Is Your Flyer Design Breaking The Law? (Where To Get Free Elements Online For Your Printing)

If you're a business owner, you've probably dealt with trademarking at some point. Most people know about Intellectual Property Rights, Copyright Law and Trademarking (Taylor Swift's filing another copyright lawsuit, isn't she?). But many don't realise these laws apply to something as basic as their flyer design.

I've seen this countless times at Printulu. Clients send flyer design briefs with images pulled straight from Google, insisting they HAVE to be on the artwork. Never mind that it's usually some cringy stock photo — sometimes with the watermark still on it!

Even worse, I've had clients send pictures from Clipart claiming this... masterpiece... was their logo. Low-res and all!

The watermark clearly shows that this image belongs to someone else (in this case, 123RF.com).

Many people get away with it, especially when running small businesses that fly under the radar. But what happens when your business grows? What if the image owner sees it? Does your small business really have money to spare battling a lawsuit?

I'm guessing not. Since I'm here to help you avoid a sad prison cell (and I'm tired of dealing with low-res stolen images), I've compiled a list of useful websites where you can legally source your design elements.

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A good graphic designer should know copyright law inside out. If they don't, you're not just getting poor design — you're risking your business.

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Printulu Academy

But first, let's define what a good designer actually is.

How do I know if my graphic designer knows what they're doing?#

There are loads of design rules and principles that any designer worth their salt knows about. More on that here: 10 Design Do's and Don'ts You Don't Want To Miss! (Designers Cringe at Number 3).

Here's the bottom line: A good graphic designer provides your company with creative work that speaks to your brand and makes it understandable to your audience. They give your business a face, a vibe, a personality — and make it functional too.

Good graphic design is essential for your business's long-term success. But it can be as pretty as a picture — if it doesn't follow South African laws, you're heading for deep trouble.

Your graphic designer should know these laws. But if you're wondering whether you've chosen the right professional, here are the basics they need to follow.

Use free fonts that are 100% free for your flyer design#

Some fonts are downloadable but specify they're only for personal projects. This means as soon as you use the font for something that might help you make money (like a promotional flyer or business card), you could land in big trouble.

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Here are a few of my personal favourite font websites:#

1. Google Fonts
2. DaFont
3. Font Squirrel
4. FontSpace
5. 1001 Fonts
6. Fontspring
7. Urban Fonts
8. FontStruct
9. Behance
10. Abstract Fonts

Where to find high-resolution, FREE images for your next design idea:#

1. Pexels
2. Unsplash
3. Reshot
4. Pixabay
5. Stockvault
6. Morguefile
7. Picjumbo
8. Pikwizard
9. Rawpixel

Simply type in a keyword ("woman smiling", "family packing", for example), and you're sorted. Word of caution though: Don't just right-click and save the image to your PC. Use the download button to ensure you're getting optimal resolution.

If this sounds like too much hassle, remember that when you brief me, there's an option to add a link. Simply send me the link of images you want from any of these websites, and I can use them.

Why use stolen stock images when you can have amazing free photography instead? (Credit: Unsplash)

If you're passionate about video, make sure you use royalty-free music.#

This is slightly more well-known, but people still gloss over it. Trust me, you don't want Taylor Swift on your heels because you used her latest hit in your promotional video.

Luckily this isn't something you need to worry about when printing promotional merchandise. But if you're adding videos to your marketing mix, make sure you (or your graphic designer) use these sites. Remember to check if you need to credit the artist, and you're good to go.

1. Bensound
2. HookSounds
3. No Copyright Sounds on YouTube
4. Filmstro
5. Purple Planet Music
6. Free Music Archive

And if you don't feel like following these laws?#

I've talked big about how much trouble copyright infringement could spell for your business. But just how much trouble are we talking? The answer is: definitely not worth it.

Take the 2009 Guess VS Gucci battle. Gucci sued Guess for infringing on five Gucci trademarks, including similar logos.

Guess used many of Gucci's distinctive marks: the green and red stripe on handbags, the repeating inverted GG pattern, and the company's brown and beige colours (mostly with diamond patterns).

Gucci won. Guess paid $4.7 million — roughly R70 million. Got that lying around?

P.S. If you don't have a design professional handy, Printulu offers top-notch in-house design services. We know how to keep your business out of trouble and headed for huge success! If you're not sure how to brief us, simply email support@printulu.co.za and we'll help you out.

Further Reading:#

• 1Copyright Basics Every Graphic Design Client Needs To Know
• 25 Important Facts You Need to Know about Graphic Design, Copyright & IP that Design School Didn't Teach You
• 3Copyright Law in South Africa

Related Articles:#

• 110 Design Do's and Don'ts You Don't Want To Miss! (Designers Cringe at Number 3)
• 2Why Your Print Work Looks Cheap (And Your Client Can Tell)
• 3Print Design Guides
• 4Pamphlets: Design To Make An Impression (How To Stay Memorable)