Product Development now manages and is responsible for licensing Postal Service™ merchandise commercially and for granting permission to the public for non-commercial, one-time, or limited use of trademarks and copyrighted materials. Product Development will operate through: (a) Licensing and (b) Integration and Planning.
Administrative Support Manual (ASM)
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3 Communications
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33 Communications with the Public
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333 Community Relations
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333.6 Endorsement of Non-Postal Products, Services, or Businesses
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333.64 Responsibilities
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[Revise title and text of 333.647 to read as follows:]
333.647 Licensing, Product Development
Licensing, Product Development:
a. Ensures that merchandise bearing Postal Service trademarks, symbols, images, and icons not sold in Postal Service Retail is of high quality, consistent with the Postal Service brand, and in accordance with brand guidelines set forth by Brand Equity and Design within Public Affairs and Communications.
b. Approves or disapproves requests for product licensing, and determines who is allowed to manufacture products bearing Postal Service intellectual property and where the products can be sold commercially.
c. Uses Brand Equity and Design guidelines and establishes program style guides to determine if products being submitted for approval are consistent with the Postal Service brand.
For more information on licensing policies and the licensing program see subchapter 66, Licensing.
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6 Support Services
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66 Licensing
[Revise title and text of 661 to read as follows:]
661 Responsibilities of Product Development
Product Development at Headquarters (HQ) manages the licensing program and is authorized to grant permission to persons to:
a. Produce officially licensed merchandise for commercial use,
b. Use Postal Service trademarks and copyrighted materials, and
c. Grant rights of access to Postal Service facilities and vehicles for film, photography, and other media purposes. Such permission is managed through Licensing and Integration and Planning. Brand Equity and Design, Public Affairs and Communications, also reviews requests to use trademarks. Use the following table to determine which organization you need to contact:
For…
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for this use…
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contact this organization…
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Permission to produce officially licensed merchandise
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Limited
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(No approval granted)
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Commercial
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Licensing, Product Development, Marketing
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Permission to use trademarks and copyrighted materials
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Limited
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Integration and Planning, Product Development, Marketing
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Commercial
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Licensing, Product Development, Marketing
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Permission for access to Postal Service facilities and vehicles for film, photography, and other media purposes
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Limited
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Integration and Planning, Product Development, Marketing
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Commercial
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Reviews to determine if products being submitted for approval are consistent with the Postal Service brand
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Limited
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Brand Equity and Design, Public Affairs and Communications (requests are directed to Product Development and forwarded to Brand Equity and Design for review)
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Commercial
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[Revise title and text of 662 to read as follows:]
662 Licensing
Licensing, Product Development, determines which persons are allowed to develop products bearing Postal Service trademarks and copyrighted materials and where those products can be sold commercially.
662.1 Purchase of Postal Service Officially Licensed Merchandise
When employees purchase merchandise for use in their office or otherwise as part of their employment and the merchandise has a trademark, stamp design, or other image owned by the Postal Service, the employee must confirm that the merchandise is the Postal Service’s “officially licensed merchandise.” If an employee determines that a particular vendor is not a Postal Service licensee, he or she should notify Licensing, Product Development, at the address, e-mail, or fax number in 662.3.
662.2 Definition of Officially Licensed Merchandise
Officially licensed merchandise is any product purchased by or licensed from the Postal Service that displays or incorporates trademarks or copyrighted materials such as: stamps, photographs, or other images. The product, its packaging, or both must carry a hang-tag or label or a statement that the item is “officially licensed merchandise” or is under license from the Postal Service.
662.3 Information on Licensed Merchandise
Direct questions about the Licensing program to:
LICENSING
UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
475 L’ENFANT PLZ SW RM 1P801
WASHINGTON DC 20260-0801
e-mail: licensing@usps.com
Fax: 202-268-2207
[Add 663 to read as follows:]
663 Rights and Permissions
Integration and Planning, Product Development, manages:
a. The use of Postal Service trademarks and copyrighted materials by businesses, individuals, nonprofits, the media, and the entertainment industry when the materials are to be sold or otherwise distributed or used on a limited basis.
b. Permission to film and take still photographs on Postal Service property (this includes granting access to the property and granting permission to film or take photographs on the premises).
c. Permission for the commercial filming and photography of Postal Service vehicles and other items bearing a trademark or copyrighted material owned by the Postal Service not located on Postal Service premises.
663.1 Brand Equity and Design
The manager, Brand Equity and Design, reviews proposed Postal Service trademark use to determine if the proposed use is consistent with the Postal Service brand.
663.2 Uses Requiring Permission
The following uses of a Postal Service trademark or copyrighted material require prior approval from Integration and Planning, Product Development.
663.21 Nonprofit and Personal Use
Nonprofit and personal publication, distribution, display, or reproduction of a Postal Service trademark or copyrighted material(s) that does not generate income or is not used to promote the generation of income.
663.22 Commercial Use
Commercial use includes any publication, distribution, display, or reproduction of a Postal Service trademark or copyrighted material(s) by an entity or individual for profit-making, commercial purposes.
663.23 Requests to Film on Postal Service Premises
Filming and still photography on Postal Service premises requires a location agreement with the Postal Service, even if the use is noncommercial.
663.3 Uses That Do Not Require Permission
The following uses of copyrighted material generally do not require prior approval from Integration and Planning:
663.31 Fair Use Exceptions
The use of stamp images, brochures, print advertisements, or other copyrighted materials for educational and news reporting purposes generally do not require prior approval from Integration and Planning. The Postal Service does not require a license for an educational use that is noncommercial and limited to teaching, scholarship, and research. Likewise, it does not require one for the reporting of current news in newspapers, news magazines, news journals, and other media.
For the aforementioned uses, users must cite the source of the image, the United States Postal Service, and include language crediting the Postal Service and noting its rights, such as: “© United States Postal Service. All rights reserved.”
All aforementioned uses must consist of the unaltered, original image or text as issued or published by the Postal Service. Any modification or alteration to an image or to text constitutes an unauthorized use.
663.32 Media Requests
Direct media requests to use Postal Service trademarks and copyrighted materials in reporting current news in newspapers, news magazines and news journals to Media Relations, Public Affairs and Communications.
663.33 Postal Service Exception for Philatelic Advertising
The use of stamp images and other copyrighted philatelic materials in philatelic advertising does not require prior approval from Integration and Planning. Philatelic advertising use is use of stamp images and other copyrighted philatelic materials in advertising matter, circulars, or price lists to illustrate the postage stamps being sold or the postage stamps in the philatelic items being sold.
Users must cite the source of the image, the United States Postal Service, and include language crediting the Postal Service and noting its rights, such as: “© United States Postal Service. All rights reserved.”
All uses must consist of the unaltered, original image or text as issued or published by the Postal Service. Any modification or alteration to an image or to text constitutes an unauthorized use.
663.4 Permission Requests
Any Postal Service employee receiving a request from an individual, business, or other organization to publish, distribute, display, or reproduce Postal Service trademarks and copyrighted materials such as photographs, stamps, or other images, or a request to create images of Postal Service structures, employees, operations, or murals or the like must direct the request to Integration and Planning for consideration and handling. Information about the program can be found at www.usps.com/rightsandpermissions.
All requests for permission must be submitted using the Rights and Permissions application found at www.usps.com/rightsandpermissions.
Direct questions to:
INTEGRATION AND PLANNING RIGHTS AND PERMISSIONS
UNITED STATES POSTAL SERVICE
475 L’ENFANT PLZ SW RM 3300
WASHINGTON DC 20260-3300
e-mail: permissions@usps.gov
Fax: 202-268-8861
663.41 Fee Information and Fee Exceptions
663.411 Application Fees
Unless otherwise specified in this section, a non-refundable application fee must accompany each application. The application fee can be found at www.usps.com/rightsandpermissions.
663.412 Royalty Fees
A royalty fee may be charged for the use of Postal Service intellectual property for commercial uses or large-scale projects by a nonprofit organization. The royalty fee amount is based on the number of images or trademarks, intended application, medium of use, and production scale. The minimum royalty fee can be found at www.usps.com/rightsandpermissions.
663.413 Reproduction and Administrative Fees
The Postal Service may charge reproduction and administrative fees to recover costs associated with creating digital images, copying images, reproducing video, shipping and handling, and retrieving images. Reproduction and administrative fees, if any, will be assessed at the time the application is processed.
663.414 Use of Postal Service Corporate Logo or Other Trademark to Indicate Shipping Option
Requests to use the Postal Service corporate logo for the sole purpose of indicating a mailing or shipping method must be made using the Rights and Permissions application; however, no application or royalty fee is required.
663.415 Postal Service Requested Use
If the Postal Service requests that an individual or entity use trademarks or copyrighted materials, no application or royalty fee will be required.
663.416 Federal Government Use
No application or royalty fee is required for requests submitted by any entity of the government of the United States.
663.42 Permission to Film and Photograph Postal Property
663.421 Written Permission Required
Before giving individuals, businesses, media entities, or other entities access to Postal Service vehicles or Postal Service premises to film or take photographs, an employee must confirm that Integration and Planning has granted written permission to do so.
663.422 Certificate of Insurance Required
Filming approval requires the coordination of local Postal Service officials. In addition, at their own cost and expense, approved applicants will be required to present a Certificate of Insurance at least 3 days before filming, naming the Postal Service as an additional insured party. The insurance must include: (a) General Liability; (b) Automobile Liability; (c) Property All Risks Insurance, which shall contain a waiver of subrogation in favor of the Postal Service; and (d) Workers’ Compensation, as required by law.
663.423 Location Fees
The Postal Service charges an hourly or a daily fee for filming on Postal Service premises or using Postal Service property. We base the fee on the location of the Post Office, size of the production, and the amount of disruption that may be caused to the Postal Service. While only Postal Service employees are allowed to drive Postal Service vehicles, location fees are also charged for the use of Postal Service trucks and other vehicles in filming. The minimum fee can be found at www.usps.com/rightsandpermissions.
663.43 Co-Branding in Established Legal Relationships
Entities that already have existing legal relationships or alliances with the Postal Service must still get approval for trademark usage. The terms of the contract or agreement with the Postal Service should contain licensing terms that set out the parameters of Postal Service trademark use. If the contract or agreement does not contain such licensing terms, an amendment containing such permission must be added. Brand Equity and Design must review all use of Postal Service trademarks.
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We will incorporate these revisions into the next printed edition of the ASM and also into the next online update available on the Postal Service™ PolicyNet Web site:
(The direct URL for the postal Service PolicyNet Web site is http://blue.usps.gov/cpim.)
— Product Strategic Planning,
Product Development, 8-30-07
