Help: selling unsolicited positive images to a corporation

<p>I was preparing a set for a contest and realized I can't use one of the images dues to logo infringement. It is a image that shows one of the major delivery companies in a good light. Additionally, I have four or five derivative images of that one as well. <br>

Does any have experience or an advice how to contact the company and to sell/licence them the images.<br>

Best</p>

<p>Serhiy</p>

Is having a logo in the image against the contest rules?

<p>Yes, it is. </p>

<p>More complex that you'd think. </p>

<p>Firstly the name of the department that handles marketing communications for a company varies. Might be Marketing, might be Publicity , might be a half dozen other things.</p>

<p>Second because you don't have the names of specific people to write to or phone. Many telephone receptionists will simply refuse to put you through to anyone if you don't have a name, or even tell you who the right person is. They regard that information as confidential and see their role as protecting staff from being solicited to buy stuff rather than helping you to reach them. And behind all that there's a good chance that in a large company the receptionist doesn't know whose job it is to buy images. </p>

<p>Third because the organisation may well subcontract the preparation of Marcomms. materials to an ad agency, design agency, promotions company, a direct marketing agency or all of these and more. Those companies generally have the task of sourcing the images they need to support their approved activities. The company is likely to have final approval, but the job of finding images lies with the Agency creating the material. Then within the Agency the task of finding the images can fall on any one of several job titles and within that , alternative people. The company whose products are being advertised may well not even know the name of the agency person searching out images for their brand's campaigns.</p>

<p>Finally the way the creative process works doesn't usually involve holding a stock of nice pictures somewhere in the creation chain. More likely the work is developed and then if the end client shows interest in an approach, an image search will begin, or a decision is made that if the work goes ahead then original photography (or whatever) will be commissioned. In other words the images are sourced to fit a concept much more often than the concept is made to fit round a picture. Bear in mind there's egos at stake here.</p>

<p>IMO just about the only chance you have of making this work is to call the Head Office and ask the receptionist for the name of the person that runs Marketing or Marketing Communications. They might know, they might tell you, and less likely they might try to put you through. If you get a name then a quick look at the company's website or communications might tell you how the company structures its email addresses so from a name you can have a shot at deriving an email address. Alternatively you can write. Neither writing nor email guarantees that that person will ever see or choose to open your communication. </p>

 

<p>Thank you David for such a thought out and in-depth response. It is daunting. I would rather spend my effort winning a contest and just bettering my craft. I do like you idea of just calling the Head Office. One shot. <br>

Thank you.<br>

Best<br>

Serhiy</p>

Call Purchasing.

<p>Reality check. Major corporations rarely buy unsolicited photographs. When they need photos, especially for advertising, they hire a photographer. And since they are generally very specific about their image the photos they have shot are done under extremely controlled conditions. There can be art directors, stylists, professional models, etc. If it were a delivery company, the truck would likely be a brand new one right off the assembly line, waxed and polished beyond perfection. The "driver" would be a model, as would anybody else in the picture. They also hire photographers to shoot real life people at corporate events -- conferences, product announcements, news conferences, etc. -- but that's not what you're talking about here.<br /><br />If you have a photo of one of their drivers rescuing a baby from a burning building, maybe you've got a sale. If it's one of their drivers petting a dog or smiling at a kid as he drops off a package, save your time.</p>