copyright intellectual-property trademark online branding
Can I use a branded product name and/or product pictures in their retail packaging in my paid cooking video?
<p>I'm making cooking videos of my own recipes for selling on line. In order to help viewers replicate my recipes exactly, I'd like to: </p>

<ol>
<li>Refer to brand-name ingredients in my video, e.g., "Great Value coconut oil" in the audio as well as text on screen </li>
<li>Show some of these brand-name products in their packaging (which will have printed logos and copyrighted images) on screen while I refer to them </li>
</ol>

<p>Is (1) legal if I don't get explicit permission from the brand owners? How about (2)?</p>

<p>Yes you can - identifying specific products is what trademarks are for.</p>

<p>If you do so, it is important to make very clear in conspicuous text that the trademarks are used without the permission of the owners and do not constitute an endorsement of your product by any of those companies.</p>

<p>Also, while it is probably legal to do so if you do that, the common practice would be to not identify brands that have not endorsed your product.</p>
