Updated: November 18, 2025
Welcome to madcocreative.com, the online home of MAD Co. Creative, owned and operated by Melanie Aycock Murphy, Creative Executive and Owner (CEO), based in the state of North Carolina, USA.
These are the ground rules for using this website, working with me, and interacting with any content, services, or products you find here. They’re written in plain English on purpose—no secret legal language, no traps in tiny print.
If you don’t agree with these terms, please don’t use the site or hire me. By visiting the site or working with MAD Co. Creative, you’re saying “yes” to everything below.
We may update these terms from time to time. When we do, we’ll update the “Updated” date above. Your continued use of the site after changes means you accept the new terms—whether you saw the update or not.
If you ever have questions, concerns, or “wait, what does that mean?” moments, reach out before it becomes a problem.
1. Site & Services
We provide branding, design, and web-related services (the “Services”) through madcocreative.com and through direct client engagements.
In exchange for being here and/or working with MAD Co. Creative, you agree to a few simple rules:
1.1 Who can use this site
- You must be at least 13 years old to use this site.
- If you are under 18, you agree that a parent or legal guardian has reviewed and agreed to these terms on your behalf.
- If any local laws where you live set a higher minimum age, you must follow those.
1.2 What you agree not to do
You agree that you will not:
- Use the site or services to do anything illegal.
- Try to break, hack, or interfere with the site, its code, or its hosting. No viruses, no malware, no scripts designed to mess things up.
- Do anything that makes it harder or less enjoyable for other humans to use the site.
- Harass, threaten, or bully anyone through this site or any MAD Co. Creative channels.
- Publish or send anything that is:
- Violent or promotes violence
- Hateful, discriminatory, or harassing
- Sexually explicit, exploitative, or abusive
- Intended to promote or facilitate crime
- Post or share personal or private information about someone else (like phone numbers, addresses, emails, or other identifying details) without their permission.
- Post or share content you don’t own the rights to, or that infringes on someone else’s intellectual property.
- Use any bots, scripts, scrapers, or automation tools to create accounts, scrape data, or spam.
- Impersonate someone else or set up an account pretending to be another person or company.
- Use someone else’s account without permission.
Short version: use your common sense, don’t be a jerk, and don’t break the law.
2. Your Rights
2.1 You have the right to feel safe here
You have the right to use this site without being harassed, bullied, or targeted. If you see something harmful or abusive connected with madcocreative.com, please let us know.
2.2 You have the right to your privacy
Your privacy matters. How we collect, store, and use your data is explained in more detail in our Privacy Policy. Please read that along with these Terms.
2.3 Communications you send to MAD Co. Creative
If you contact us through:
- the contact form on the site
- email
- social media messages or comments
- newsletter sign-ups
- or other similar channels
you understand that:
- These communications are not confidential by default.
- We may store, review, and use these communications in the course of running the business (for example: customer service, portfolio curation, or testimonials).
- We may reference or republish testimonials, kind words, or public comments you share about our work, in a reasonable and respectful way, unless you explicitly ask us not to.
We will not sell your private information to random third parties. For details on how your personal data is handled, see the Privacy Policy.
You agree not to send communications that are illegal, defamatory, harassing, or harmful.
2.4 Your responsibility for what you post or share
If you comment on content, tag MAD Co. Creative, or submit materials (for example, for a collaboration, case study, or shared project), you are responsible for:
- Making sure you own the rights to what you share.
- Ensuring that your content isn’t infringing on anyone else’s intellectual property.
- Any consequences that come from what you post.
If you post something you don’t have the right to use and someone gets upset or sues, that’s on you, not MAD Co. Creative.
3. Our Rights
3.1 Things we’re not responsible for
We are not responsible for:
- External links from this site to other websites or services. If you click away from madcocreative.com, you are now under that site’s rules.
- What happens when you connect or share our content on third-party platforms (Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, etc.). Check their terms to understand your rights there.
- Any data charges or fees from your internet or mobile provider while you browse our site.
- Any content taken, copied, or misused by others once it’s publicly visible online.
3.2 Our ability to moderate and manage
We can, at any time and for any reason (or no stated reason):
- Change, pause, or shut down all or part of the site.
- Remove or modify content on the site.
- Refuse service or access to anyone who violates these terms or behaves in a way that conflicts with the spirit of the brand (for example: abuse, harassment, or repeated bad-faith behavior).
We do not owe compensation or damages if we decide to remove content or restrict access.
4. Intellectual Property
All original images, text, designs, graphics, logos, icons, and other creative assets on this site are the property of MAD Co. Creative (or properly credited third parties).
That means:
- You cannot copy, sell, redistribute, modify, or claim our work as your own.
- You cannot remove MAD Co. Creative’s branding from visuals or templates and present them as your original work.
- You may quote or reference small portions of our content (for example, in an article, recommendation, or social post), with clear and obvious credit and a link back to the original page on madcocreative.com.
Think of the “grandma test”: if your grandma saw our work on your site or feed, would she clearly understand it came from MAD Co. Creative and not you?
If the answer is “ehh, maybe not,” then your usage isn’t clear enough.
If you’re not sure whether you can use something, ask first.
5. Client Projects, Payments & Ownership
This section applies when you hire MAD Co. Creative for branding, web, or design work.
5.1 Who owns what and when
Unless stated otherwise in a signed proposal or contract:
- All preliminary work (sketches, moodboards, drafts, concepts, unused logo directions, alternate layouts, internal working files, etc.) remain the property of MAD Co. Creative.
- Once final payment has been received in full, you receive the rights to use the final, approved deliverables as outlined in your proposal (for example, your final logo files, brand marks, chosen layouts, etc.).
- Any unused concepts or rejected designs remain our property. We reserve the right to rework them, adapt them, or use them in future projects or portfolio pieces.
If final payment is not made as agreed:
- You do not own any of the work.
- You do not have the right to use, modify, or recreate any designs, concepts, or files shared during the project.
- If you use the work without paying, we may pursue legal action to protect our rights.
5.2 Project suspension or termination
MAD Co. Creative reserves the right to pause or end a project if:
- There is excessive micromanaging that prevents progress.
- There is a clear lack of trust or inability to move forward after a reasonable number of concepts or revision rounds.
- Invoices repeatedly go unpaid or are significantly overdue.
You’ll always receive fair notice and an opportunity to fix the issue before a project is suspended or terminated.
Suspension or termination does not entitle you to a refund for work already completed.
5.3 Cancellations & refunds
Because design is custom and time-based:
- If you cancel the project after work has begun (for example, concepts have been presented, strategy work completed, or drafts delivered), previous payments are generally non-refundable. In some cases, at MAD Co. Creative’s discretion, a partial refund may be offered based on the amount of work completed and the overall project scope.
- If we cannot complete the project due to illness, emergency, or other serious unforeseen circumstances:
- We will refund a portion or all of the project fee, depending on how much work has been completed and what can reasonably be handed off to another designer.
- We will make a good-faith effort to do what is fair for everyone.
5.4 Portfolio use
MAD Co. Creative reserves the right to:
- Showcase work created for your project (including in-progress sketches, concepts, and final deliverables) in our portfolio, on our website, in social posts, in case studies, and in promotional materials.
- Use your brand as a credited example of client work, unless we have agreed in writing to a confidentiality or non-disclosure arrangement.
If you have strict secrecy or launch-timing needs, please mention this before we start.
6. Advertising, Affiliates & Testimonials
From time to time, MAD Co. Creative may:
- Recommend tools, platforms, or products.
- Use affiliate links where we may earn a commission if you purchase through that link.
- Display testimonials from clients or collaborators.
You understand and agree that:
- You are fully responsible for any purchase decisions you make from third-party links.
- We are not liable for your experience with another company, service, or product.
- Testimonials reflect the real experiences of specific individuals, but your results may differ.
We will make reasonable efforts to disclose when an affiliate link is being used.
7. Limits on Liability
This section is the least fun, but it matters.
7.1 “As-is” service
The site and services are provided “as is” and “as available.” That means:
- We cannot promise the site will be online, error-free, or perfectly secure 100% of the time.
- We cannot guarantee specific outcomes from branding, web design, or strategy work (for example: a particular revenue increase, number of followers, or specific search rankings).
To the fullest extent allowed by law:
- We disclaim all warranties, express or implied, including implied warranties of merchantability, fitness for a particular purpose, title, and non-infringement.
7.2 No responsibility for indirect damages
We are not liable for:
- Lost profits, lost data, lost opportunities, or any indirect, incidental, or consequential damages that arise from:
- Using this site
- Working with MAD Co. Creative
- Relying on any information or deliverables provided
If something goes wrong, our total liability is limited to the amount you have paid to MAD Co. Creative for the specific service or project in question.
7.3 Your agreement to indemnify
You agree to indemnify and hold harmless MAD Co. Creative and Melanie Aycock Murphy from any claims, damages, or expenses (including reasonable attorney’s fees) resulting from:
- Your use of the site or services
- Your violation of these Terms
- Your violation of someone else’s rights (including intellectual property or privacy rights)
If a claim arises, you agree to cooperate with our efforts to resolve or defend it.
7.4 Not legal, medical, or financial advice
Nothing on this site or in the services is intended to be:
- Legal advice
- Medical or mental health advice
- Financial or investment advice
Any educational, strategic, or business information is for general guidance only. Always consult a qualified professional about your specific situation.
8. How We Handle Disputes
We truly hope it never comes to this and that we can solve issues like humans first.
If a legal dispute does arise, you agree that:
- The Terms are governed by the laws of the State of North Carolina, and applicable U.S. federal law.
- Any dispute, claim, or controversy arising out of or relating to these Terms or the Services will be handled either:
- Through good-faith negotiation first, and if that fails,
- Through binding arbitration or in the state or federal courts located in North Carolina, unless another process is agreed upon in writing.
You agree not to bring or join any class-action lawsuit against MAD Co. Creative. Any claim you bring must be brought in your individual capacity.
Certain claims—such as intellectual property enforcement—may be brought directly in court as needed.
9. General Conditions
- If any part of these Terms is found to be invalid or unenforceable, the rest of the Terms still apply.
- Our decision not to enforce a particular part of these Terms at one time does not mean we waive our right to enforce it later.
- You may not transfer your rights or obligations under these Terms to someone else without our written consent. MAD Co. Creative may transfer its rights and obligations as needed in the course of business (for example, in a sale or reorganization).
- These Terms, along with any written proposal, contract, or separate policies linked on the site (such as the Privacy Policy), form the complete agreement between you and MAD Co. Creative regarding use of the site and services.
10. Questions?
If you’ve made it this far, congratulations—you’re clearly our kind of person.
If anything in these terms is unclear or you want to talk about how this applies to a specific project, you can reach out via the contact form on madcocreative.com or by emailing mad@madcocreative.com.