Emmy® Usage Policy

EMMY USAGE-TRADEMARK POLICY

Policy Regarding the Use of: Trademarks, EMMY® statue(ette), and Clips from EMMY® Award Shows

  1. TRADEMARK USE GUIDELINES
    A. Consistent and Proper Use

    The trademarks of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences, also known as National Television Academy (“NATAS/NTA”) are valuable assets. Proper and consistent use of such trademarks is vital so that those marks maintain their value and NATAS/NTA may protect its legal rights in ownership of those marks.
    Therefore, please familiarize yourself with, and abide by, the following use guidelines. Always follow these rules when using the National Television Academy trademarks:
    1. Use trademarks as adjectives. Trademarks are adjectives, not nouns or verbs, and should always be followed by a noun.
    Correct: Emmy® award
    Emmy® award ceremony
    Incorrect:
    The Emmy’s.
    2. Never use trademarks in plural or possessive form.
    Correct: Two Emmy® statuettes.
    Incorrect: Two Emmy’s
    3. Set trademarks apart from other words or the nouns they modify. Methods of distinguishing a mark include printing it in capitals, italicized text, using bold faced text, title case (providing that the surrounding text is not also in title case) and/or putting the mark in “quotation marks.”
    Examples: the EMMY® award ceremony
    the Emmy® award ceremony
    the “Emmy” ® award ceremony

    4. Never use any other trademark in conjunction with a National Television Academy trademark without express authorization from the National Television Academy.

    75. Use the appropriate trademark symbol in the proper place and give proper attribution. While it is not always practical or feasible to use the appropriate trademark notice with every use of a word mark, try to use the appropriate symbol whenever the mark is displayed prominently and in the first occurrence of the mark in text on each page, including web pages. If the trademark consists of a logo or a design, the appropriate trademark notice should appear with every use of the logo or design.
    B. Appropriate Symbols
    ® = registered trademark (a mark used in connection with goods) or service mark (a mark used in connection with services)
    TM = trademark ownership claimed but mark is not registered
    SM = service mark ownership claimed but mark is not registered
    Correct: Emmy® Awards
    SILVER CIRCLE® Program
    C. Disclaimer
    Acknowledge National Television Academy’s ownership of its trademarks. The following language should be included on all websites and materials that display National Television Academy trademarks:
    “Use of the trademarks and service marks of the National Television Academy (“NATAS/NTA”), including the mark EMMY®, requires the prior express written permission of the National Television
    Academy.”
    D. Fair Use of Emmy Trademark
    1. Note that while permission is required to use the National Television Academy trademarks in connection with products and services, others are allowed to make “fair use” of the mark to identify the
    products and services of the National Television Academy. For example, a winning television show, may fairly advertise that it has won an EMMY® award.
    E. Alteration
    1. Never alter National Television Academy trademarks, including designs, colors, etc. without express written authorization from the National Television Academy.
    F. Inappropriate Use
    1. Never use National Television Academy trademarks in jokes, puns or in a derogatory fashion.
    2. Notify the National Television Academy of any improper use of any of its trademarks. Report as much detail as possible about the misuse, including the name of the party, contact information, and copies or photographs of the potential misuse.
    G. Subject to Change
    1. Always follow all applicable marketing and legal guidelines. From time to time, the National Television Academy may modify these written guidelines making it imperative to review all updates. At all times, you are subject to the prevailing guidelines currently in effect.

    II. PROTECTION OF THE EMMY® STATUE(ETTE)
    A. The Emmy® statue(ette) is the property of and all rights are reserved by the National Television Academy;
    B. The Emmy® statue(ette) may not be reproduced or used in any commercial manner unless permitted by the National Television Academy, it being understood that possession of the same is solely for the benefit of the recipient and the recipient’s heirs or successors in interest.
    C. If a recipient or the recipient’s heir or successor in interest proposes to sell or otherwise dispose of the Emmy® statue(ette), such persons shall be obligated to return the statue(ette) to the National Television Academy which will retain the same in storage in memory of the recipient.

    III. USE OF EXCERPTS FROM EMMY® AWARDS SHOW
    A. Clips from EMMY® Awards Shows may be used in news broadcasts to report on said awards shows. The policies governing such uses are as follows:
    1. The clips are to be used only in the segment of the broadcaster’s news program that covers the EMMY® Awards ceremony.
    2. Aggregate length of all clips in a news program is not to exceed one (1) minute.
    3. Clips are not to be aired as a part of a news program in any time zone until completion of the airing of the EMMY® Awards shows in that time zone.
    4. The broadcaster must assume all responsibility for obtaining union and/or music clearances, and must secure the consent of the network which broadcasts the show. The broadcaster must indemnify NATAS/NTA and ATAS against any claims. See Exhibit A (attached).
    B. Other Use of Excerpts:
    1. Clips from EMMY® Awards shows may be used in news stories (in addition to those covered under section A above) which relate to a recipient of an award upon his or her death.
    1. Clips from EMMY® Awards shows may be used in retrospectives and similar shows dealing with the careers of recipients.
    3. Clips from EMMY® Awards shows may be used in other awards shows.
    4. Clips may not be used in entertainment-type shows.
    C. Programs other than current news shows in which clips are used may be broadcast and rebroadcast without limitation. NATAS/NTA and ATAS would also agree that, in most cases, it is proper to allow usage of those clips in after-market applications, e.g., a retrospective of an artist which is first broadcast on television then released on home video.
    D. Permission for use of clips (in shows other than news) must be obtained in each instance from NATAS/NTA and ATAS. The party seeking permission is responsible for securing any necessary union or music clearances. A copy of the standard form used in connection with EMMY® Awards Shows for this purpose is attached as Exhibit B. Please note that in the form, in some cases where NATAS/NTA or ATAS is dealing with a recognized company, there is an alternate paragraph that contains an indemnity against union and music claims, as opposed to a provision requiring the proposed user to obtain the clearances.
    E. Use of Excerpts in Commercials:
    1. It is felt that this type of use would dilute the value of the EMMY®. Accordingly, unless the Board of Trustees were to grant a waiver in a specific instance, excerpts from EMMY® Awards Shows may not be used in commercials.

    IV. USE OF THE EMMY® NAME AND EMMY® STATUE(ETTE) IN ADVERTISING AND PUBLICITY
    A. EMMY® Winners:
    1. EMMY® Winners may at any time refer in advertising and publicity to the fact that they have won an EMMY® and may, for one year after the Award is won, use a replica of the statue(ette) in such advertising.
    2. NATAS/NTA and ATAS are currently receiving requests for use of the statue(ette) on video cassettes of EMMY®-winning Shows. It is the policy of NATAS/NTA and ATAS that the statue(ette) may not be used on video cassette/disc copies of EMMY®-winning Shows. However, reference may be made in the printed material on the cover to the effect that the show is an EMMY® winner.
    B. Sponsors of EMMY® shows:
    1. In the past, we have allowed sponsors of EMMY® Awards Shows to use a copy of the EMMY® Statuette and the EMMY® name in both print and point-of-sale advertising, provided that (i) the advertising occurred at or about the time of broadcast of the Show, and (ii) the advertising made specific reference to their sponsorship of the Show.
    C. Advertiser’s Use of Clips from Shows in Advertising:
    1. Unless the Board of Trustees were to grant a waiver, clips from an EMMY® show (i.e., a clip showing someone winning an EMMY® award or a clip of someone wearing the advertiser’s product at the Show) may not be used in advertising.
    D. Network / Station Uses:
    1. Networks and local television stations may use the EMMY® name and EMMY® statue(ette) with appropriate copyright and trademark notices in connection with promotional announcements for programs
    which, in fact, have won the EMMY® award, as long as it is done within one (1) year after the Award has been won and not thereafter.
    2. Networks and local stations may announce the fact that they have won national EMMY® Awards or regional EMMY® Awards, as the case may be, by showing replicas of the statue(ette) and may refer to the name of NATAS/NTA or ATAS. Appropriate copyright and trademark notices should be affixed to any replicas of the statue(ette) as outlined above.

    V. OTHER USES OF THE EMMY® NAME OR THE EMMY® STATUE(ETTE)
    A. In Television Programs or Movies:

    1. The EMMY® statue(ette) may be used as a prop in a program or movie as long as the use is not in any way derogatory to the statue(ette) and that the statue(ette) is an incidental part of the same.
    B. In Published Works, etc.:
    1. The EMMY® name and/or statue(ette) may be used in connection with printed works provided that the work is of an educational or informational nature, and the reference to the EMMY® name or statuette is
    non-derogatory and is reasonably related to the purpose of the published work.
    2. EMMY® winners are permitted to use pictures of themselves receiving the EMMY® award in personal resumes and self-promotion.
    3. Pictures of EMMY® winners receiving their statue(ette)s may also be used in printed materials featuring biographical material about such winner, provided that the use is reasonably related to the biographical material, e.g., use of a picture of an EMMY® winner in a souvenir program of a stage play in which the EMMY® winner appears, use in biographical articles about the winner, etc.
    4. We have received requests from corporate EMMY® winners to use replicas of the EMMY® on stationery and the like. Although EMMY® winners may make textual reference to the fact that they have won an EMMY® award, they may not use replicas of the EMMY® statue(ette) for this purpose.
    C. Merchandising:
    1. The EMMY® name and EMMY® statue(ette) may not be used in connection with merchandising items except with prior approval of the Board of Trustees. If any proposed merchandising uses are to be approved, that proposal must be coordinated with NATAS/NTA and ATAS.