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Let's open our site with a legal disclaimer! As you may have noticed, one of our hobbies here at AdFreak is critiquing agency Web sites. Here’s a “feature” on one prominent agency’s site that jumped out at us: the legal disclaimer (pictured above), which is the first thing visitors are greeted with when they go to goodbysilverstein.com. No pretty pictures, no Flash intro—just a reminder “not to copy, rebroadcast, or otherwise reproduce the work here.” It’s followed by the standard “Accept” or “Deny” option. We have nothing against attempts to protect copyrights, but to throw a message from the legal department up on the site first thing is off-putting, to say the least. —Posted by Catharine P. Taylor

January 11, 2006 | Permalink

Comments

It's probably not as off-putting as seeing your concepts stolen on a regular basis.

Posted by: Bob | Jan 11, 2006 2:38:16 PM

The legal disclaimer upfront is genius. It says the ideas you are about to see are important, they have value, they are what separate us from our competitors.

If only more agencies put a premium on what we do and not give away the store every time an RFP flies across the threshold.

Posted by: rich siegel | Jan 11, 2006 2:50:33 PM

The Goodby site is a pain-in-the-ass throughout...that's just the first of several annoyances. I think it smacks of attitude and taking themselves far too seriously. Not to mention lawyers. Lawyers suck.

Posted by: Pat | Jan 11, 2006 3:11:43 PM

Ah, yeah, but you'd think that for one of the more creative agencies they would've made that connection. Like "...Our ideas are so freaking genius that people keep trying to steal them. So before entering this site..."

Seems odd that they win creative battles every day for thier clients, but couldn't do it for themselves. As a preospective client or creative I'd see this as a baaad, baaad sign.

Posted by: Dude | Jan 11, 2006 3:13:05 PM

It's a bad idea.

1. I highly doubt that it deters any kind of "theft" from taking place which I would guess is the primary reason for the warning.

If some company operates in that kind of manner it more or less says to them be sure to change the idea just enough for us not to sue you. That would be a best case scenario in my opinion.

2. A copyright notice at the bottom of the page would have just as much legal heft.

3. It asks your potential clients to verify that they are not criminals. It has a guilty until proven innocent feel about it.

If it's there to assert that "the ideas you are about to see are important, they have value, they are what separate us from our competitors" as one commenter suggests then it's doing a very poor job.

If that's what they indeed wish to say then there are a million better ways to do that. Ok maybe not a million but lots of ways to convey that message.

And isn't that what advertisers should be able to do... convey the message clearly.

Posted by: Scott H | Jan 11, 2006 3:40:34 PM

The disclaimer should read: "We have not done anything interesting since 1999 but that still doesn't mean you can steal from us." - Jeff Goodby

Posted by: psymunkey | Jan 11, 2006 5:10:46 PM

Rampant, pompous agency idiocy seems to be the trend now.

Posted by: Steve Hall | Jan 11, 2006 8:07:52 PM

Is this even worth posting about? I mean, I enjoy reading about things that are interesting...don't you guys?

Posted by: James | Jan 11, 2006 11:43:10 PM

what else would you expect from a bunch of self-important hippies?

Posted by: angry_youth | Jan 12, 2006 9:10:31 AM

Of course this is worth posting about. This is an 8 out of 10 for agency misunderstanding of the web.

Posted by: John | Jan 12, 2006 9:14:43 AM

GS+P didn't get where they are today by understanding the web. That's no excuse, but it is reality.

Posted by: David Burn | Jan 12, 2006 11:42:54 AM

exactly where are they today? what have they done lately that's so great? please don't tell me you love the lame emerald nuts campaign. oh, and on a note of consistency, their interactive work for that brand makes a pre-school interactive dvd look cutting edge.

Posted by: angry_youth | Jan 12, 2006 12:10:19 PM

We're running into the same problem from our legal department regarding our site, except it is more about using photos that we only had the rights to use in print, not online in our own portfolio. We are currently rewriting all off our art buying contracts.

Posted by: | Jan 12, 2006 12:36:07 PM

thats wonderful, but when i read this i did not think it was about your problems

on topic note: at least put up a disclaimer worth reading...

Posted by: D | Jan 13, 2006 2:27:25 PM

Old news:

http://kevinglennon.com/blog/?p=8

Posted by: Kevin Glennon | Jan 13, 2006 8:02:08 PM

a disclaimer like this one? http://www.milbestlight.com/tandc.aspx?mv=2

Posted by: viewer | Mar 7, 2006 4:38:29 PM

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