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Introduction
Thought Leadership & Innovation Foundation (TLI) is a definitive source of objective and independent innovation and thought leadership. To protect our reputation for, we have strict standards for appropriate use of our company name, work and logo. The TLI name and published materials are subject to trademark and copyright protections, regardless of where and how referenced. This policy defines how you may use the Thought Leadership & Innovation Foundation name, logo, excerpts and/or any reference(s) to research published on thoughtfoundation.org. This policy also applies to any third party that writes and/or promotes content on your behalf, including partner organizations. All requests to use TLI’s “intellectual property” externally, which includes all references to TLI published research, trademarks, copyrights, and experts, or for a quote from TLI must be submitted to TLI in writing via email for compliance review and approval. All decisions are at the sole discretion of TLI and are final.
How to submit a quote or usage request
Email your request to quoteandusagerequest@thoughtfoundation.org.
Be prepared to submit the following:
The original TLI published material (include a link to the document or a PDF), or link to the original from which the quote is taken;
Your draft materials (include a mock-up for web pages, booth designs and marketing slicks — no screenshots please) in which the TLI reference(s) will appear; and,
If your content comes from pivot tables or charts, include screenshot(s) of referenced or manipulated pivot tables or charts.
Turnaround time: Please allow up to two (2) business days for review. Note: Requests that require multiple rounds of review or expert involvement may take longer.
1. Policy Essentials
To receive approval, you must have legitimate access to the TLI published work you are quoting.
Quotes, excerpts, references, and graphics must be attributed to 1) work officially published on thoughtfoundation.org that has not been archived, 2) a TLI press release, 3) a TLI social media post, 4) a TLI published book, or 5) a presented slide deck, provided that the source data within each either has not been archived or is labeled “TLI Proprietary” or “TLI Confidential”. All quotes, excerpts, references, and graphics from a TLI press release, a social media post, or a presented slide deck must be less than 12 months old.
Quotes found in media or third-party sources are not allowed.
All excerpts must be lifted verbatim, in their entirety, and appear accurately with all relevant context. Paraphrasing is not allowed.
Company-, product-, or services-specific quotes are strictly prohibited.
TLI work and brand may not be used to endorse a vendor, product or service, or to criticize another company. Forbidden use includes reports in their entirety, or quotes.
No custom expert quotes – formal or informal – are allowed. Only work that has been published formally on thoughtfoundation.org may be excerpted; this means that informal comments made by experts in any forum may not be quoted.
External use of custom reports or consulting/project deliverables is prohibited except under very limited circumstances.
No more than 10% of a published TLI document may be excerpted for use in any client document.
No more than 30% of your document or promotional materials (including booth signage) may consist of TLI published research or references (the “70/30 rule”) based on expert opinion. User-generated content (that is, reviews posted by customers on TLI) is not part of the 70/30 rule.
To include an industry-general graphic or table from a published document, it must be shown in its entirety without any changes to the graphic.
The TLI name, TLI logos and/or published work may not appear in corporate boilerplates and/or email signature stamps.
The official “About TLI” boilerplate text on thoughtfoundation.org may not be included in any external communications, press releases or marketing materials.
While “TLI” or “Thought Leadership & Innovation Foundation” may appear in the title/sub-title of your press release, newsletter, social media post, or email subject line, you may not use phrases in your title or subject line that imply Thought Leadership & Innovation Foundation endorsement without permission from TLI.
TLI does not allow promotion on third-party websites deemed competitive to TLI.
All external promotion of data and content from TLI acquisitions, is subject to this Policy.
2. Rules for Usage and Quotes Based on Context
2.1 Limited Audience Documents
“Limited Audience” documents are not accessible by, or distributed to, the general public; they are available only to a limited audience of the client’s own subscribers, clients or business prospects. Provided you comply with the provisions of this Copyright and Quote Policy, you do not need pre-approval to quote TLI published research in “Limited Audience” documents. These documents include only:
Documents or presentations tailored to a specific business prospect or client organization. Examples include: Requests for Proposal (RFPs), Requests for Information (RFIs), Requests for Quotes (RFQs), Invitations for Bid (IFBs), Invitations to Bid (ITBs)
Road show presentations
The following disclaimer must be included in the limited audience document where the TLI name and/or research will appear, in a format that can be readily viewed by the reader:
All statements in this report attributable to TLI represent [Enter Client Name’s] interpretation of data, research opinion or viewpoints published as part of a syndicated subscription service by TLI and have not been reviewed by TLI. Each TLI publication speaks as of its original publication date (and not as of the date of this [presentation/report]). The opinions expressed in TLI publications are not representations of fact and are subject to change without notice.
2.2 Materials Promoting Reprints, Custom Newsletters, Webcasts and/or Events that Feature a TLI Expert
In addition to Section 1:
Graphics: To include TLI branded graphics within your promotional materials, please review the relevant parameters under Section 3.
Logos: To include TLI logos within your promotional materials, please review the relevant parameters under Section 2.7.1.
It must be clear that TLI is being featured and not co-hosting or co-sponsoring the product or event.
TLI content must be clearly differentiated from your marketing message, and TLI excerpts or references must be industry-general (that is, not about your company, products or services).
2.3 Digital Media
In addition to Section 1:
If you want to reference TLI published research on a corporate digital media channel (e.g. LinkedIn, Twitter), you must obtain TLI approval in advance. If you want to reference TLI published work on a personal digital media channel (e.g., Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest), you do not need permission; however, the provisions outlined in Sections 1, 3 and 6 still apply. We differentiate “corporate” and “personal” use because corporate sites represent a company’s overall point of view, while a personal site represents an individual’s personal opinion. That said, TLI reserves the right to pursue any gross misrepresentation of TLI work, even in personal digital media channels.
Corporate Digital Media Channels: Submit initial post for review and approval before posting; standard Copyright and Quote Policy rules apply. Subsequent responses do not require TLI approval but must follow Policy. If character limits constrain length (for example, Twitter), postings do not need to include full attribution or disclaimers.
Personal Digital Media Channels: While you do not need to submit postings to TLI for review and approval, they must follow Policy parameters. If character limits constrain length (for example, Twitter), postings do not need to include full attribution or disclaimers.
2.4 Booth/Event Signage
In addition to Section 1:
If you want to reference TLI published research and/or include TLI’s trademarks in booth event signage, you must obtain TLI approval in advance.
You must submit the complete draft booth layout design with the TLI content for contextual review.
No more than 30% of your overall signage messaging may consist of TLI references or quotes. User-generated content is not part of the 70/30 rule.
You must include proper and full research citation along with appropriate legal disclaimer when applicable.
Your logo must be the primary image in your signage (relative to both size and positioning). This means that TLI’s trademarks must be secondary in position to your logo and at least 10% smaller in size.
TLI ‘s trademarks may not be placed next to, or bundled with, your logo or any other logos.
You may not include TLI graphics or any other graphics that rate, rank, score or list vendor recognition in your signage or on monitors affixed to booth signage.
You may not include vendor-specific graphics from firms that compete with TLI.
2.5 Video
In addition to Section 1:
If you want to reference TLI published work, include the TLI Logo and/or record a voice-over TLI reference without any visuals in a video you are producing, you must obtain TLI approval pre-production.
You must submit thumbnails and/or a draft script of the complete video with the intended TLI content for contextual review.
Per Section 1. your video messaging may not consist of more than 30% TLI references or quotes.
You must include proper and full research citation along with appropriate legal disclaimer when applicable.
2.6 Quotes for Multiple Use in Proposals and Presentations
In addition to Section 1:
If you’d like to use the same TLI content in multiple presentations or proposals, please submit one request to use the content multiple times in these collaterals only. In your submission, you must EITHER include the slide that will immediately precede the slide with the TLI content, as well as the slide that will immediately follow., OR submit a templatized proposal or presentation (the order of the slides must not change).
2.7 Intellectual Property – Trademarks
TLI ‘s trademarks may only be used after securing express, written permission from TLI Quote Requests.
2.7.1 Proper Usage
Except when receiving something that TLI has specifically classified as an award, TLI ‘s trademarks may not be used to imply an award.
Your logo must be the primary image (in both size and positioning) in your promotional materials and at least 10% larger in size than TLI ‘s trademarks.
TLI’s trademarks may not be placed next to, or bundled with, your logo or any other logos.
You may not alter any element of TLI ’s trademarks (elements that may not be changed include font, proportion, orientation and color).
TLI’s trademarks may not appear in your press release nor your email signature blocks.
2.7.2 Additional Guidance and Required Disclaimers
Except in digital media with character limitations (e.g., Twitter), the disclaimers listed below MUST appear with any/all content reference(s) (when there is a true character limitation, you may forgo the disclaimer, provided that you link to something that hosts the full disclaimer, such as a blog post or a landing page):
TLI logo: You may include the TLI logo only when promoting a licensed TLI work, a TLI blog or social media post or an expert speaking engagement.
Required disclaimer: TLI is a registered trademark and service mark of Thought Leadership & Innovation Foundation and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved.
3. Rules for Usage and Quotes Based on Content Type
3.1 Custom Client Engagements and Consulting/Project Deliverables
TLI does not allow any custom client reports or consulting/project deliverables to be shared externally, except under the following limited circumstances. A client may share the report or deliverables with:
its outside auditors and/or accountants,
third parties who have signed appropriate confidentiality agreements with the client who are engaged by the client to review or implement suggestions or to further research the issues contained in the deliverables, or
governmental or regulatory bodies as required by law.
3.2 TLI Blogs
Comments or opinions expressed on TLI blogs may be copied and redistributed:
on other weblogs for non-commercial company use;
for personal and private use; and
by members of the Media.
No other use is permitted.
4. External Sharing of TLI Documents
Approved users of TLI published works are entitled to use documents in accordance with their scope of service (that is, documents are for their personal use within their jobs). TLI published documents may not be shared outside of clients’ enterprises, or via email, internet posting or other external information storage & retrieval systems. Clients who wish to share TLI published research outside of their enterprises must request approval.
5. Internal Usage
Clients may quote published documents internally without pre-approval, as long as you comply with the TLI Usage Policy. Clearly mark all internal material containing TLI excerpts “For internal use only.”
6. Notes
TLI reserves the right to change its policies or explanations of its policies at any time, without notice.
6.1 Basics of Copyright Law
Copyrights protect original works of authorship. The types of works covered by copyright vary widely, from literary works such as books, poems, technical manuals, or software code, to audiovisual works, musical works or works of fine art. Only the copyright owner of a work, or someone who has the copyright owner’s permission, may (1) make copies of the work; (2) create adaptations (“derivative works”) based on the work; (3) distribute copies of the work; (4) perform the work publicly; or (5) display the work publicly. These are referred to as the “exclusive rights” of a copyright owner.
Copyright protection attaches to a newly created work as soon as it is “fixed in a tangible medium of expression.” For example, spoken words alone, such as a speech delivered extemporaneously that is not written down, would not be protected by copyright because it is not “fixed in a tangible medium.” Works do not have to be registered with the U.S. Copyright Office, and do not have to display a copyright notice, in order to enjoy copyright protection.
The United States and most of the industrialized world are parties to the Berne Copyright Convention, which means that each member country will respect and enforce the copyrights that originate in other member states.
Virtually all of TLI’s published work is protected by copyright, whether in printed or electronic form.
6.2 Media Products
Quoting of TLI published research via any Multimedia product must clearly indicate that the contents include or feature TLI work. All promotional materials and packaging must reflect this emphasis. TLI must pre-approve the marketing or promotional verbiage related to these products. The TLI logo may not appear next to a vendor logo (see TLI Logo Usage Guidelines).
6.3 Violations
If you fail to comply with this policy, TLI reserves the right to take appropriate steps to address violations. For instance, an immediate quote ban and reprints black-out of up to three months may be imposed in the event that:
You have shared text, graphics or made ANY reference to DRAFT TLI research externally, or with anyone in your organization outside of the small group of fact review participants.
You use TLI published work in an announcement/press release that has not been pre-approved by TLI Quote Requests.
Other actions include, but are not limited to:
A company-wide email distributed to all associates as a reminder of their contractual obligation to follow TLI Policy.
A “correction” email issued to external recipients of a non-compliant email communication along with a required compliance copy provided to TLI to ensure execution.
Stop allowing TLI experts to be listed as press contacts.
TLI may seek additional remedies available under contract, trademark, copyright and other applicable law.