What is a "material connection" and when must I disclose it?

A material connection is anything that might affect how people weigh the endorsement — payment, a gift, a free or discounted product, an employee or business relationship, or a contest entry. Under the FTC Endorsement Guides you must disclose it clearly and conspicuously wherever the testimonial appears (not on a separate page). This form records whether a connection exists so you do not forget.

Can I edit a customer's testimonial?

You can fix grammar, length, or clarity if you do not change the meaning — and this template lets the customer agree to that or require verbatim use. What you cannot do is alter a testimonial so it implies something the customer did not say or experience; distorting an endorsement is deceptive under the FTC Act.

Can I use a great result that is better than most customers get?

Only with care. The FTC's 2023 guides make clear that showing atypical results as if they were typical is deceptive, and a small "results not typical" disclaimer is not a cure. If a result is unusual, either do not feature it or clearly present what customers can generally expect.

Does the customer need to be paid?

No — many testimonials are unsolicited and uncompensated, which is the simplest case to disclose (none). If you did give something of value, that is fine, but it must be disclosed wherever the testimonial runs. Either way, the statement must be the customer's honest opinion.

What is a "material connection" and when must I disclose it?

A material connection is anything that might affect how people weigh the endorsement — payment, a gift, a free or discounted product, an employee or business relationship, or a contest entry. Under the FTC Endorsement Guides you must disclose it clearly and conspicuously wherever the testimonial appears (not on a separate page). This form records whether a connection exists so you do not forget.

Can I edit a customer's testimonial?

You can fix grammar, length, or clarity if you do not change the meaning — and this template lets the customer agree to that or require verbatim use. What you cannot do is alter a testimonial so it implies something the customer did not say or experience; distorting an endorsement is deceptive under the FTC Act.

Can I use a great result that is better than most customers get?

Only with care. The FTC's 2023 guides make clear that showing atypical results as if they were typical is deceptive, and a small "results not typical" disclaimer is not a cure. If a result is unusual, either do not feature it or clearly present what customers can generally expect.

Does the customer need to be paid?

No — many testimonials are unsolicited and uncompensated, which is the simplest case to disclose (none). If you did give something of value, that is fine, but it must be disclosed wherever the testimonial runs. Either way, the statement must be the customer's honest opinion.

Customer Testimonial Release Form

A release giving a business written permission to publish a customer's testimonial, name, and likeness in marketing — with FTC-aligned honest-opinion and material-connection disclosure terms.

Customise

Business name (using the testimonial)

Business address

Customer / endorser — full name

Customer title / company (optional)

Customer email / phone

Testimonial text (the customer's words)

How to attribute

Include the customer's photo / likeness?

Where it may be used

Was anything given for this testimonial? (FTC disclosure)

Compensation details (if any)

May the business lightly edit for length/clarity?

Term

Date

Governing law (state)

Live preview

CUSTOMER TESTIMONIAL RELEASE

Date: May 23, 2026

Business ("Business"):  Acme Software, Inc.
                        500 Market St, Suite 200, Denver, CO 80202

Customer ("I" / "me"):  Jordan Avery
                        Operations Lead, Brightline Logistics
                        jordan.avery@example.com

1. THE TESTIMONIAL
I provided the following statement about the Business and its product/service:

   "Acme cut our monthly reporting from two days to twenty minutes. Setup was painless and support actually answered. It paid for itself in the first month."

2. GRANT OF RIGHTS
I grant the Business a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide right to reproduce,
publish, and distribute the testimonial above, and to attribute it using my full name and title/company (Jordan Avery, Operations Lead, Brightline Logistics),
in the following marketing uses: Website, landing pages, case studies, social media, email, paid advertising, sales decks, and print collateral..
This release covers my written statement and attribution only; it does NOT grant rights to my photograph or likeness.

3. HONEST OPINION (FTC)
The testimonial reflects my genuine, honest opinion and my actual experience with
the Business's product or service. I was NOT paid or given anything of value for this testimonial; it reflects my own honest, unsolicited opinion and actual experience.

4. EDITING
The Business may lightly edit the testimonial for length, grammar, or clarity, provided edits do not change its substantive meaning, and I may request a correction if they do.

5. NO COMPENSATION OWED / RELEASE
Except as disclosed above, I expect no payment for this use, and I release the
Business from claims arising out of the permitted use of the testimonial,
including claims of defamation, invasion of privacy, or right of publicity, to the
extent the use is consistent with this release.

6. TERM & REVOCATION
Perpetual, unless revoked in writing (already-published materials may continue).

7. GOVERNING LAW
This release is governed by the laws of the State of Colorado.

I have read this release, I am at least 18, and I sign it voluntarily.

_____________________________     Date: ____________________
Jordan Avery, Customer

_____________________________     Date: ____________________
For Acme Software, Inc.

About this template

A testimonial release is a short permission form that lets a business legally use a happy customer's words — and, if granted, their name, title, and likeness — in marketing. It protects both sides: the business gets documented permission (so a customer cannot later claim their name or image was used without consent under state right-of-publicity and privacy laws), and the customer controls how they are identified and what is used. But in the United States the bigger risk is not privacy — it is the **FTC**. The FTC's Endorsement Guides (16 C.F.R. Part 255, significantly revised in 2023) treat any customer testimonial used in advertising as an endorsement, and they require three things: the testimonial must reflect the endorser's **honest opinion and actual experience**; any **material connection** between the business and the endorser — payment, a free or discounted product, a gift card, an employment or business relationship — must be **clearly and conspicuously disclosed** wherever the testimonial appears; and a business may not present **atypical results as typical** (the old "results not typical" fine print is no longer a safe harbor — if results are unusual, say so clearly or do not use them). The 2023 update also raised the stakes: advertisers face liability for fake or incentivized reviews, and individuals (founders, marketers) can be personally liable. This template builds those obligations in: it records whether anything was given in exchange (and flags the required disclosure), confirms the statement is the customer's honest experience, and lets the customer choose their attribution and whether their photo may be used. Get the form signed before you publish, keep it on file, and make the FTC disclosure where the testimonial actually runs — a disclosure buried on a separate page does not count. For high-stakes campaigns, paid spokespersons, or health/financial claims, have counsel review.

When to use it

Before publishing a customer quote, review, or case study in marketing.
Collecting permission for name, title, and (optionally) photo or video use.
Documenting FTC-required disclosure when a testimonial was incentivized.
Building a repeatable testimonial/case-study intake process.

What to include

Business and customer identification.
The exact testimonial text being licensed.
Grant of rights: attribution choice, usage scope, and photo/likeness (optional).
FTC honest-opinion confirmation and material-connection disclosure.
Editing rights, term/revocation, governing law, and signatures.

Frequently asked

It is strongly recommended. Using someone's name or likeness in advertising without permission can violate state right-of-publicity and privacy laws, and a signed release is your proof of consent. Separately, the FTC requires the testimonial to be honest and any material connection disclosed — a release helps you document both.

⚠ Legal disclaimer. This testimonial release is provided for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Using a person's name, likeness, or words in advertising is governed by state right-of-publicity/privacy law and by the FTC Endorsement Guides (16 C.F.R. Part 255), which require honest endorsements and clear disclosure of material connections. Have it reviewed by an attorney for your jurisdiction and your specific campaign, especially for paid endorsers or health/financial claims.

Jurisdiction: United States — uses a customer's name, likeness, and statement, so it implicates state right-of-publicity / privacy law (e.g., Cal. Civ. Code §3344; N.Y. Civ. Rights Law §§50-51) and, because the statement is used in advertising, the FTC Act §5 and the FTC Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising (16 C.F.R. Part 255, revised 2023). Endorsements must reflect the honest opinions/experience of a real customer; any material connection (payment, free product/service, discount, employment) must be clearly and conspicuously disclosed; advertisers may not use fake or incentivized reviews, and may not present atypical results as typical without a clear disclaimer. The 2023 update increased exposure for advertisers and added potential individual liability.

Last reviewed: 2026-05

Reviewed by ScoutMyTool — consult a licensed attorney for binding use.