How to ‘brand’ your product.

[Walter Biscardi]

[Chris Nunes] “Is it Kosher to just slap that on every video I produce, without notifying the client, “

No.

[Chris Nunes] “or should I offer a percentage discount on the contract if they allow me to put it up there (offering % off might encourage them saying yes). “

I can only speak of my clients but I know none of them would allow this even for a discount.

Walter Biscardi, Jr.
Editor, Colorist, Director, Writer, Consultant, Author.
Credits include multiple Emmy, Telly, Aurora and Peabody Awards.
Biscardi Creative Media

Creative Cow Forum Host:
Apple Final Cut Pro, Apple Motion, Apple Color, AJA Kona, Business & Marketing, Maxx Digital.

Read my Blog!

[Chris Nunes]

and to the end?

[Arnie Schlissel]

If it’s your video made for your purposes, I’d say that you should.

If it’s a client’s video, then you need to sell them on the idea of you making an intro for them for just this purpose.

Such intros are very commonplace. We see them in the movies, we see them on the web. You should be able to bill at least a day’s worth of work, if the concept is already well formed and not too complicated. Several day’s worth is more likely.

Arnie
Post production is not an afterthought!
https://www.arniepix.com/

[Rich Rubasch]

I would say that if it is on your YouTube channel then you can tag it so people can now how to find your other stuff. Keep very simple and short.

I don’t see why clients would mind if it is on your channel, and not on the version you gave them on a DVD. It’s more of a callout to your channel than taking away anything from the video.

Rich Rubasch
Tilt Media

[Roy Schneider]

It really comes down to communication. If you are being paid to produce for a client then it is their project. You would need their permission to put your ad on their project. I would ask my client for permission.
Roy

Roy Schneider
Long Live Da Cow!

[Kai Cheong]

I agree with Roy: communicate with your client on this. Depending on the nature of the video, some of them might not mind. But slapping it on and then delivering the final product to them might likely get you a ‘request’ to give them a ‘clean’ copy.

Not sure whether it warrants offering a percentage discount, though. Would the target audience of your clients also be potential clients of your service? Do these videos have a good reach?

For a few projects we worked on, which are screened in public/to big groups, we have included a simple ‘Produced by [logo]’ at the end, together with the other sponsors’ and clients’ credits.

Kai
FCP Editor / Producer with Intuitive Films
https://kai-fcp-editor.blogspot.com
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At Intuitive Films, We Create: TV Commercials, Documentaries, Corporate Videos and Feature Films
Visit us @ https://www.intuitivefilms.com
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[Mike Cohen]

In general, if you are paid to create a work for hire, the client owns it soup to nuts. You putting your logo on it should only be with the permission of the client, often the client should suggest this. No suggestion, no agreement, no permission, no credit. Your credit is your payment.

If the subject matter of the work is non-proprietary, and you and the client both think it is great, you could approach the client about using it as a case study in your portfolio. Ad agencies and commercial post houses routinely do this. But it needs to be with permission.

From my perspective, most of the work for hire we do is specific to the company in question, and cannot be publicly displayed, as the pieces are generally used by the client for their own marketing.

Projects we produce for ourselves are fair game and are a great way to get publicity and for networking. “Oh, you made that CD-ROM? Really? We should talk.” or “Hey, I really like that textbook you published. I have an idea for a book. Can I share it with you?”

Since our business is both doing work for hire and producing our own products for sale, we can do some cross-promotion, and word of mouth goes a long way.

Mike Cohen

[Grinner Hester]

While I put my show logo on every show that is mine, man I’d never run a client off by paisting my crap on their video.

[Patrick Ortman]

Right, client communication is key. For us, in general our clients are fine with us taking excerpts and posting online with our logo or bug. But not for an entire video.

———————
http://www.patrickortman.com
Web and Video Design

[Nick Griffin]

We put our “vanity plate” on the end, but never when the show is for projection to an audience. While we don’t ask for permission, we treat it was if it’s for granted that we can do this. If someone ever asked for it to be removed we would. Or, in the case of one client, we were told in advance that having anything other than their name and copyright was not allowed. We immediately and graciously complied. (Was it Walter who said, “your payment is your credit” because on certain jobs that’s it exactly.)

As to putting a credit in front?? No. Never. The viewers are there to see the client’s message not who created it. Unless you are a well known producer, providing an entertainment product NO logo or identifier at the head.