Imagine sending your precious original designs unwittingly to a less than scrupulous buying department.  Then imagine doing this with no IP protection.  Handing your sweat equity, your creativity and original work on a plate to a buyer who is seeking the fast track to market by copying does not make commercial sense.  Although 9 times out of 10 retail buyers have integrity, occasionally we hear of ACID members who have fallen foul of the buying process.  It happened to Dids Macdonald, ACID’s CEO, many years ago, who was ripped-off by a major high street retailer – and it is still happening now!

The powerful ACID brand is your brand of deterrence.  All ACID members are encouraged to use the ACID logo on their marketing materials and to take advantage of ACID’s branded deterrent merchandise when they are releasing prototypes to buyers.

When you open up a computer programme you are automatically entering into a license agreement… and it’s just the same when the ACID license parcel tape is used. The tape has been created to work in conjunction with the reusable ACID License Tape Agreement – together they offer a formidable message of deterrence.  The recipient is warned by the wording on the packing tape not to open the parcel without agreeing to be bound by the terms of the license agreement which is attached to the outside of the pack. The act of breaking the seal of the tape and opening the package indicates their acceptance of the terms, which prevents the recipient from making any use of the designs enclosed without the sender’s prior consent.

Says Jane Stephenson, ACID’s Membership Development Manager, “Our tape is a really low cost, hi-impact means of protecting designs when they go out to market.  For extra protection we advise our members to take a photocopy of their completed license agreement and send it to us in case additional proof is required as to who, when and where prototypes or samples were sent. These products are a real benefit to ACID members -normally a license fee similar to the one ACID produces would cost around £250!”

ACID License Parcel Tape: Price per roll £2.75+ vat

ACID License Tape Agreement: £50.00+ vat

NOTE: A glossary of legal terms is available on the ACID website or by emailing help@acid.uk.com. It is strongly recommended that before using any of the above reusable agreements you call the ACID legal hotline for advice.