Author Topic: 'Promotional Uses' Explained (Read 16562 times)

madelaide · « **on:** July 13, 2010, 19:05 »

I believe everyone read this. I am really not much in favour of "promotional use", what do you think?

Quote

'Promotional Uses' Explained

It might just be the least-understood checkbox in your Control Panel. It hovers right there on the left side between the Contributor heading and your copyright display preference. "Opt-out of promotional use and third-party feeds," it says.

What does that mean? What the h•ck is a third-party feed? Sure, there's a 'Read this first' link. But that's an awfully clickable box to have beside such a vague sentence. We sometimes find out that people have clicked the button and opted-out inadvertently. If you've read this far thinking "I have no idea what they're talking about," please double check your Control Panel.

What it all means
'Promotional Uses' means just that — the iStock marketing team wants to use the image. We want to put it in a magazine ad, on one of our fancy trade-show booths, in the Hot Shots, or in the header of a Tip of the Month. We want it to be the Free Image of the Week, or print it on a post card, or turn it into a bobble-head. We do our best to make sure you're given credit, with links when possible.

'Third-party feeds' frankly just isn't a good term. What it means is that our Business Development team has a partnership with a really cool organization, like Wordpress or Microsoft Office, and we're going to let that partner give away a limited number of free iStock images in order to drive traffic from their users over to our site. These deals are typically only giving away small sizes, and we make sure that you get attribution and links back to your work.

We understand that people don't want anything given away for free. But we think there's a real value in having our content seen by as many eyes as possible. We never give away content lightly and we spend a lot of time working out deals with partners that will bring as many new customers to iStock as we can.

There's a little icon appears on all the files that are opted-out from promotional uses that only iStock staff can see. It means 'No, we can't put this one in the Hot Shots because its opted-out. Find a different image.' Our designers made it to reflect how they feel when they come across it.

lisafx · « **Reply #1 on:** July 13, 2010, 19:07 »

As I understand it, "promotional use" is something that they only use exclusive images for anyway. So independents shouldn't be affected by this.

rene · « **Reply #2 on:** July 13, 2010, 20:41 »

If there is no 100% royalty day this year I'll opt-out promotional use.

borg · « **Reply #3 on:** July 14, 2010, 12:57 »

Quote from: lisafx on July 13, 2010, 19:07

As I understand it, "promotional use" is something that they only use exclusive images for anyway. So independents shouldn't be affected by this.

But,the agreement says that for both sides:

The iStockphoto Artist Supply Agreements (both exclusive and non-exclusive) allow us to use any Content uploaded to our site for our own marketing and promotional purposes and marketing and promotional purposes of our distribution partners without compensation to you.

P.S.

Also,whole the time I am trying to eliminate that "opt-out " mark in the control panel (Contributors), but always after refreshing of site, "opt out" is there again, check marked...

click_click · « **Reply #4 on:** July 14, 2010, 13:13 »

Funny enough that Crestock actually paid me for the use of one of my images for their promotional material.

I don't think that they had to do it that way but it sure was a nice surprise.

IMO IS should also pay for the use of any images for the sake of rewarding the photographer.
It's still just microstock prices, no big deal for them.

Artemis · « **Reply #5 on:** July 14, 2010, 13:38 »

The Hot Shots are not exclusives only...+ if properly credited i don't see much harm in letting a few $cents go, its probably web resolution only?
I wonder about the "free" steel cage credits, i don't think you can op out on those and they have no promotion function whatsoever.

borg: their disgrace of a site in action again? Shameful.

cathyslife · « **Reply #6 on:** July 14, 2010, 13:40 »

I have been opted out and I just checked my control panel and I am still opted out.

I don't want any of my images used for free. Period. Bad enough people are stealing them from the sites without my knowledge.

Artemis · « **Reply #7 on:** July 14, 2010, 13:47 »

Quote from: cclapper on July 14, 2010, 13:40

I have been opted out and I just checked my control panel and I am still opted out.

I don't want any of my images used for free. Period. Bad enough people are stealing them from the sites without my knowledge.

I fully understand. I think it works a bit both ways though, fx. having a Hot Shot or IOTW is great promotion for your portfolio....but your pic given away to some partner promo sucks; It's take it all or nothing, bah.

madelaide · « **Reply #8 on:** July 14, 2010, 17:34 »

I am opted out. Like cclapper, I don't want my work used for free. Unless I benefit from this directly.

cathyslife · « **Reply #9 on:** July 15, 2010, 08:29 »

Quote from: Artemis on July 14, 2010, 13:47

Quote from: cclapper on July 14, 2010, 13:40
I have been opted out and I just checked my control panel and I am still opted out.

I don't want any of my images used for free. Period. Bad enough people are stealing them from the sites without my knowledge.
I fully understand. I think it works a bit both ways though, fx. having a Hot Shot or IOTW is great promotion for your portfolio....but your pic given away to some partner promo sucks; It's take it all or nothing, bah.

I'm not fx, but I think that's debatable. And I agree about the all or nothing. I would rather take nothing.

Pheby · « **Reply #10 on:** July 15, 2010, 16:25 »

Fully agree, cclapper and madeleide. And the promotion thing doesn't work for non-exclusives anyway - never ever will an independent get an IOTW (or anything else special) at istock. So I'm not sure it matters for independents whether they are opted-in or not. But I must say, I even less like the idea of other contributors using images for free in the "steel cage". Can you opt out of that?

crazychristina · « **Reply #11 on:** July 15, 2010, 17:23 »

Quote from: Pheby on July 15, 2010, 16:25

Fully agree, cclapper and madeleide. And the promotion thing doesn't work for non-exclusives anyway - never ever will an independent get an IOTW (or anything else special) at istock. So I'm not sure it matters for independents whether they are opted-in or not. But I must say, I even less like the idea of other contributors using images for free in the "steel cage". Can you opt out of that?

As a steel cage regular I do find images that are not available for use in the steel cage, so yes, it must be possible to opt out. Perhaps it's worth pointing out that most of those who compete there and who follow the battles are designers, hence customers, and it does attract interest (and potentially, business).

Pheby · « **Reply #12 on:** July 16, 2010, 02:01 »

Thanks for pointing out, averil. You might be right that designers "discover" contributors whose work they like that way.

Gannet77 · « **Reply #13 on:** July 16, 2010, 04:49 »

Quote from: Pheby on July 15, 2010, 16:25

Fully agree, cclapper and madeleide. And the promotion thing doesn't work for non-exclusives anyway - never ever will an independent get an IOTW (or anything else special) at istock. So I'm not sure it matters for independents whether they are opted-in or not. But I must say, I even less like the idea of other contributors using images for free in the "steel cage". Can you opt out of that?

Permission to use images in the Steel Cage is part of the Promotional Use program - so if you opt out of that, your images aren't available to Steel Cage participants.

lisafx · « **Reply #14 on:** July 16, 2010, 09:01 »

Quote from: Gannet77 on July 16, 2010, 04:49

Permission to use images in the Steel Cage is part of the Promotional Use program - so if you opt out of that, your images aren't available to Steel Cage participants.

^^Unless they buy them. I have been fortunate to have some members license my images to use in the steel cage. I really appreciate it when that happens

crazychristina · « **Reply #15 on:** July 16, 2010, 15:53 »

Quote from: lisafx on July 16, 2010, 09:01

Quote from: Gannet77 on July 16, 2010, 04:49
Permission to use images in the Steel Cage is part of the Promotional Use program - so if you opt out of that, your images aren't available to Steel Cage participants.

^^Unless they buy them. I have been fortunate to have some members license my images to use in the steel cage. I really appreciate it when that happens

A contestant doesn't qualify for free steel cage downloads until they have won a battle that goes to completion (ie, not a disqualification win). Up to that point they buy images or use their own, or other sources. I occasionally buy an image if the small size (which is what is available for steel cage use) is not big enough for my design. Although not a designer I have spent several hundred dollars on cage battles. There is a limit on the number of free images one can download too. Also, The annual Battle Royale does not qualify for free image use.

Artemis · « **Reply #16 on:** July 16, 2010, 16:14 »

Averil, on a sidenote: i've been wondering if images from sites like image*after can be used in the steel cage? You know by any chance?

crazychristina · « **Reply #17 on:** July 16, 2010, 18:04 »

Quote from: Artemis on July 16, 2010, 16:14

Averil, on a sidenote: i've been wondering if images from sites like image*after can be used in the steel cage? You know by any chance?

Usual copyright issues apply. I think I've used a couple of images from sxc.hu, but that might have been for something else. The only thorny bit is that steel cage images actually are considered promotional use, so I guess the commercial use restrictions should also apply. If I'm using my own non-stock images I don't generally think of checking them for obscure logos, but I probably should. istock has a cagesaver which is a screensaver consisting of highly rated steel cage images. I think this is the 'promotional use', apart from the images that turn up in the Contact sheet on a regular basis.

ETA: There are some grey areas. I occasionally shoot myself when I need a figure doing something specific or in a particular pose. However these images don't get uploaded into the collection. I guess that if I use them in the steel cage then they should be MR'd, but there's no means to do that officially. In reality it's not a problem as they are shots of myself, but someone might use a personal photo of someone else in the cage, and that could be problematic. Actually, in a recent team battle the current steel cage leader did use a non-stock image of one of the regular onlookers, but did ask her permission first (image below).

Artemis · « **Reply #18 on:** July 16, 2010, 18:14 »

Thanks for answerring that, good to know

Was wondering because istocklaws can be a bit unpredictable with such things...
Their terms say:
WHAT CAN YOU DO WITH IMAGE*AFTER IMAGES AND TEXTURES?

   * you CAN modify our images and textures in any way you see fit
   * you CAN use our images and textures in your own work, whether it be for personal or commercial use
   * you CAN redistribute or sell our images and textures ALTERED OR UNALTERED as part of printed work (e.g. posters, cd-covers, postcards etc)
WHAT CAN'T YOU DO WITH IMAGE*AFTER IMAGES AND TEXTURES?
* you CANNOT REDISTRIBUTE our images and textures as part of an online resource site like our own, i.e. use them to directly compete with us.

So it would be ok, technically even as element in a RF picture....
But i didnt mean to hijack the thread, back to the Promotional use

Artemis · « **Reply #19 on:** July 16, 2010, 18:21 »

Awesome work btw Averil! Hope i'll get half as good one day

crazychristina · « **Reply #20 on:** July 16, 2010, 18:26 »

Quote from: Artemis on July 16, 2010, 18:21

Awesome work btw Averil! Hope i'll get half as good one day

That's not mine. Not for nothing is Tony the current leader, although there are some serious challengers. I'm not one of them.

Artemis · « **Reply #21 on:** July 16, 2010, 18:27 »

Oh, oops!

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Author Topic: 'Promotional Uses' Explained (Read 16562 times)

madelaide

lisafx

rene

borg

click_click

Artemis

cathyslife

Artemis

madelaide

cathyslife

Pheby

crazychristina

Pheby

Gannet77

lisafx

crazychristina

Artemis

crazychristina

Artemis

Artemis

crazychristina

Artemis

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