How to get the right to use the BICYCLE brand logo on decks?

[Propazoid]

Hello,

I am new to playing cards but not to game design.  My fantasy card game was recently funded on kickstarter. http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/654947744/hunters-guild-card-game

I wanted to start on a playing card deck next.  My question is I see a lot of decks on kickstarter have the Bicycle brand.  Can someone explain to me how you go about getting the approval to use their logo?
I assume they print the cards, but do they have to approve your designs as well?

Thanks for the help!
Robb

[Alex Willis]

Hello,

I am new to playing cards but not to game design.  My fantasy card game was recently funded on kickstarter. http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/654947744/hunters-guild-card-game

I wanted to start on a playing card deck next.  My question is I see a lot of decks on kickstarter have the Bicycle brand.  Can someone explain to me how you go about getting the approval to use their logo?
I assume they print the cards, but do they have to approve your designs as well?

Thanks for the help!
Robb

Send an email to tiffanymahan@usplayingcard.com, she'll give you a packet and rules and dos and donts...

Playing cards buyers are a tricky lot, but you've got some mad art skillz (sorry, i had to ask my daughter how to say 'really good' in current coloquialism).  if your cards are going to use similar images to your game, it should be cool!  Make sure you ask for advice while designing your deck! 

[Don Boyer]

Hello,

I am new to playing cards but not to game design.  My fantasy card game was recently funded on kickstarter. http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/654947744/hunters-guild-card-game

I wanted to start on a playing card deck next.  My question is I see a lot of decks on kickstarter have the Bicycle brand.  Can someone explain to me how you go about getting the approval to use their logo?
I assume they print the cards, but do they have to approve your designs as well?

Thanks for the help!
Robb

Welcome to the boards, Robb.

By "they", you mean the US Playing Card Company (USPC).  Don't say they're being "printed by Bicycle", because that indicates you don't know who's actually making your cards.  USPC has people in the Custom Department that assist with Kickstarter projects where people intend to use them as the printer.  They'll give you a few do's and don'ts.

If you want to use any of the USPC brands (Bicycle, Bee, Tally Ho, etc.) your project a) will cost a bit more and b) must be approved by the brand manager for that brand at the company.  Most cases you'll be fine - the strictest guidelines they have are regarding their trademarks, like the appearance of the brand name itself, their own Ace of Spades, backs and joker designs, etc.  You are not required to use their backs, jokers, etc., but if you do, you can't alter them other than for how they're colored.  The brand on the box must appear in a specific manner, and deviations from that will require correction before they go to print.  You also must own any custom artwork you submit to them for your deck design.

The advantage of putting up with all the requirements is that you'll have that name-brand recognition for your deck, which in most cases will help boost sales.  The disadvantage, obviously, is that USPC has more approval authority in the design itself - you can't just design what you please and slap their name on it.

As far as straight-out censorship, they have some leeway but will stay away from the controversial - the one time I've seen them flat-out refuse a deck was the initial design of the Bicycle Karnival Inferno deck because of too much imagery that they construed as demonic/Satanic.  The deck was redesigned to something a bit less impressive and was made without the Bicycle brand on it.

[Propazoid]

Thank you both for the fast reply!  Very helpful!

The forum really looks great & I 'm looking forward to share my artwork with the members.

Thanks again,
Robb

[Nihilo]

If my court face look like the USPC court face can i use them?

[Don Boyer]

If my court face look like the USPC court face can i use them?

USPC standard courts aren't protected by copyright, trademark or patent.  At lybrary.com, you can even order a disc filled with images from classic card faces - no actual work necessary.

[Nihilo]

Nice 
thankyou for the link

[Simmeon]

Hello,

I am new to playing cards but not to game design.  My fantasy card game was recently funded on kickstarter. http://www.kickstarter.com/projects/654947744/hunters-guild-card-game

I wanted to start on a playing card deck next.  My question is I see a lot of decks on kickstarter have the Bicycle brand.  Can someone explain to me how you go about getting the approval to use their logo?
I assume they print the cards, but do they have to approve your designs as well?

Thanks for the help!
Robb

Welcome to the boards, Robb.

By "they", you mean the US Playing Card Company (USPC).  Don't say they're being "printed by Bicycle", because that indicates you don't know who's actually making your cards.  USPC has people in the Custom Department that assist with Kickstarter projects where people intend to use them as the printer.  They'll give you a few do's and don'ts.

If you want to use any of the USPC brands (Bicycle, Bee, Tally Ho, etc.) your project a) will cost a bit more and b) must be approved by the brand manager for that brand at the company.  Most cases you'll be fine - the strictest guidelines they have are regarding their trademarks, like the appearance of the brand name itself, their own Ace of Spades, backs and joker designs, etc.  You are not required to use their backs, jokers, etc., but if you do, you can't alter them other than for how they're colored.  The brand on the box must appear in a specific manner, and deviations from that will require correction before they go to print.  You also must own any custom artwork you submit to them for your deck design.

The advantage of putting up with all the requirements is that you'll have that name-brand recognition for your deck, which in most cases will help boost sales.  The disadvantage, obviously, is that USPC has more approval authority in the design itself - you can't just design what you please and slap their name on it.

As far as straight-out censorship, they have some leeway but will stay away from the controversial - the one time I've seen them flat-out refuse a deck was the initial design of the Bicycle Karnival Inferno deck because of too much imagery that they construed as demonic/Satanic.  The deck was redesigned to something a bit less impressive and was made without the Bicycle brand on it.

Interesting, I always wondered what hurdles designers has to jump over to get the glorified "Bicycle" logo on a custom deck. I'm planning on designing a deck myself but, I think I'll just start with using Zazzle and progress accordingly.

[Don Boyer]

Interesting, I always wondered what hurdles designers has to jump over to get the glorified "Bicycle" logo on a custom deck. I'm planning on designing a deck myself but, I think I'll just start with using Zazzle and progress accordingly.

First, welcome to the boards.  You should create a new topic on the "Introduce Yourself" board and let us get to know you better.

Consider using makeplayingcards.com for a sample deck.  The price is reasonable and I'm told Zazzle's quality is terrible while MPC is at least acceptable.

[rjtomlinson1977]

Tiffany at USPCC is great to work with it. She can help you with any questions you have. Thanks to her I got permission to use the likeness of the various world leaders of WWII (Roosevelt, Hitler, Churchill... etc.) on my retooled version of Global Unrest (which will be re-launching soon).