Review visible logos and recognisable marks in the finished promotional footage before publishing. Runway's usage rights do not establish permission from a brand or settle whether a particular presentation could imply endorsement.
Screen the final frames in context
As editorial advice, inspect the final edit at normal playback speed and in paused frames, including the opening, closing card and any selected thumbnail. A mark's significance depends on its placement and surrounding message, not merely whether it appears somewhere.
Look for readable names, recognisable symbols and ambiguous marks that resemble a known brand. Do not assume that a distorted or partly obscured mark is automatically harmless. This is a screening method for further review, not a legal test or a claim about what Runway generates.
Build a logo appearance log
Create one entry per appearance, with these fields:
- Time and location: Timestamp, duration and position in the frame.
- Identity confidence: Known brand, client-provided mark or uncertain resemblance.
- Narrative role: Background context, featured product, comparison or apparent sponsor.
- Endorsement question: Could the accompanying copy, voiceover or framing suggest approval or partnership?
- Evidence: What client approval or other relevant permission has been documented?
- Action: Retain for further approval, replace, remove or escalate, with a named reviewer.
Keep incidental background appearances separate from featured endorsements. Also review client-owned marks rather than automatically clearing them: ask whether the supplied version and proposed presentation have been approved by the right project contact.
Hypothetical example: an Ahmedabad café ad
Suppose a creator prepares a 15-second advertisement for a fictional café. The final edit includes the café's approved wordmark, a prominent sports-brand-like symbol on a cup and a faint shop sign in the background.
The café mark goes into the client-approval lane. The cup symbol receives higher review priority because it is central and appears beside the line “our new partner in every break”. The background sign gets a separate context assessment rather than being bundled with the implied partnership.
Evaluate the combination of mark, prominence and message. Replacing the cup design and revising the line may resolve the editorial concern more efficiently than arguing that the symbol is not an exact match. Re-screen the replacement edit before approval.
Stop when affiliation is unclear
Hold publication where a prominent mark or accompanying message implies an unsupported affiliation. Seek qualified advice for disputed cases, or use a neutral design that does not create the same concern.
If choosing production access, check the AI tools catalog, confirm access format and save offer terms before buying. Marketplace account/code/token offers are not proof of official subscription equivalence or brand clearance.
Sources and scope
Runway usage rights establishes ownership between the user and Runway and Runway's commercial-use position, not third-party brand permission. Source material checked 29 October 2026; features/policies may change. The appearance log is editorial screening advice, not a trademark conclusion.