So let’s look at this from a different angle—let’s say you had an employee that you found out had stolen from other employers. How would you respond?
Would you ignore it? Or would this new information cause you to question whether or not you could trust them to work in your store? It’s a relevant consideration because when people are paid to be a part of your team, they reflect on you and your brand. You rely on them to be a good steward of your trust. You therefore have to decide what limit of their personal character you are willing to tolerate.
Another reason we take this issue so seriously is because, as trained communications professionals, we hold ourselves to a higher level of credibility, accountability, and transparency. There’s just an inherent level of dignity and character that’s expected of people who are paid to represent the brands and reputations of others.
That’s why we want to take this opportunity, on the one day of the year that’s dedicated to pranks and jokes, to increase awareness of what plagiarism is, why it should be taken seriously, and why it matters to your brand and the relationships that you have with vendors that you allow to be a part of your team.
Playing fast and loose with your reputation is never a joke, especially if it’s done by someone you’re paying for marketing services.
The bottom line is this: business owners are responsible for the messaging of their brand regardless of who creates it. They therefore have a responsibility to make sure that their content is either original to them or attributed to the source that it came from.
Want to learn more? Here’s a great article from Westfaironline.com: How to avoid plagiarism and copyright infringement in your online content.
We’d love to hear your thoughts and always welcome feedback, contact us today!
