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Personal Endorsement Deals

Can I endorse two competing brands?

No, almost all endorsement contracts include an exclusivity clause prohibiting promotion of direct competitors (e.g., Pepsi and Coca-Cola).

Do I have to use the product I endorse?

Contracts usually require you to use the product in public or during professional activities (e.g., wearing specific boots). Failure to do so is a breach.

Can the brand use my image forever?

No, the right to use your image should be limited to the contract term plus a reasonable sell-off period for existing stock.

What if I get injured and can't perform?

Contracts often have reduction clauses for injury. A good lawyer will negotiate a grace period before any reduction in fees kicks in.

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Personal Endorsement Deals represent a significant source of income for individual athletes and public figures. This is a contract where a celebrity agrees to lend their reputation and image to promote a specific brand, product, or service. Unlike sponsorship, where the focus is often on a team or event, here the spotlight is on the individual. This area requires detailed legal regulation to protect both the star's reputation and the brand's investment. An incorrectly drafted contract can restrict career freedom, cause conflict with a primary employer (e.g., a club), or damage one's image. Our service ensures the legal soundness and maximum commercial effect of such deals.

What Does the Personal Endorsement Deals Service Cover?

Our service covers all aspects of endorsement:

  • Licensing Rights: Transferring the right to use name, photo, voice, signature, and other personal attributes for a specified period and territory.
  • Defining Obligations: Specifying activities: appearing in commercials, social media posts, attending events.
  • Exclusivity Terms: Agreeing on which competitor brands the person is prohibited from collaborating with during the contract period.
  • Morality Clause: Mechanisms protecting the brand from the person's scandalous behavior and vice versa — protecting the person from the brand's reputational damage.
  • Compensation Structure: Legally drafting fixed fees, sales percentages (Royalties), and bonuses.

Real-World Situations When You Need This Service

Endorsements often involve the following legal challenges:

  • Conflict of Interest: An athlete signed a contract with a watch brand, but their club's sponsor is another watchmaker. The lawyer negotiates exceptions.
  • Scandal and Contract Termination: A celebrity got involved in a scandal. The company wants to terminate the contract and claim damages. The lawyer protects the client from disproportionate fines.
  • Defective Product: The endorsed product turned out to be defective, damaging the ambassador's reputation. Distancing and contract termination are needed.
  • Social Media Dispute: The brand demands more posts or content that wasn't agreed upon. The lawyer protects the person's editorial independence.

Georgian Legal Framework

Personal endorsement is regulated by the "Civil Code of Georgia" (service contract), the "Law on Copyright and Related Rights" (image rights), and the "Law on Advertising". The latter prohibits misleading advertising and imposes liability on the ad distributor (in this case — the endorser) if they knowingly spread false information about the product.

Process: How a Specialist Works

The lawyer's role includes:

  1. Negotiation: Balancing commercial terms and obligations.
  2. Risk Management: Precisely drafting "Force Majeure" and "Morality Clauses".
  3. Monitoring: Controlling contract performance and responding to breaches.

Why Legal.ge?

Legal.ge offers access to lawyers experienced in marketing law. Commercializing a personal brand is a great opportunity, but it requires a careful legal approach. We will help ensure your name is profitable and protected.

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