manpreet Best Answer 2 years ago

I've had an interview with an ad agency and they've asked me to sign a NDA before I do an interview task.

Now, I understood this was to protect their clients which I believe are somewhat secretive and that's all fine but there is a part that reads

"You hereby irrevocably and unconditionally assign to the company any and all copyright on intellectual property (including future copyright) in any work created by you in connection with any assignment or order for services provided under this agreement and waive and any all moral rights conferred upon now and in future etc etc etc"

Is this saying that if I create something amazing for this interview task they could basically use it for a client, potentially not hire me and not pay me?

Is this weird?

manpreet 2 years ago

As a person working in ad agencies and peripherals and marketing:

This is fishy (as in fish that eat excrement)

1. I've seen dozens of "competitions" that had the same mumbo jumbo and people who participate (but didn't win) seen their ideas used next year by the company. For free.
2. They don't need to protect their clients. They can give you a task for made up company, for made up campaign with made up strategy and so on.
3. This don't protect their clients in any way because it's not an NDA

They want you to give up any right to anything you create, don't give you any money and (most laughable) said that you don't have moral right to be angry if they make money on stuff that you make.

Unless they hire you, YOU have all rights to anything you create. If you freelance, unleast the contract specify it, client don't have right to idea they don't choose but you created. If you show client 5 options and they go with one you can still reuse those remaining 4. And they can't take your ideas to different agency/person. Because that's intellectual property.