clients are prohibited from:
- Reselling or distributing the deliverables in a manner inconsistent with the agreed-upon scope without prior written consent.
- Claiming design elements, code, or proprietary processes developed by DesignVault Studio as their own original work, unless such ownership was explicitly transferred.
- Altering or misrepresenting the work in a way that negatively impacts the reputation or brand of DesignVault Studio.
7. Modifications and Derivative Works
The client has the right to modify the final deliverables or create derivative works. However, if such modifications involve substantial changes, DesignVault Studio is not responsible for any loss of functionality, quality, or intellectual property conflicts resulting from these alterations.
8. Indemnification
The client agrees to indemnify and hold harmless DesignVault Studio against any claims, damages, liabilities, or expenses arising from:
- Unauthorized use of third-party materials.
- Misuse of deliverables outside the terms of this policy.
- Infringement of intellectual property rights resulting from client-provided materials.
9. Policy Updates
DesignVault Studio reserves the right to update this Copyright and Intellectual Property Policy as needed. Any changes will be communicated to clients and posted on our website. Continued use of our services following changes constitutes acceptance of the revised terms.