Because of the nature of customizable Zippo Pocket Lighters and its association with our brand, we have determined that certain categories of images are not appropriate for printing on Zippo Pocket Lighters. The following terms form part of Zazzle’s User Agreement. You must agree to follow them in order to purchase Zippo pocket lighters from Zazzle or to create any public Zippo Pocket Lighter for sale in the Zazzle marketplace.
You will not assert or suggest in any way that any Zippo Pocket Lighters on Zazzle, created by you or any other user, has been approved by us or by any other person or entity.
In designing or creating any Zippo Pocket Lighter on Zazzle, you will not use any content or design element that in our sole judgment and discretion we believe would be controversial or offensive, would subject us to legal liability, or would cause damage to Zazzle's public reputation or our business.
You may not use images, artwork, slogans or words that:
- Infringe upon the copyright, trademark, or right of publicity of a third party, including:
- Do not use names, logos, symbols, or pictures of the following without written authorization from the owner (which must
be provided to Zippo): - Musical artists;
- Companies and brands, including food, drink, clothing and automobile brands;
- Television, movie, cartoon, comic book or video game characters;
- Celebrities;
- Sports teams and athletes;
- Fraternities, sororities or other organizations; and
- Colleges and universities.
- Do not use names, logos, symbols, or pictures of the following without written authorization from the owner (which must
- Do not use insignia of government agencies, organizations, or military branches, or the Chinese flag.
- Do not use photos, logos, caricatures, or other artwork depicting any of the above, even if you created the artwork.
- Do not use an existing piece of artwork, cartoon, photograph, or screenshot, even if you changed it by rearranging the
elements of the artwork (like Photoshop). - Do not use images found on the Internet, including from search engines or social media, without written authorization from
the owner (which must be provided to Zippo). - Could appeal to young children (may vary by region, but at least in the US and Canada), including:
- Anime.
- Santa Claus.
- Cartoon-like characters.
- Is offensive, including:
- Inappropriate content, nudity, near nudity, sexually suggestive content (e.g. exposed nipples, genitals, sex toys, bondage).
- Obscene or vulgar material, including material with offensive remarks.
- Material that harasses, threatens, defames, or abuses others.
- Material that is racist, sexist, a symbol of hate (i.e. Nazi symbol, gang signs), or contains satanic symbols.
- Material that promotes or depicts violence or abuse, including to animals.
- Material that glamorizes drug use, including marijuana leaves.
Frequently Asked Questions:
What is not acceptable on a customized lighter?
- The simplest answer is that your designed product cannot include elements that belong to someone else, are offensive, or would appeal to young children (at least in the US and Canada, may vary by region).
What if the image doesn’t appear to be copyrighted?
- Almost all works are protected by copyright, even if they do not have a copyright notice. In order to use artwork that you did not create, you will need to obtain written permission by its author.
Can I use an image found on the Internet, include search engines or social media?
- No. Simply because an image is on the Internet does not mean that is in the public domain or available for your use. You cannot use the work unless the author of the work has explicitly granted you a license to use the work or it is in the public domain (which is rare). Keep in mind also that a person who posts an image on the Internet and claims that you are free to use it may not have the right to post the image in the first place. Thus, your use of the image may violate the rights of the actual copyright owner or a person’s right of publicity or right of privacy.
If I took a photograph of a celebrity or company logo, may I use that on my customized lighter?
- No. Taking a photo of a person, product, brand, or logo does not give you the right to sell merchandise featuring that photograph. There are two distinct intellectual property rights in a photograph: (1) the copyright in the photograph itself, which is generally owned by the person who took the photograph, and (2) the trademark right or right of publicity that relates to the subject of the photograph such as the person, product, or brand shown in it. In order to order merchandise with the photograph, you would need to obtain explicit permission from the subject of the photograph (or owner of the brand).
My artwork is based on the art of a third party. Is that OK?
- Not generally speaking. Artwork derived from the previous work of another (i.e. a “derivative work”) will likely violate the rights of the owner of that artwork. If you are creating a design that is based on the work of someone else, you will probably need to obtain permission from the author of the original artwork in order to produce merchandise featuring your artwork. However, if you were simply inspired by another to create a truly new piece of artwork, then you should not be violating the copyright of the other person. However, you should consult with an attorney before attempting to use any artwork based on the artwork of another person.
Is parody acceptable?
- Zippo generally does not accept parody artwork and will not accept such artwork for use on its lighters or other products.
Can I use Clip Art or stock photos?
Clip Art, stock photos, photo collections, or graphic programs contain license agreements that generally do not grant you the right to produce merchandise. The license agreement sets forth the specific permissible uses for the clip art. You should consult the license agreement and your attorney to determine if you may use the images, and be prepared to submit such license agreement to Zippo for confirmation.