Stock assets incorporated into deliverables are licensed either under studio accounts for inclusion within composite creative files, or procured directly by the client. The exact licensing path determines who holds the usage rights, whether raw files can be transferred, and what distribution limits apply to the final work.
Studio-procured versus client-procured assets
When our Creative department sources third-party assets—such as photography, vector artwork, stock footage, sound effects, or commercial typefaces—we operate under one of two frameworks:
1. Studio-procured standard licensing: Xylora Studios purchases the licence through our verified commercial studio accounts. Under this model, the licence grants us the right to incorporate the asset into a bespoke, composite deliverable (for example, a finished video, a coded website interface, or a print-ready catalogue). The end product belongs to you, but the underlying stock licence remains tied to our studio account. This model covers standard commercial distribution but strictly prohibits us from transferring the raw, standalone stock file to you. 2. Client-procured direct licensing: For assets requiring unrestricted distribution, broadcast syndication, print runs exceeding standard commercial thresholds (often 500,000 impressions), or where you require the uncompiled source files, your organisation must purchase the licence directly from the vendor. You then grant our Creative or Technology department temporary permission to edit the asset for the duration of the project.
The procurement sequence
Asset identification and licensing follows a clear operational sequence:
1. Selection and watermarked staging: During production, the Creative department places watermarked or low-resolution comp assets into drafts to verify composition, layout, and art direction. 2. Scope validation: Operations & Client Services checks the intended media distribution, territory, and duration against the vendor's licensing terms. If your requirements exceed standard commercial terms, we notify you in writing via the Ask Xylo chat. 3. Licence acquisition: Once the draft is formally approved, the licence is purchased. If the studio purchases the asset, the fee is billed according to your agreed quote or package scope. If you are purchasing the asset directly, you must provide proof of licence purchase prior to final render. 4. Final rendering and compilation: Assets are merged, flattened, or embedded into the final deliverables.
What the client must supply
To ensure stock is licensed legally and without project delays, you must provide:
- Distribution parameters: Expected audience reach, geographical territory, media channels (e.g. web only, digital paid advertising, physical print run volumes, or broadcast television).
- Corporate entity details: The exact legal trading name of your business if the licence is being registered in your name.
- Direct vendor access or receipts: If you are supplying your own licensed assets or brand fonts, you must provide proof of valid licensing or a corporate seat allocation before our Technology or Creative teams begin assembly.
Raw files and sub-licensing limitations
Stock asset repositories expressly prohibit agencies and studios from reselling, sub-licensing, or distributing raw third-party assets as standalone files.
Because of this legal restriction, our final project delivery provides output files in flattened or compiled states—such as exported video files (ProRes, MP4), rasterised artwork, outlined vectors, or compiled web assets. We cannot provide open layered source files (such as raw After Effects projects or unflattened Photoshop files) containing studio-licensed stock assets unless your organisation independently purchases an identical user licence for those exact assets from the vendor.
Failure cases and scope breaches
- Unreported scale increases: If a campaign expands from a targeted digital web run to national broadcast or high-volume physical packaging, a standard licence will no longer cover the usage. You must notify us through Ask Xylo before widening distribution so an extended licence can be scoped and purchased.
- Extracting assets from finished work: Extracting a photographic element or background plate from a delivered brochure PDF to use in an unrelated marketing campaign breaches the original licence. Assets are licensed solely for the specific deliverable commissioned.
- Font distribution: Desktop fonts cannot be bundled into project archives. Where custom typography is used, our Technology department specifies the required font foundry so your internal team can acquire the necessary desktop seats.
Stock licensing checklist
- [ ] Confirm all media channels and expected impression volumes during the briefing stage.
- [ ] State upfront if your team requires access to open, unflattened raw design files.
- [ ] Submit proof of purchase for any internally held brand assets or fonts supplied to the studio.
- [ ] Review watermarked drafts carefully prior to final sign-off to ensure approved assets are final.
- [ ] Direct any questions regarding commercial rights to Operations & Client Services via the Ask Xylo chat on this portal (operating Monday to Thursday, 09:00–17:00 GMT).