Copyright information

Factual Questions
1

I have heard this from my friend, who, by the way, is much more knowledgable than me on things such as this. Anyways, I am planning on writing a book (well, technically I’m writing it now, but I digress,) and in the book I plan to mention several copyrighted, or trademarked, or registered names, products, etc…

My friend says that I am free to mention them at my whim, and I do not need permission to do so. Is this true, and if so, how far can I go with mentioning them? Can I promote them, or un-promote as the case might be?

Just wonderin’.

2

The companies that make the products will be very irate unless you make it clear that you’re not using the name of their product to refer to the entire product line. Example: Don’t say, “She grabbed a Kleenex”, but rather, “She grabbed a Kleenex brand facial tissue,” or, if you’d like to have actual flow in your book, “She grabbed a tissue.” Companies do NOT like having their trademarks genericized.

When in doubt, call the PR department of the company in question.

3

Well I guess then Bret Easton Ellis spent more time talking on the phone than actually writing the book.

4

What does your friend say about my question?
(see Copyright Laws thread in this forum)

5

If you mention a trademark name, such as Vaseline, follow it by [sup] tm [/sup] to show that it’s a trademark name.