Pro Tool Innovation Awards Digital Seal Usage Terms

Updated: April 10th, 2026

Overview

These Terms of Use govern the rights and responsibilities of brands, manufacturers, and companies (collectively, “Licensee”) that have been recognized as a Winner or Finalist by the Pro Tool Innovation Awards (“PTIA”) and wish to use the official digital Winner’s Seal and/or Finalist’s Seal (collectively, the “Seal”) in connection with their products, services, or brand communications.

By using the Seal, the Licensee agrees to be bound by these Terms. Use of the Seal outside the scope of these Terms without prior written approval from the Pro Tool Innovation Awards team constitutes a violation of PTIA’s intellectual property rights and may result in revocation of usage rights.

The Seal

The official Pro Tool Innovation Award Winner’s Seal and Finalist’s Seal are proprietary assets owned exclusively by the Pro Tool Innovation Awards. All Seal assets are provided directly by the PTIA team in approved formats. Licensees may not alter, recreate, recolor, distort, or otherwise modify the Seal in any way. Only the official Seal assets supplied by PTIA may be used.

Each Seal is year-specific. The Licensee is authorized to use only the Seal corresponding to the award year in which their product was recognized. Use of a Seal from a year in which the Licensee was not recognized is strictly prohibited.

Complimentary (No-Fee) Usage

Recognized Winners and Finalists are granted a complimentary, non-exclusive, non-transferable license to display the Seal across their own organic digital channels at no cost. Approved complimentary usage channels include:

  • Your website – Any pages within your brand’s owned and operated website(s).
  • Social media handles & channels – Organic (non-paid) posts and content across your brand’s owned social media accounts. When promoting your win on social media, please tag or collaborate with @toolinnovationawards in your post.
  • Email marketing & newsletters – Branded email communications sent directly to your subscribers.
  • Mobile applications – Within your brand’s owned and operated mobile apps.
  • SMS/Mobile marketing – Text message campaigns sent through your brand’s owned programs.
  • Owned ecommerce platforms – Product pages and brand content on your brand’s own direct-to-consumer online store.
  • Owned brick-and-mortar store(s) – In-store digital displays, screens, or digital signage within your brand’s own physical retail locations.

All complimentary usage is limited to organic, brand-owned placements only. Any use that involves paid promotion, third-party distribution, or commercial amplification beyond the brand’s own channels is subject to the usage fees outlined in Section 4.

Usage Requiring a Fee & Prior Approval

Use of the Seal in the following contexts requires a separate usage agreement and applicable fees to be arranged with the Pro Tool Innovation Awards team prior to use:

  • Paid social advertising – Any boosted, sponsored, or paid placements on social media platforms (e.g., Meta Ads, LinkedIn Ads, TikTok Ads, etc.).
  • Paid digital advertising – Display ads, programmatic advertising, search engine marketing, video pre-roll, or any other paid digital advertising format.
  • Paid retailer marketing – Co-op advertising, sponsored placements, or any paid promotional materials executed through or on behalf of a retail partner.
  • Product packaging – Inclusion of the Seal on physical product packaging, boxes, hang tags, labels, or inserts.
  • In-store displays – Point-of-purchase displays, endcaps, shelf talkers, banners, or any other in-store retail display materials.
  • Third-party platforms – Any use of the Seal on platforms, websites, publications, or channels not owned and operated directly by the Licensee, including but not limited to retailer product pages (e.g., Amazon, Home Depot, Lowe’s), trade publications, partner websites, or influencer/affiliate content.

To inquire about fees, obtain approval, or execute a paid usage agreement, please contact the PTIA team using the information provided in Section 7 prior to any use.

General Usage Standards

The following standards apply to all uses of the Seal, whether complimentary or fee-based:

  • The Seal must be displayed clearly and legibly, and must not be obscured, cropped, or placed over competing visual elements in a way that diminishes its integrity.
  • The Seal must not be used in any manner that implies an endorsement beyond the specific product recognition granted by PTIA.
  • The Seal must not be used in association with any content that is false, misleading, defamatory, or otherwise objectionable.
  • The Seal may not be sublicensed, transferred, or assigned to any other party.
  • Any use not explicitly covered by these Terms must receive prior written approval from the Pro Tool Innovation Awards team.

Revocation of Rights

The Pro Tool Innovation Awards reserves the right to revoke a Licensee’s usage rights at any time if these Terms are violated, if the Seal is used in a manner deemed inappropriate or damaging to the PTIA brand, or if fees required under Section 4 are not paid. Upon revocation, the Licensee must immediately cease all use of the Seal and remove it from all digital and physical materials.

Contact & Approvals

For questions regarding these Terms, to request approval for use cases not covered herein, or to inquire about paid usage licensing, please contact:

Melissa Consorte
Chief Revenue Officer, Pro Tool Innovation Awards
Email: [email protected]
Website: protoolinnovationawards.com

Amendments

The Pro Tool Innovation Awards reserves the right to update or amend these Terms at any time. Updated Terms will be made available at protoolinnovationawards.com. Continued use of the Seal following any amendment constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.