Product Sponsorship: What Is the Standard?

[Ari]

Excuse my poorly worded title; here's what I mean:

I am in a position for one or two manufacturers, let's say "Film Company A" and "Camera Company B", to offer me sponsorship.
This means that I will use their products, and publicize the benefits of their products in the real world, in exchange for equipment.

I'd really appreciate any advice from somebody who has done this before, namely:

What should be the specifics of such an arrangement?
What should I agree to, or not agree to?
What is expected of me, and what should I expect from company A and/or B?

Thanks in advance, and sorry for providing few details.

[BrianShaw]

You might benefit from a good lawyer who specializes in these kind of celebrity endorsement issues!

[Ari]

No lawyer ;
I'm no celebrity, just a wily photographer trying to save a few bucks.

[BrianShaw]

In that case... and I have never done this myself but see others doing such things in non-photographic fields...

Start by making a list of what your heart want to do and get. Be generous... very generous in favor of yourself. Over-estimate everything by 200 or 300%. Present your list of demands. Stand firm right up to the minute before they tell you to get out of their sight, and then admit that you'll negotiate. Throw them a few bones like "exclusive rights", or transfer of copyright. Have clauses that gets you huge amounts of film and gear... with no strings attached, but be ready to "negotiate" by returning gear upon completion of usage. Also put in your list of demands full compensation for all travel, including 5-star hotels and fancy cars, but be prepared to negotiate to the GSA per-diem schedule (or the Canadian equivelent).

In short... don't sell yourself short and don't set yourself up to be their "whore". Kee p up the image and attitude that they don't deserve you but you'll "lower yourself" to "help them out".

Although exagerated... this is the kind of contractual negotiations I see in non-photographic fields. I don't like them but "he who asks, gets"... and that is a fact.

Good luck!

[Jody_S]

This seems fairly routine now-a-days, what with 99% of 'advertising' being word of mouth, internet, and companies can't (openly) pay directly to get favorable 'user reviews'. They often try anyway, it's just that those paid-for reviews are so transparent that we ignore them (eg, hi-fi audio gear). I don't know what they're asking of you, just don't promise to do anything that you feel is dishonest, and you shouldn't have to worry about your reputation. Obviously, they're not going to offer something for nothing, they expect the relationship to be profitable in the narrow sense.

[Jac@stafford.net]

You don't even know the questions to ask.
Get a lawyer.

[Ari]

They haven't asked anything yet, at least nothing specific.
I see a straight merchandise/goods for promotion type of deal.

It is my proposal, so I want to offer something tangible, but nothing that will eat up huge chunks of time; I'm busy.
A lawyer? No thanks, again; I can tie my own shoes, thank you.

I'm sure I'm over-thinking this, but I wanted to hear from anyone else with this kind of experience.
I don't doubt it will be a pleasurable and profitable one, so I just want to avoid any pitfalls.

[BrianShaw]

I don't think you are over-thinking at all. What I would be thinking getting clarity about is the following: ownership of the gear (will it be loan, lease, or gift) and ownership/usage of the resulting images (yours or theirs via "work for hire")... and maybe some thought about differential compensation depending on type/extent of usage.

[Kirk Gittings]

Good for the ego, but.......I used to do that frequently maybe 20 years ago for equipment and film manufacturers mainly Calumet, Polaroid and Kodak. In my case I found it very conflicting morally and the articles/reports time consuming and distracting or under compensated for the amount of work or in the case of using images made with the equip/film that the trade off was under compensated. In any event I ultimately decided that I personally was better off concentrating on my dual career of an artist and commercial photographer and just paying for stuff.

[bdkphoto]

This would be a good place to pose the question- http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/ASMPproAdvice/

I know many of the folks running the discussion have sponsorship deals of one sort or another, you should get some current idea of what's up. Unless you are at the top of the food chain the benefits are modest.

Good luck.