When you create a logo, an album cover, a photo or a piece of music, you are its author. Your client pays to be able to use it. A copyright assignment organizes that handover. Here are the essentials, without the jargon.
Moral rights and economic rights
Copyright is made up of two families of rights:
- Moral rights: being recognized as the author, and protecting the integrity of the work. They stay with you.
- Economic rights: the right to exploit the work and earn money from it. These are the ones you can assign.
What an assignment must spell out
A vague assignment is a recipe for conflict. It must clearly state:
- The work concerned: "the logo and visual identity of Bantu Records".
- The rights assigned: reproduction, public display, adaptation, commercial use.
- The duration: 5 years, 10 years or the full legal term of protection.
- The territory: one country, one continent or the whole world.
- The price of the assignment, either separate or included in your fee.
| Right | What the client can do |
|---|---|
| Reproduction | Print, copy and duplicate the work |
| Public display | Broadcast it, display it, publish it online |
| Adaptation | Modify it, adapt it to other formats |
| Commercial use | Use it to sell products or services |
When should the assignment be signed?
The safest option: at final delivery, once you've been paid in full. Until the job is paid, the rights are not assigned. Say so in your collaboration contract.
You're selling a use, not your talent. A well-written assignment lets you show the project in your portfolio and stay credited.
Traps to avoid
- Assigning "all rights, forever, worldwide" with no clear compensation.
- Forgetting the duration or the territory: the assignment can then be challenged.
- Handing over the source files before you've been paid.
- Putting nothing in writing: without a document, the client can dispute what was agreed.
With Coolcolab
In the document editor, choose "Copyright assignment": tick the rights assigned, the duration, the territory and the price. The document is generated in your brand colors, sent to your client and signed online. It stays filed in the collab's folder.
