Getting permission to use a likeness in merchandise?

March 30, 2006 10:56 AM

I have a great idea for a meme with assorted merchandise involving a deceased musician and his likeness. How do I pitch this to the appropiate person so that I might profit legitimately and what are the typical terms of such an arrangement?
posted by keswick to Work & Money (3 answers total)

IANAL, but I do work in a law firm. If this person has family, more than likely any rights to his/her likeness will be owned by them. You could approach the family and try to strike a deal with them (profits split 50/50 or 60/40 or whatever you negotiate if you do all the legwork) or you could buy the rights from them completely. If someone else has beaten you to the punch, then you'd have to buy the rights off of them. Ultimately, if you do secure the rights, you'd need a lawyer to help you negotiate an initial deal and then protect your property in the future if anyone else tries to use the likeness.
posted by billysumday at 11:07 AM on March 30, 2006

Better not be Kurt Kobain, again.
posted by ori at 12:20 PM on March 30, 2006

Memes are jokes, but like on the internet. You never know if they will catch on. How is that a business plan?

Even if your profit driven meme actually does catch on, who's to say that others won't latch on to it and make hats and shirts of their own? Just look at the snakes on a plane shirts, who thinks these people are making serious cash?
posted by parallax7d at 12:30 PM on March 30, 2006