Before displaying a client logo, confirm that you have permission for the exact placement, description and duration intended. Explain your relationship accurately and use approved brand assets and conditions. Keep the approval record and review it when the context changes. A past project does not automatically authorize every public use or imply endorsement.
Define the proposed use before asking
A permission request should show what you intend to publish. Include the page, logo treatment, surrounding wording and whether the mark will also appear in social previews, downloads or presentations. “May I mention the project?” may not answer whether a large logo can sit under “trusted by.” Make the request specific enough that an authorized person can understand the impression the placement creates.
Describe the relationship honestly. Working for a subcontractor, contributing to a limited project and holding a direct ongoing client relationship are different facts. The caption should match your role and the relevant dates. Do not let a logo grid erase these distinctions or imply that the organization endorses every service on your profile. If the relationship cannot be described clearly without qualification, the placement may need a different format.
Identify who can authorize the use. Your project contact may need approval from communications, brand or another owner. Ask rather than assuming that any employee can grant permission. Keep a copy of the proposed layout and wording with the request so the eventual record explains what was approved. Avoid treating silence or a friendly comment as an unrestricted licence.
Use the approved asset and conditions
Follow the brand owner’s supplied asset and usage requirements. Do not redraw, recolor or combine a logo with a badge in a way that changes the intended meaning. Confirm whether a link, attribution or particular size is required. If the organization offers public brand guidelines, read the relevant current page while recognizing that guidelines may not themselves grant the permission your specific use requires.
Record conditions such as placement, duration, review requirements and removal requests. A permission to illustrate one case study may not cover a homepage endorsement strip. Revisit approval if you change the surrounding claim, move the mark to another product or use it in paid promotion. WIPO’s linked trademark information is contextual further reading; it does not decide the rights or permission for a particular client relationship.
Keep the page accurate when permission is absent or changes
If permission is unavailable, describe the work without the logo where confidentiality and other obligations allow. A permitted anonymized account can explain your contribution without exposing the organization or implying approval. Do not substitute a recognizable lookalike mark or a fabricated client name that could confuse readers. The absence of a logo does not prevent a useful, evidence-aware case study.
When permission ends or is withdrawn, identify every affected surface and update it through the appropriate process. Check downloads, preview images and reusable templates as well as the visible page. Keep the historical project account accurate without maintaining an unauthorized endorsement signal. If rights or obligations are unclear, seek appropriate advice rather than treating a general profile-writing checklist as legal clearance.
Fictional example: a project mark under the wrong heading
A fictional workshop consultant wants to add an organization’s logo beneath “partners.” Her actual contribution was one session delivered through another provider. She prepares a request showing the proposed page and caption. The organization’s authorized contact permits a small logo within that specific project account, with wording that identifies the limited session contribution and does not call the organization a partner.
The consultant keeps the approved layout and conditions in a permission register and removes the mark from the broader homepage strip. A future slide deck would require checking whether that use is covered. This invented example illustrates a permission process and a narrower description; it claims no real client, permission grant or organizational endorsement.
A checklist for your next step
- Show the exact proposed placement.
- Describe the relationship accurately.
- Confirm authorization to approve.
- Use approved brand assets.
- Track conditions and affected surfaces.
Common questions
Does completing work automatically let me display the logo?
Do not assume it. Review the actual agreement and obtain appropriate permission for the proposed public use.
Can I call a former client a partner?
Only if that accurately describes the relationship and is appropriate to publish. A logo should not enlarge the meaning of a limited engagement.
Further reading
These primary resources provide related background. They do not validate the illustrative example or endorse AliveProfile.
AI-assisted drafting and automated technical checks. Examples are illustrative; no independent expert review or real-world outcome validation is claimed. Read our editorial policy.