Rejected for Visible Trademark: Logos, Brands and Product Designs
A Visible Trademark rejection means the reviewer found a logo, brand name or protected product design in a photo submitted for commercial use. Commercial stock has to be safe for any advertiser, and another company's brand makes it unsafe.
What the agency says
Shutterstock
Visible Trademark
Shutterstock says commercial photos cannot show trademarks, and commercial content with visible trademarks is rejected for "Visible Trademark".
Adobe Stock
Intellectual property
Adobe does not accept content protected by intellectual property laws, and notes that the protected element can be in the image itself or in its title, description or keywords.
Where trademarks hide
Most trademark rejections come from things the photographer stopped seeing:
- Devices: the logo on a laptop lid or the back of a phone, a brand name under a monitor.
- Clothing and shoes: a stripe pattern, a small embroidered logo, the tag on a cap.
- Vehicles: badges, grilles and distinctive body shapes.
- Packaging and labels: a drink can, a cereal box, a coffee cup with a printed brand.
- Signs and shopfronts in street scenes.
How to fix this file
- Remove the logo cleanly if it is small and on a simple surface. Check the repair at 100%; a smudge trades one rejection for another.
- Choose another frame from the shoot where the product is turned away or out of view.
- Resubmit as editorial if the brand is part of a real scene and you cannot remove it. Write a factual caption, and do not edit the content of the picture.
- Remove brand names from the title and keywords too. A clean picture with "iPhone" in the keywords is rejected for that instead.
How to stop it happening again
- Prepare props: tape over laptop logos, use unbranded mugs and packaging, dress models in plain clothes.
- Check the edges and background of the frame for signs and badges before you shoot.
- Describe objects generically in your keywords: "smartphone", not the brand.
Get a second pair of eyes on your set
The free Stock Photo Review flags photos that show people or logos, the two things most often missing a release or carrying a trademark. It is an AI opinion, so look at each flagged photo yourself.
Sources and when this was checked
Last checked: November 2026. The agency wording on this page comes from the help pages below. Agencies reword their reasons from time to time, so open the source if your message reads differently.
Frequently asked questions
Can I just blur the logo?
A clean removal can pass. A visible blur or smudge often fails as a post-production problem, and Shutterstock specifically mentions poorly executed blurring of trademarks.
Does a tiny logo in the background count?
It can. Reviewers look at the full-size file, where a small logo on a laptop lid, a car badge or a sneaker is easy to read. If you can read it at 100%, assume they can.
Can I sell the photo as editorial instead?
Often, yes. Editorial photos of real events and places may show brands, as long as the caption is factual and the image is not altered. Editorial sells less widely, but it is a legitimate home for street scenes and events.
Are product shapes trademarks too?
Some are. Distinctive product designs can be protected even with no logo visible. Shutterstock keeps a Known Restrictions list worth checking before you shoot.
