A Custom Designed Flyer Series

And the one that got stolen away…

Earlier this year, BlackStone Studio designed a five flyer promotional series for our number one client, Texas State Financial & Health. The custom set of flyers was created in late February with the purpose of reaching out to people with different professions who are looking to earn extra income. Every flyer is tailored for each type of occupation, and they include a licensed stock photo to represent that group and content explaining the different benefits of joining Texas State Financial & Health. The entire series of flyers is consistent in design, layout, and purpose. It was crafted specifically for one client’s use, Texas State Financial & Health.

So why am I posting about this project now? Well, this past week one of these flyers was stolen. The thief removed the company information and placed a poorly cropped flag photo (probably looted as well) on top of the Texas State Financial & Health logo. He’s using it on social networks to represent his own business although he is well aware that the artwork does not belong to him. He has been told he does not have permission to use it and has been asked to take it down, but he has yet to comply.

My first emotion was anger. Frustration followed next. In this day and age, most people are fully aware that you can’t take an image from online and use it as your own. Copyright infringement is a serious issue. This person’s blatant disrespect and disregard for one’s hard work and for my client’s time and money investment is just appalling. However, I am not going to share this thief’s name here or anywhere else. I don’t like online shaming. Sadly, I also don’t believe this person would even be ashamed based on his response back when asked to take down the image. But I do think it’s important to share this experience for three reasons:

If you see one of these custom designed flyers online, specifically the Active & Retired Military themed one which was created with our amazing veterans in mind, and you don’t see the Texas State Financial & Health brand on it, then please be aware that they have stolen the flyer. I am not asking that you bring this up with them because this is not your fight. But I do, however, ask that you reconsider doing business with them. While they can rip off the artwork, they can’t steal the character, integrity, and quality of service that Texas State Financial & Health offers.

Imitation, or in this case thievery, is the sincerest form of flattery. Obviously, the work and effort put into the series were worth stealing. I spent time planning and designing each piece carefully with Texas State Financial & Health. The layout and message are simple yet strong. So instead of being angry, I now find myself feeling flattered that they liked my design so much they had to take it. I also feel sorry for the thief, who doesn’t believe enough in his own business to want to invest in it and create his own promotional pieces, but that is neither here nor there.

For those out there who still think it is ok to take online images or artwork to promote your business, please know that it’s not. Don’t copy/paste or save images from online and use them for commercial purposes. Always ask permission from the owner and respect their decision. Also be conscious of the fact that some artwork may incorporate licensed graphics. The person who snatched my design is not only stealing from BlackStone Studio and from Texas State Financial & Health, but also from the stock photo company we used to purchase and license the images. Unfortunately, we can’t do much to prevent people from stealing online artwork, but I’m hopeful that this article can at the very least help educate those who didn’t even know they shouldn’t be doing it.