Which of the following are not protected by copyright law?

Which of the following are not protected by copyright law?

• A. Architectural drawings
• B. Scripts for plays
• C. Advertising slogans
• D. Books of poetry

Answer: (C)

Copyright protects original expressive works fixed in a tangible form. Full works like poems or plays, or visual representations such as architectural drawings that show an original design, are protected because they express the creator’s particular form of expression. A script for a play is a literary work, and a book of poetry is a collection of poems, both protected. Advertising slogans, on the other hand, are usually not protected by copyright because they are short, functional phrases used to promote a product rather than substantial pieces of expressive content. They’re more commonly protected as trademarks, which guard branding and source identification. So the item not protected by copyright is the advertising slogan.

Copyright protects original expressive works fixed in a tangible form. Full works like poems or plays, or visual representations such as architectural drawings that show an original design, are protected because they express the creator’s particular form of expression. A script for a play is a literary work, and a book of poetry is a collection of poems, both protected. Advertising slogans, on the other hand, are usually not protected by copyright because they are short, functional phrases used to promote a product rather than substantial pieces of expressive content. They’re more commonly protected as trademarks, which guard branding and source identification. So the item not protected by copyright is the advertising slogan.