Does anyone know an easy way to get company logo usage permissions? I am using about 6 logos in a business letter strictly to show how a good logo is easy to identify the company without their name such as the apple logo but I wanted to see if I need permission to use them for this purpose. If anyone can help as I've been digging around on the internet for about an hour and can't find this info as it's probably buried in their sites.
Thanks!

The only way I can think of is; contact the corresponding company and make your way through the people on the phone/via email until you get the right person/department that would deal with this sort of thing, and ask nicely.

Don't ask don't tell, thats a good policy.

Is it "a business letter" to a single person? I wouldn't bother asking? What would they sue you over?

If it would be a bunch of promotional flyers or used in a magazine, then I could see where maybe you might want to ask, but a single letter... nah!

go for it, and forget anticipatory obedience, it will just prevent you from making your work. apple will knock on your door and say stop it, when they are not conform with the use of their logo in a business letter. how presumably is this

It's a letter going out to new companies in my area and at the start of it I ask them how many companies they recognize by their logo and I took out any company names. I'm trying to express the importance of having a unique logo.

I'm wondering if you can simply put their logos and then in the footer of the letter indicate the copyright/trademark ownership of each of the logos. Think about it. Coke uses Pepsi's logo in their commercials all the time (and vice versa).

I think since you're not profiting directly from use of the logo that you wouldn't need to license it. Could be wrong though. You'd probably be better off to contact the legal departments of each company just in case.

ask the companies if your allowed to use thier trademarks as a demonstration of thier recognisability sounds like the smart thing to do...

If you contact the companies via any phone number you can find and ask for their legal department they should be able to tell you - just make sure to take all pertinent information, ie. name of person you spoke to, time and date just to cover yourself.

You wanna go for the ceo telephone call is the best way. and record it.

I know a few people who got knowwhere with emails but they dont expect you to phone...

(note ya get nowhere with emails because of the spam filter.)

I would think that would constitute 'fair use'.

I tried to send emails to either the marketing area or a general and only got one email back from Shell and they gave me a web link to go to and it didn't work so I think I'm going to wing it at this point. As someone said in this forum, what are they going to sue me for? If anything all I'm doing in the letter is telling some potential clients that the logos of these companies stand out and can be remembered and that they should follow this tactic. Thank you all for the education on this as I did want to know just for knowing.
Appreciated!!