VistaPrint Offer - My Concern -Question to Clarify

[Heather Boyd]

Hello beautiful people!

When I posted my business card on IG and tagged VistaPrint, yesterday I received this message:

Hey, nice photo! We’d love to spotlight it on our site and in our marketing. If that’s okay with you, please reply to this comment with #YesVistaprint. Terms and Conditions: https://www.vistaprint.com/hub/social-curations-terms-and-conditions

Has anyone ever received this and agreed or know of anyone who has, or done something similar with such terms and conditions?

Now I read through them. But I need clarification on what this part means:

Further, you waive any claims to royalties with regards to your image or our finished work.

If you need more context I provided the link, it's not a long read (3 minutes). What I am reading is when they make money, I don't. But can I still use my own image(s) to sell on other products (prints etc)?

Also I don't appreciate this:

"While VistaPrint may give you credit for your photo and provide a link back to your Instagram or Twitter account, you agree that such credit is not mandatory and your permission for us to use your image is not contingent upon such credit being given."

Anyways, as always thank you for your time and feedback.

[Mia Clarke]

@Heather-Boyd Basically, this agreement allows them to indefinitely use, modify and reproduce your image, without paying you, and without providing any reference back to you. They might link back to you, but I think you should assume that they won’t. They are asking you to get your art for free. The agreement is non exclusive and you will still retain the right to your image, but since the agreement is non-rescindable you won’t be able to sell the image to anyone else under any exclusive contract, ever. You can never tell them to stop using your image, so if they flip out and start using your image in nazi propaganda in 30 years, you’ll have no right to tell them to stop. Note that I don’t think they’ll do that, but in theory they could. The agreement also states that they are free to give the image away to any third party for use, which basically means you’ll have no control over who will reproduce your work, and for what purpose they’ll do it.

I think there are many facets to this question, and how you proceed will depend in large part on how you feel a large company should act when it comes to paying artists for their work, and how concerned you are about your work being used to sell things you might not support. If you are happy to give things for free to a big corporation, if you don’t want or expect anything in return, if you don’t mind what your work is being used to promote. and don’t have any plans on selling this image to anyone else under an exclusive agreement - go for it.

Personally, I think companies should pay artists in money rather than some possible exposure, but you get to decide what you do with your art, of course.

[Heather Boyd]

@Mia-Clarke Thank you so much for clarifying. I agree 100% with you. Much appreciated.

[Mia Clarke]

@Heather-Boyd It’s not part of this thread, but I think your art is really beautiful. I love how organic, yet somehow also simple, your shapes are. It’s really stunning.

[Heather Boyd]

@Mia-Clarke Thank you for your kindness. Be blessed.

[NickyDrew]

@Heather-Boyd Ya, I'd be super cautious about that agreement- I definitely agree with Mia's thoughts. Also wanted to say I just signed up for your newsletter!

[Heather Boyd]

@NickyDrew Oh wow, thank you so much. Such a wonderful surprise -about subscribing to my Newsletter!

And thanks for sharing your thoughts.