Is it Illegal to Use Costumed Characters for Profit?

A few years ago, I took a break from radio and worked in the trampoline biz. I was the General Manager for Sky Zone Evansville. One of the super fun events I planned required costumed characters. I've always loved mascots and even dressing up myself.

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The Character Toddler Time was a huge hit! We sold out every event, so I was able to add to our character selection. Paw Patrol was a huge hit. The Christmas event featured Elf on the Shelf, Minion, Frozen, and Beauty and the Beast.

If Belle looks familiar, it's because she works at Core Chiropractic now. She made a beautiful Belle, and she was the only one tiny enough for the dress!

Things were going great until I added the PJ Masks. First of all, these costumes were amazingly accurate. They were the next big thing for toddlers. I would create Facebook events to promote the character times and share pics from past events. Well, I flew too close to the sun, and somehow the creators of the PJ Masks send me a cease and desist letter.

This was a legit document that had words like; Legal proceedings, Copyright Infringement, and Intellectual property rights. Yikes.

So, four years later, I've entered the confession booth to tell the world that it is in fact a crime to use costumed characters for profit.

It should be noted that not all costumes were as accurate as the PJ Masks. Doc McStuffins looks like Dora the Explorer's twin. That was just confusing for everyone.