Terms of Service

1. Acceptable Use Policy

You agree to use our website and services only for lawful purposes and in accordance with these Terms. You agree not to:

• Use the service in any way that violates any applicable federal, state, local, or international law or regulation
• Engage in any conduct that restricts or inhibits anyone's use or enjoyment of the service
• Transmit any advertising or promotional material without our prior written consent
• Impersonate or attempt to impersonate Brand Forge, our employees, another user, or any other person or entity
• Engage in any automated use of the system, such as using scripts to send comments or messages
• Interfere with, disrupt, or create an undue burden on the service or networks connected to the service
• Attempt to bypass any measures we may use to prevent or restrict access to the service

2. Service Access and Use

We grant you a limited, non-exclusive, non-transferable, revocable license to access and use our services for your personal or business purposes. This license includes:

• Viewing and browsing our website content
• Submitting inquiries through contact forms
• Accessing information about our brand development services
• Using our services in accordance with project agreements

This license does not include any right to resell or commercial use of our services or content, collection and use of product listings or descriptions, derivative use of our services or content, or any use of data mining or similar data gathering methods.

3. Prohibited Activities

The following activities are strictly prohibited:

• Copying, modifying, or distributing our content without permission
• Using the service to transmit viruses, malware, or other harmful code
• Attempting to gain unauthorized access to our systems or networks
• Harvesting or collecting information about users without their consent
• Using our service to spam, phish, or engage in fraudulent activities
• Reverse engineering or attempting to extract source code from our service
• Removing or modifying any copyright, trademark, or proprietary rights notices

4. User Responsibilities

As a user of our services, you are responsible for:

• Maintaining the confidentiality of any account credentials you may receive
• All activities that occur under your account or through your use of the service
• Ensuring that your use complies with all applicable laws and regulations
• Providing accurate and complete information when requested
• Notifying us immediately of any unauthorized use of your account
• Keeping your contact information up to date

5. Service Uptime and Maintenance

We strive to provide reliable access to our website and services. However:

• We do not guarantee uninterrupted access to our services
• Scheduled maintenance may temporarily limit availability, and we will provide advance notice when possible
• Emergency maintenance may be performed without notice to address security issues or technical problems
• We are not liable for any interruption of service, regardless of cause

6. Service Modifications and Updates

We reserve the right to modify or discontinue our services at any time:

• We may add, change, suspend, or remove features without prior notice
• Updates to our services may be automatically applied
• We may change pricing structures for our services with appropriate notice to existing clients
• Continued use of modified services constitutes acceptance of changes
• We are not obligated to maintain or support any particular feature indefinitely

7. Geographic Restrictions

Our services are operated from the United States and are intended for users in jurisdictions where such access and use are lawful. If you access our services from outside the United States, you do so at your own risk and are responsible for compliance with local laws. We make no representation that materials on our website are appropriate or available for use in all locations.

8. Our Content Ownership

All content on our website and services, including but not limited to:

• Text, graphics, logos, images, and design elements
• Software, code, and technical implementations
• Brand names, trademarks, and service marks
• Process documentation and methodology descriptions

is the exclusive property of Brand Forge or its licensors and is protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws. Unauthorized use may result in legal action.

9. Client Content and Work Product

Regarding content and work product created through our brand development services:

• Ownership of final deliverables transfers to clients upon full payment as specified in project agreements
• We retain the right to use completed work in our portfolio and marketing materials unless otherwise agreed
• Preliminary concepts and drafts remain our property unless specifically transferred
• Third-party elements used in projects are licensed according to their respective terms
• Clients are responsible for obtaining necessary permissions for content they provide

10. License Grant

By submitting content through our contact forms or communications, you grant us a non-exclusive, worldwide, royalty-free license to use, reproduce, and display such content for the purpose of providing our services and improving our website. This license terminates when you request deletion of your content, subject to reasonable retention periods.

11. Copyright and Trademark Notices

All copyright and trademark notices must remain intact on any authorized copies. The Brand Forge name, logo, and related marks are trademarks of Brand Forge. Other product and company names mentioned on our website may be trademarks of their respective owners.

21. Governing Law and Jurisdiction

These Terms shall be governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Illinois, United States, without regard to its conflict of law provisions. Any legal action or proceeding arising under these Terms shall be brought exclusively in the courts located in Chicago, Illinois, and you consent to the jurisdiction of such courts.

22. Dispute Resolution

In the event of any dispute arising from these Terms or our services, the parties agree to first attempt resolution through good faith negotiation. If negotiation fails, disputes may be submitted to mediation before pursuing litigation. This does not prevent either party from seeking injunctive relief when necessary.

23. Severability

If any provision of these Terms is found to be unenforceable or invalid, that provision shall be limited or eliminated to the minimum extent necessary so that these Terms shall otherwise remain in full force and effect. The unenforceable provision shall be replaced with an enforceable provision that most closely achieves the original intent.

24. Entire Agreement

These Terms, together with our Privacy Policy and any service agreements, constitute the entire agreement between you and Brand Forge regarding the use of our services. These Terms supersede any prior agreements or understandings, whether written or oral.

25. Changes to Terms

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. Updated terms will be posted on this page with a new effective date. Material changes will be communicated through our website or via email. Your continued use of our services after changes become effective constitutes acceptance of the modified terms.