Endorsement implications
The FTC polices claims that imply an endorsement that was not given. “As seen in” describes coverage. “Recommended by” or “trusted by” implies the publication vouched for you — and it did not.
“As Seen In” logo usage — the rules nobody explains
Trademark • FTC • nominative fair use • what gets you a cease-and-desist
You got the placement. Now you want the logo on your homepage. There is a real line between legitimate reference and trademark misuse, and most “As Seen In” walls we audit cross it somewhere. Here is where the line sits.
★★★★★5.0 rated · Not legal advice · Ask your attorney for your situation
Safe vs riskyLive
Link the logoTo your actual article
Say “as seen in”Safe reference
Say “partner”Risky — implies deal
Say “award”Risky — implies honour
Modify the logoNever
No article? Do not use it at all
The whole test: are you describing what happened, or implying a relationship?
The principle
The doctrine that makes it legal at all
It is called nominative fair use, and it has limits.
Media logos are registered trademarks. You do not own them and you have no licence to use them. What lets you display one anyway is a doctrine called nominative fair use — the principle that you may use someone’s trademark to accurately refer to that person or thing, including when you are describing your own relationship to it.
It is not unlimited. Courts generally look at three things: whether you could identify the publication without the logo, whether you used more of the mark than necessary, and — the one that catches people — whether your use suggests sponsorship or endorsement that does not exist.
The one-sentence test: are you describing something that happened (“we were covered by Forbes”), or implying a relationship (“Forbes partner”, “Forbes-approved”, “Forbes award winner”)? The first is normally fine. The second is where cease-and-desist letters come from.
This page is general information, not legal advice. For your specific situation, ask a trademark attorney.
The line
What is safe, what is risky, what is not
Assuming you actually have a published article on that outlet.
| Usage | Verdict | Why |
|---|---|---|
| “As seen in Forbes” with the logo linked to your article | Normally fine | Accurate, verifiable, and the link proves it |
| A logo row labelled “Featured in” or “As seen in” | Normally fine | Descriptive framing, no relationship implied |
| Quoting a line from your article with attribution | Normally fine | Accurate quotation of published material |
| “Forbes partner” or “official media partner” | Risky | Implies a commercial relationship you do not have |
| “Forbes award winner” or “Forbes-approved” | Risky | Implies an honour or endorsement that was never given |
| Logo displayed with no article behind it | Do not | This is straightforward misrepresentation |
| Recolouring, stretching or restyling the logo | Do not | Modifying a mark weakens the fair-use argument entirely |
| Logo bigger or more prominent than your own brand | Risky | Prominence is a factor courts weigh on sponsorship confusion |
| Keeping the logo after the article is removed | Do not | It stops being accurate the moment the URL dies |
| Using a logo from a syndicated mirror, not the real outlet | Do not | You were never published there. This is the most common version of the problem |
Beyond trademark
The FTC angle most people miss
Trademark is not the only exposure.
Paid coverage and disclosure
If the placement was paid and you present it as independent editorial validation in advertising, you are on much thinner ice than if you simply say you were covered. Describe, do not endorse.
Regulated industries
If you sell financial, medical, legal or health products, your regulator likely has its own rules about implied third-party endorsement. Those are usually stricter than the general standard.
Always link the proof
A linked logo is the single strongest protection you have. It converts an implied claim into a verifiable statement, and it is also better for users and for search.
Do it right
How to build an As Seen In wall properly
Four rules that keep you safe and make it more persuasive.
1
Only show what you can prove
Every logo needs a live article on that publication’s own domain. If you cannot link it, remove it. This one rule eliminates most of the risk.
2
Link every logo to its article
Not to the publication’s homepage — to your specific piece. It turns a claim into evidence, and sceptical buyers do click.
3
Use descriptive framing only
“As seen in” or “Featured in”. Never “partner”, “approved”, “award”, “trusted by” or “recommended by”.
4
Audit it twice a year
Articles get removed during site migrations and ownership changes. A logo whose link is dead is a claim you can no longer support.
Straight answers
Logo usage FAQ
Can I put the Forbes logo on my website?
Generally yes, if you have genuinely been published on forbes.com, you use the unmodified logo to reference that specific article, and you do not imply endorsement, partnership or an award. Link the logo to the piece.
Do I need permission from the publication?
Nominative fair use does not require permission for accurate reference. Some publishers publish their own logo guidelines and it is worth checking. Permission is never required to simply state, truthfully, that they covered you.
What if the placement was paid?
You can still say you were covered — the article exists. Be more careful about framing it as independent validation in advertising, because that is where implied-endorsement exposure lives. Describe what happened; do not claim they vouched for you.
Can I use a logo if I was in the print edition only?
Yes, if you were genuinely published. Keep proof — a scan or a PDF — since you will have no URL to link. A claim you cannot evidence is a claim worth removing.
What if the article gets taken down?
Remove the logo. Your ability to display it rests entirely on accuracy, and the claim stops being verifiable the moment the URL dies. This is also why placement agreements should include a replacement clause.
Can I say “Award-winning, as seen in Forbes”?
Not unless you actually won an award. Placing “award-winning” next to a publication logo implies the publication gave you one. That is the exact pattern that draws cease-and-desist letters.
Is it different for social media bios?
The same principles apply, and the compressed format makes implied endorsement more likely — “Forbes ✓” reads as verification. Use “As seen in Forbes” and link where you can.
What is the most common mistake you see?
Logos from syndication mirrors. The client genuinely believes they were published in USA Today, displays the logo in good faith, and the underlying article was never on usatoday.com. Verify before you display.
Earn a logo you can actually display.
We place you, then tell you exactly how to show it — including the wording that keeps you on the right side of the line.