representation of business meaning

How representation can positively impact your business (and the world)

If you ever look at social media or the news (or you just don’t live under a rock), then you’ve noticed a cultural shift is happening. The growing calls for businesses to prioritize equality and representation have gotten louder. But if representation in business is “on trend,” why are companies so slow to meet their customers’ and audience’s demands? The obvious and unfortunate reason is that many companies don’t think representation is a problem they need to address.

However, companies that do recognize the importance of representation in business often have a different problem — they don’t know where to start. That leads to representation becoming just another business objective lost in a sea of to-dos. But diversity isn’t just a box to check in your annual business strategy. Real representation has societal implications that are bigger than any single decision, like remote work, hiring, and quarterly planning. 

To foster inclusivity in a meaningful way, it needs to become a part of a company’s DNA and be reflected in every internal and external decision a business makes. Such efforts are always most effective when a company commits fully to representation and builds it right into their overall business strategy.

Representation in business takes work

Listen, we get it. There’s plenty of disarray and confusion in the world as we’re all still figuring out what post-pandemic life will look like. We’re all tired from that, but our underrepresented friends, co-workers, customers, and family members are downright exhausted.

So, it’s time to get to work. Not just because it’s the right thing to do, but because representation is necessary for the future success of your business and a more harmonious society. If you want your business to scale and grow in a sustainable way, your customers and prospects need to see themselves reflected in your brand. That includes your product as well as the content you create and distribute. 

Don’t believe us? The numbers speak for themselves. Download our Diversity in Video Report for exclusive data, insights, and case studies that examine what your consumers expect from your business today.

Representation in business leads to more efficient ad spend

According to Entrepreneur , 62% of consumers report that inclusivity impacts their perception of a brand. Positive brand perception generates more word-of-mouth, which increases the efficiency of your marketing dollars. Our Diversity in Video Report revealed that 59% of consumers say they’re more likely to trust a brand whose ads feature people who look like them. That means you can appeal to a wider audience by simply including more diverse faces in your marketing efforts.

Improving your brand’s perception starts from within. That means you need to not only focus on inclusive marketing, but also recruit diverse talent, hire and promote equitably, and treat everyone with respect. A truly representative workforce is diverse at all levels of your organization, especially within the leadership team and corporate suite.

Representation in business can differentiate you from your competitors.

A 2019 Google survey in partnership with the Female Quotient & Ispos highlights how diversity can set you apart in a crowded marketplace. The survey found that 71% of LGBTQ+ customers and 67% of Black customers are more likely to notice an ad that they feel represents them. If you don’t capture your audience’s attention, they’ll move on to something else. 

In a competitive business landscape, knowing your audience and marketing to them authentically can make all the difference. “Authentically” is the key word there. Audiences can spot a brand’s disingenuous attempts to seem authentic from a mile away. To avoid simply pandering to your audience, you need to really get to know them. Listen to their feedback and pay attention to their observations. That’s particularly important if they bring a unique perspective as a member of a traditionally resilient community. Carefully consider your audience’s responses and address their concerns to ensure these groups feel genuinely seen and included. Then, before you release your ads to the world, test them. It’s worth the effort to run them by members of underrepresented groups inside and outside of your organization. That will help to reveal any potential blind spots that you should address.

Companies that embrace diversity earn higher financial returns.

If you’re still skeptical, you might be asking yourself, “But how does this impact our bottom line?” This quote from Fortune sums it up quite nicely: “Companies in the top quartile for racial and ethnic diversity are 35% more likely to have financial returns above their respective national industry medians.” 

If you were on the fence, we hope you’re now a believer in the power representation has when businesses take it seriously. And not just because of the financial benefits. Making business decisions through a more inclusive lens gives your company, your advertising, and your workforce the power to change the world for the better. 

Representation really does matter . Audiences tend to absorb unspoken messaging in advertisements. If everybody they see in ads looks, dresses, or speaks exactly the same way, that reinforces stereotypes. In reality, our world is a smorgasbord of different races, backgrounds, body types, sexualities, and more. Excluding any of them only misrepresents the true makeup of our society.

Find out how representation in business can lift up your company — and society as a whole

Download Storyblocks’ free Diversity in Video Report for our analytical deep dive into years of historical user data across our platform. You’ll learn how diversity influences consumer sentiment, understand current market trends, and get tips to produce content that delivers on your consumers’ expectations. 

Editor’s note: We updated this article to include additional information. It was originally published on June 14, 2021.  

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More From Forbes

Why representation is more important than inclusion alone.

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CEO, IMPAQ Corp. Execution and transformation expert. Best-selling author. Newest book: " B State ".

Employee inclusion at all levels is a critical factor for organizational success. Because of the increased speed and urgency with which organizations are forced to adapt to a continually changing business environment, respond to new customer demands and effectively compete with the competition, employee inclusion is more important now than it’s ever been.

Old ways of thinking about business must be replaced with greater innovation, creativity, perspectives and solutions. This requires radical inclusion of people with diverse backgrounds including but not limited to race, ethnicity and culture, sexual orientation, gender, geographical location, technical backgrounds and expertise.

The Advantages Of Inclusion

Besides the advantages of supporting innovation and process improvement mentioned above, there are several other advantages to employee inclusion that improve operational excellence, morale and employee retention including:

• Anticipating and preventing breakdowns by including all functional areas impacted by a plan that is mostly developed by one functional area and creating proactive recovery plans

• Giving context to employees who are more task-oriented by including them in the planning process

• Developing future leaders more effectively by educating them on the business, the impact of different functional areas and learning problem-solving/decision-making skills

• Creating a level of shared ownership and accountability by letting employees have a say in planning and finding solutions for moving forward

The Challenges Of Inclusion

While there is great value in increasing inclusion, there are also many challenges that negatively affect organizations and diminish the impact of inclusion.

• It takes time to coordinate and include multiple levels and functions in planning, problem solving and decision making that diminishes short-term effectiveness and efficiency

• There is a cost associated with pulling employees away from their tasks to join in on meetings

• Including others’ input can slow down a meeting, provide so many options and ideas that confusion ensues, slow decision-making and distract from clarity and purpose

• Including others sets up expectations that if one isn’t included, they are being left out, which can diminish commitment, ownership, cooperation and accountability

• Including others without a clear definition of role and purpose for participation can create conflict and confusion

• There can be confusion about who to include and who to leave out

The Deeper Challenges To Inclusion

The greatest challenges to successfully implementing a culture of inclusion have less to do with the logistics of time or the cost of inclusion and have more to do with the limiting beliefs and emotional reactions that prevent “truly” including others.

It’s easy to bring diverse populations into a meeting, but it’s much harder to listen to their ideas with openness and curiosity, letting go of the need for control or risking the discomfort of doing something different. It takes courage to be open to new solutions, new business models and new ways to execute effectively, and many very successful executives live in fear that’s exhibited by controlling behavior.

Taking Inclusion To The Next Level With Representation

The experiences that we all want to have as human beings are to feel understood, be seen and be valued for our input, effort and contribution to achieving results. Even being included won’t provide that experience if when we are included, we are ignored or not taken seriously.

It’s more important that we feel represented than included. We want to know that we are truly heard, even if our ideas aren’t always implemented. When decisions are getting made, we want to know that the negative impact on us personally was represented and not ignored, even if we couldn’t be personally included in the decision.

The Difference Between Inclusion And Representation

When you don’t know how another person, functional area or organizational level is impacted by solving a problem, making a decision or implementing a change, then you must include those people or areas to ensure representation. In addition to including and representing others’ input and opinions, it’s also important to learn the context and background that shapes their ideas. For instance, everyone comes to these discussions with practical constraints, concerns and ways of thinking so that as we gain understanding, we can better represent in future discussions.

When our focus is on representation, we may not always need to include others to fully represent them. If we aren’t sure, we can include them with the objective of learning about the context, background, different experiences and different perspectives that shape their ideas so that they can be more effectively represented in the future. This makes people feel fully understood and considered, rather than making them feel like they’re part of a token inclusion initiative without authentic representation.

Building The Muscle Of Representation

To begin moving toward an inclusive and representative culture in your organization, take the following steps.  

Step 1: Commit to learning from inclusion, not just including people with no end goal.

Step 2: Share the learning received from inclusion for better understanding throughout your organization.

Step 3: Test how well you are representing others without including them by asking them to validate or modify your understanding of their perspective.

Step 4: Begin making plans, decisions and change efforts with an emphasis on representation rather than inclusion and test the speed, accuracy and effectiveness for learning and modification.

Step 5: Clarify the situations in which inclusion, rather than representation, is necessary.

As organizations move to representation rather than inclusion, they get better at understanding the cross-functional and cross-cultural impact on organizational success. This gives the freedom to represent others without the cumbersome act of including everyone in every decision, speeding up problem solving, decision making and effective planning without getting bogged down in endless meetings.

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How To Do Representation in Marketing the Right Way (+ Consumer Perspectives)

Updated: July 23, 2024

Published: November 27, 2023

Welcome to Breaking the Blueprint — a blog series that dives into the unique business challenges and opportunities of underrepresented business owners and entrepreneurs. Learn how they’ve grown or scaled their businesses, explored entrepreneurial ventures within their companies, or created side hustles, and how their stories can inspire and inform your own success.

Representation matters.

We hear this over and over again. And most people agree.

However, not all representation is created equal, and this is important to recognize, especially to ensure your efforts in including more people in your marketing are received positively rather than being met with frustration and skepticism.

As the number of brands embracing inclusive marketing and prioritizing visual imagery that accurately represents their target audience grows, it becomes crucial for marketers to become well-versed in how to do representation in marketing the right way.

When done right, it demonstrates to underrepresented consumers that you’re committed to them and their communities. When done right, representation in marketing makes the people you serve feel seen, supported, and like they belong with you.

Below are what consumers have shared with me in recent years about what is important for them to see in terms of representation.

But first, to make sure we’re on the same page, let’s talk about why representation in marketing is so important.

Why Representation in Marketing Matters

The people you serve need to see themselves and who they aspire to be reflected in the visual imagery your brand puts forth.

When they see themselves, it is a permission slip to take the next step forward with you in your customer journey. When they don’t, many consumers receive the message “this isn’t for me” and go off in search of another option that does make them feel like they belong.

The 2021 State of Representation in Marketing study I conducted revealed that 74% of consumers choose to buy from and engage with a brand as a result of seeing themselves represented in the visual imagery a brand puts forth.

Representation also has the effect of impacting how consumers feel about themselves. In that study, one consumer said they wish brands knew “The damage they do by underrepresentation.” Another consumer said they wished brands knew “How much it can affect someone and their feelings about themselves when they never see themselves represented [in marketing]. Like they are not important.”

These sentiments were present on social media in 2018 when Cosmopolitan UK put plus-size model Tess Holiday on the cover. One woman shared, “If I had seen plus women like me on magazines growing up, it wouldn’t have taken 25+ years to love my body.”

With representation, brands have both power and responsibility to influence not only the way consumers feel about themselves but also how they feel about other people. One study showed that exposure to highlight reels of women’s sports changed attitudes for the better toward female athletes.

French telecom company Orange followed this insight and created an ad in advance of this year’s FIFA Women’s World Cup, highlighting that good representation really can influence perceptions of underrepresented groups, in this case, the skill, competitiveness, and emotion of women’s sports.

As you work to build an inclusive brand that makes more of the people you serve feel like they belong with you, know that taking the time to get representation right will have a significant impact on many, including you and your customers. Embrace these principles to engage in representation the way consumers want you to.

How To Do Representation in Marketing the Right Way

1. representation in marketing includes more than just photos..

The on-ramp for many brands starting with inclusive marketing focuses on making their visuals more representative. But switching up your visuals doesn’t prove that your brand is inclusive.

Consumers will believe you are inclusive when it is representative throughout your brand. In the same study, many consumers shared that they want the brands they engage with and buy from to be holistically representative.

One respondent said, “It’s more than putting someone on an ad. They need to create products that cater to different people. Hire people that are diverse.” Another commented that, “I wish they included more types of people in their campaigns and in their actual companies as senior leaders.”

Another person responded to the research by explaining, “When you choose to represent different types of people, that inclusivity needs to translate into other areas of the brand. The brand also needs to be outspoken politically, have fair hiring tactics, etc., or people will realize that their “representation” is just pandering for sales.”

Here are important areas to focus on concerning representation for your brand.

Take the time to ensure the products you develop showcase, acknowledge, and support the differences of the people your brand serves. For instance, Barbie has said that one in every five of the dolls they develop is Black, which bolsters part of its commitment to “ensure that diversity is represented everywhere” in its products.

Representation matters with the content you create as well. Whether it’s who you include in videos, the guests you feature on your podcast, or even the influencers you work with, build a content plan that allows your target audience to see themselves represented in what you publish.

If you’re seeking more guidance on how to create inclusive and representative content, the episode below can serve as a great guide:

Discover more episodes here

Building representative teams is an important part of demonstrating that your brand is inclusive. Who you pay serves as a strong indicator of both company and brand values. Consumers may question your company’s true commitment to diversity and inclusion if you do not have a representative team.

Having a diverse and representative team not only helps you produce better work but also brings numerous other benefits.

Jerry Daykin is the head of global media at Beam Suntory . During our chat on the Inclusion & Marketing podcast, Jerry told me about a study conducted by the World Federation of Advertisers (WFA), which revealed that the marketing industry at large is grappling with significant challenges in achieving proper representation. “Almost every minority you can name is underrepresented in the industry and also likely to have a worse experience of working in the industry,” he stated. “If the industry was properly inclusive and represented everyone, we probably would make better work.”

That better work comes from allowing individuals within these communities to harness their lived experiences and cultural intelligence, as it informs the development of exceptional products, services, and experiences.

Of course, building a diverse and representative team isn’t necessarily something you can do overnight. It takes time. A way to ensure you can have a team representative of the people you serve in the interim is to hire consultants and contractors to support you as you build and grow.

Ensuring adequate representation exists in your marketing mix is essential, especially to ensure that customers connect with your brand at every touchpoint throughout their customer journey.

Many brands prioritize the inclusion of representative individuals in their photos and videos, whether sourced from stock imagery or custom content, to ensure a genuine reflection of the people they serve. However, another important area to consider is your customer testimonials.

Unfortunately, it isn’t uncommon for people with identities from underrepresented and underserved groups to achieve success at different levels than people from dominant groups. These disparities are often the result of systemic and societal barriers not directly related to the problem your brand solves. Still, these issues do hurt organizational success. This episode of the Inclusion & Marketing podcast covers this topic more in-depth:

2. Representation must tell an accurate narrative.

Too often, the narratives told about people from underrepresented and underserved communities aren’t accurate; they often reflect harmful stereotypes.

As such, as your brand starts to infuse representation of people from marginalized communities into your brand’s awareness and value system, take time to ensure the narrative you’re communicating with that representation is well-aligned with their real-world experiences.

For instance, Meryl Evans, a disability advocate, talked about her frustration with brands that are trying to represent people from the disability community but continue to perpetuate the narrative that people with disabilities can’t function on their own. She wrote a note on LinkedIn , saying, “My fellow deafies and I who prefer sign language would appreciate avoiding the use of photos with the help sign. It infantilizes deaf people like we always need help.”

3. Longevity and intention matters.

Two consumers I chatted with recently expressed their frustration with brands who seemed to have a sense of entitlement about how consumers should respond to brands being more representative with their visual imagery.

One said it felt like the brands were saying, “OK, here you go, here’s a Black person. Come buy our product.” As a Black man, he felt that the actions of the brands did not embody authenticity. To him, it felt like the brands were just changing their imagery, so he’d think the product was for him.

A woman who wears plus-size clothing expressed similar frustrations. She told me that brands launching campaigns representing different bodies can feel gimmicky because it’s a sudden change to their track record. She says, “So now I’m supposed to feel like, ‘Oh, this product is for me’ because all of a sudden I see someone who looks like me?”

As we chatted further, she talked about how, for now, her loyalty remains with the brands that have long represented and served plus-sized people. She did express that if a brand, in its early stages of embracing representation, perseveres in supporting the community consistently over the long term, it has the potential to earn her trust.

Your customers are waiting for you to see them; what will you do next?

By promising to make your brand’s commitments to DEIA representatives throughout all areas of your marketing mix, in time, you will earn the attention, trust, and loyalty of consumers from underrepresented and underserved communities.

By committing to producing marketing, product, and visual content that features imagery representing the people you serve or who they aspire to be, you ensure that they feel seen and validated.

Don't forget to share this post!

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Representations and Warranties: Everything You Need to Know

Representations and warranties in business contracts provide facts (representations) and security against loss (warranties) if the statements made are not true. 7 min read updated on September 19, 2022

What are Representations and Warranties?

Representations and warranties in business contracts provide facts (representations) and security against loss (warranties) if the statements made are not true. Representations and warranties may also be shortened to "represents and warrants" in a contract.

If the representation in the contract is found to be false, it is called "inaccurate," while a false warranty is considered breached. Representations always refer to past information, as it is impossible for a company or individual to present future information as factual.

Every contract between two parties includes representations and warranties. For example, if you decide to go to an auto dealership to  buy a car , you would enter this transaction with several representations, such as:

• The car is actually what the seller represents it to be, in terms of model and make
• The dealership is legally authorized to sell cars to consumers
• The car will actually work when used properly

The warranty made by the dealership is that all of these concepts are valid. If it turns out that one or all of these representations are not true, the contract to buy the car may be cancelled. Another warranty made by the seller might be to repair any defect that arose because of the misrepresentation.

But the warranty may not last forever. In this example, the seller or manufacturer of the car might offer a period that the unit will work without any defects. Beyond that period, the warranty is no longer in effect. However, some warranties do last for the life of the product. In this case, the buyer in the agreement can expect the seller to repair or replace the product any time it malfunctions.

Warranties help provide protection to consumers on products, and they are subject to federal laws and the Uniform Commercial Code . If the seller offers an extended warranty, it must protect the product beyond the initial agreement made between the buyer and seller. A warranty is a form of insurance and is subject to the same regulations per state laws and the parties involved.

Representations and warranties are commonly used in acquisition, joint venture , publishing, employment, and loan contracts . In a loan contract, the borrower involved in a financial transaction will provide representations and warranties to the lender as a way to convince the lender to issue a loan. But if the borrower's representation is no longer true, the lender can enforce the penalties spelled out in the contract.

In an acquisition or merger agreement, the company buying or acquiring the other company will likely want the other company to agree to a number of representations and warranties in the deal. These issues could include:

• Material contracts
• Compliance with laws
• Intellectual property
• Financial statements
• Capitalization

In an agreement of this nature, the company acquiring the other party will typically limit the contract to a few specific issues to have it "narrowly drawn."  

The three main purposes of representations and warranties are:

• To allow the buyer to gather information, learn as much as possible about the seller (or other company involved in the transaction), and make an informed decision
• To support both involved parties by spelling out the framework for the penalties and course of action if the contract issuer's representations are found to be false
• To protect the buyer and give him/her options to cancel or re-negotiate the contract terms before or after signing

Representations and warranties are especially important during the due diligence period, since this is the time that allows the signers to further investigate claims made before entering into the agreement. This section of a contract will also include an indemnification, or detail the protections and options given to the buyer in the terms.

Different laws might have different definitions of representations and warranties. But in loans and other contracts, representations refer to facts made by one party and warranties refer to the security for the involved party if the representations are not actually true.

The purpose of representations and warranties is to disclose information between the two parties. Those given by the seller in a business contract tend to be more extensive because they could include information about stocks, liabilities, assets, and any target companies involved in the transaction.

There are implied warranties and expressed warranties. Implied warranties fall within the restrictions of the Uniform Commercial Code, which means that all goods sold should be "fit for a specific purpose." Expressed warranties are included in written contracts and signed by both parties. If a buyer is trying to take legal action against a seller, it is easier to prove that the seller violated the terms of an expressed warranty than an implied warranty .

Why are Representations and Warranties Important?

In a contract or business agreement, the representations and warranties act as assurances given by one party to the other. While the actual contract and terms of the agreement may differ, the ideas of representation of facts and warranty to protect the involved parties are the same across all contracts. A buyer should rely on these representations as fact unless proven otherwise. Representations and warranties used together serve as the best form of protection for a buyer.

Both buyers and sellers should note that exaggerating the good points of a product or service does not constitute a false representation. Salespeople are expected to "puff" their products or services to a certain extent to help make them more appealing. But if any of the information presented as fact is found to be an outright lie, it would constitute a false representation.

Reasons to Consider Not Using Representations and Warranties

Some companies choose to never include representations in contracts or agreements because using representations puts the company at risk of being sued for fraud. You may also find that contract drafters leave the words "representations and warranties" off  the contract to keep it concise and eliminate redundancy. Simply referring to the information as representations can also reduce wordiness of a contract while accomplishing the same goal, which is to protect the buyer and seller.

Reasons to Consider Using Representations and Warranties

Including representations and warranties in a contract helps to allocate risk between both signers. Representations and warranties also become the foundation for security and protection to terminate or amend the contract. If one of the representations made is inaccurate, the warranty included outlines the action that the one signer can take against the other. In most cases when a representation is false, the warranty allows the other person involved in the contract to terminate or decline the transaction.

When a lawyer or legal representative drafts a contract, he or she has a legal obligation to protect the client against risks while securing advantages that will come from entering into the agreement. With representations and warranties included in the contract, the lawyer can feel confident that the contract fulfills both of these responsibilities.

If one party involved in a contract intentionally makes a false representation, the other party can make a common law claim of deceit, also referred to as a tort. In order to qualify as a common law of deceit, the party must prove:

• Conscious ignorance or knowledge of what makes the representation false
• Intent to make the contract signer rely on the other
• Justifiable reliance

Without proof of these elements, the claim will fail. If the contract issuer can prove that the other party knew about the falsity of the claim prior to signing, this will also cause the common law claim of deceit to fail in court.

What Could Happen When You Use Representations and Warranties? 

If your contract includes representations and warranties, they will help to protect you in case any of the claims made by the seller turn out to be false. The affected party can typically rescind or void the terms of the contract, then go on to obtain funds for recovery of the time and money spent as part of the transaction.

In some states, courts will use out-of-pocket measures to determine the damages when representations are false. The first way to measure damages limits the amount returned to the buyer. The measurement takes the amount the buyer paid for the item, then deducts what the item was worth. The resulting amount is what would be owed to the buyer in damages.

The second out-of-pocket measure to calculate damages looks at the benefit of the bargain. This method is more commonly used in violations of representations and warranties written into contracts. The formula for this method takes the value of the item as represented by the seller, then deducts the actual worth of the item.

What Could Happen When You Don't Use Representations and Warranties? 

One of the problems that many people face in relation to representations and warranties is implied warranties and how well those are protected. In the event that your contract or agreement doesn't include a spelled-out warranty, it's hard to claim that the representations made don't come with some type of common law warranty. If a seller is making claims about a product or service, the buyer should have protection even if the warranty isn't clearly stated.

In one example of this struggle, CBS Inc. took legal action against Ziff-Davis Publishing Co. in 1990. CBS claimed that Ziff-Davis falsely represented and warranted the financial condition of a division that it would be selling to CBS. During the due diligence period, CBS had its accountants review all financial statements of that division. The accountants reported that the financial statements did not match up with what was represented and warranted in the contract, but CBS representatives signed anyway.

In this example, which went to the highest court In New York, the issue was whether or not CBS could state a breach of the warranted claims, as those involved in the transaction had evidence that they were not true. But in this case, CBS won the fight and could end the contract without penalty.

Not using representations and warranties at all in a contract could put you at risk for signing an agreement with invalid terms. However, there is still some implied protection, which is how CBS won its case against Ziff-Davis. 

Frequently Asked Questions

• I signed a contract with representations of facts that I have found to be false. What can I do?

The warranties spelled out in the contract offer protection for false representations. Read your contract carefully to determine what your options are in the event that the representation is false. Most buyers can end the contract without penalty and sue for damages to recover any time and money spent on the transaction.

• My company has an expiring contract with a big customer. Should this be included as part of the representations and warranties in a contract with another customer?

Yes, because the contract with the other customer could impact the valuation of your company. It's important to be upfront about any changes to the company or value that could occur during the terms of any contract, in order to avoid legal action based on false representations.

If you need help with representations and warranties, you can  post your job  on UpCounsel's marketplace. UpCounsel accepts only the top 5 percent of lawyers to its site. Lawyers on UpCounsel come from law schools such as Harvard Law and Yale Law and average 14 years of legal experience, including work with or on behalf of companies like Google, Menlo Ventures, and Airbnb.

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Representation Agreement: Definition & Sample

Jump to section, what is a representation agreement.

A representation agreement is a legal document that sets the terms of the relationship between two parties, with one acting on behalf of another. This agreement can apply to attorney and client relationships, sales representative and company relationships, or personal representatives of other individuals in a healthcare or financial situation.

A representation agreement between a sales representative and a company outlines the terms and conditions for both the sales representative and the company. It determines pay structure, if the sales representative works on commission, and protects intellectual property and confidential information of the company.

Common Sections in Representation Agreements

Below is a list of common sections included in Representation Agreements. These sections are linked to the below sample agreement for you to explore.

Representation Agreement Sample

Reference : Security Exchange Commission - Edgar Database, EX-10.8.1 5 d193541dex1081.htm SALES REPRESENTATIVE AGREEMENT , Viewed October 14, 2021, View Source on SEC .

Who Helps With Representation Agreements?

Lawyers with backgrounds working on representation agreements work with clients to help. Do you need help with a representation agreement?

Post a project  in ContractsCounsel's marketplace to get free bids from lawyers to draft, review, or negotiate representation agreements. All lawyers are vetted by our team and peer reviewed by our customers for you to explore before hiring.

ContractsCounsel is not a law firm, and this post should not be considered and does not contain legal advice. To ensure the information and advice in this post are correct, sufficient, and appropriate for your situation, please consult a licensed attorney. Also, using or accessing ContractsCounsel's site does not create an attorney-client relationship between you and ContractsCounsel.

Meet some of our Representation Agreement Lawyers

Ralph graduated from University of Florida with his JD as well as an LLM in Comparative Law. He has a Master's in Law from Warsaw University , Poland (summa cum laude) and holds a diploma in English and European Law from Cambridge Board of Continuous Education. Ralph concentrates on business entity formation, both for profit and non profit and was trained in legal drafting. In his practice he primarily assists small to medium sized startups and writes tailor made contracts as he runs one of Florida disability non profits at the same time. T l Licensed. in Florida Massachusetts and Washington DC this attorney speaks Polish.

Mexican Lawyer specialized in Corporate, Fintech and Financial Law

Yoann E. A. L.

For over 15 years, I accumulated both hands-on technical and business experience as an IT engineer and entrepreneur, enabling me to understand your challenges probably better than anyone else on the legal market! My California-based full-online practice focuses on: - Intellectual Property (Copyright / Trademarks) - Privacy / Data Protection - Commercial matters (e.g. service contracts) - Corporate (e.g. incorporation, restructuring)

Melanie Cunningham specializes in helping entrepreneurs remain creative and expansive by establishing the foundation of their business and protecting and maximizing their intellectual property. It’s her belief that entrepreneurs and micro and small business owners play a critical role in our communities, which propelled Melanie to return to private practice after more than a decade working for global financial institutions. Melanie’s practice is dedicated to delivering excellent legal support and protection to this vital, but an often underserved, community. Melanie credits her business training and the skills developed as a senior compliance officer with enabling her to help small business owners have a legally compliant business, while proactively advising clients during the growth process. She’s helped diverse entrepreneurs do business in a way that focuses more on collaboration than competition. Melanie has counseled small business owners in determining what is protection worthy (helping them obtain trademarks and copyrights) and making contact on their behalf in the case of infringement.

Christopher B.

Former litigator now focusing on transactional business work

Attorney licensed to practice in both California and New York, Josiah is focused on helping people understand what's in their contracts, and do business with confidence.

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Contracts Counsel was incredibly helpful and easy to use. I submitted a project for a lawyer's help within a day I had received over 6 proposals from qualified lawyers. I submitted a bid that works best for my business and we went forward with the project.

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I got 5 bids within 24h of posting my project. I choose the person who provided the most detailed and relevant intro letter, highlighting their experience relevant to my project. I am very satisfied with the outcome and quality of the two agreements that were produced, they actually far exceed my expectations.

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• Cambridge Dictionary +Plus

Meaning of representation in English

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representation noun ( ACTING FOR )

• Defendants have a right to legal representation and must be informed of that right when they are arrested .
• The farmers demanded greater representation in parliament .
• The main opposing parties have nearly equal representation in the legislature .
• The scheme is intended to increase representation of minority groups .
• The members are chosen by a system of proportional representation.
• admissibility
• extinguishment
• extrajudicial
• extrajudicially
• pay damages
• pettifoggery
• pettifogging
• walk free idiom

representation noun ( DESCRIPTION )

• anti-realism
• anti-realist
• complementary
• confederate
• naturalistically
• non-figurative
• non-representational
• representational
• symbolization
• ultrarealism

representation noun ( INCLUDING ALL )

• all manner of something idiom
• alphabet soup
• it takes all sorts (to make a world) idiom
• non-segregated
• odds and ends
• of every stripe/of all stripes idiom
• this and that idiom
• variety is the spice of life idiom
• wide choice

representation | Business English

Examples of representation, collocations with representation.

• representation

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Translations of representation

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four-letter word

a short word that is considered to be extremely rude and offensive

A finger in every pie: phrases with the word ‘finger’

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• Dictionary +Plus Word Lists
• representation (ACTING FOR)
• representation (DESCRIPTION)
• representation (INCLUDING ALL)
• make representations to sb
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Representation.

Other forms: representations

A representation acts or serves on behalf or in place of something. A lawyer provides legal representation for his client. A caricature is an exaggerated representation or likeness of a person.

Representation comes from the Latin repraesentare meaning "bring before, exhibit." A representation is an exhibit, whether it comes in the form of legal guidance or in the form of artistic expression. The act of representation has to do with replacing or acting on behalf of an original. Elected officials serve as the representation for their constituency — or at least it's supposed to work that way.

• noun the act of representing; standing in for someone or some group and speaking with authority in their behalf see more see less types: proportional representation representation of all parties in proportion to their popular vote type of: cooperation joint operation or action
• noun a presentation to the mind in the form of an idea or image synonyms: internal representation , mental representation see more see less types: show 44 types... hide 44 types... convergence , intersection , overlap a representation of common ground between theories or phenomena instantiation a representation of an idea in the form of an instance of it antitype a person or thing represented or foreshadowed by a type or symbol; especially a figure in the Old Testament having a counterpart in the New Testament stereotype a conventional or formulaic conception or image schema , scheme an internal representation of the world; an organization of concepts and actions that can be revised by new information about the world image , mental image an iconic mental representation interpretation , reading , version a mental representation of the meaning or significance of something phantasmagoria a constantly changing medley of real or imagined images (as in a dream) psychosexuality the mental representation of sexual activities percept , perception , perceptual experience the representation of what is perceived; basic component in the formation of a concept memory something that is remembered example , model a representative form or pattern appearance a mental representation blur , fuzz a hazy or indistinct representation abstractionism , unrealism a representation having no reference to concrete objects or specific examples concrete representation , concretism a representation of an abstract idea in concrete terms reminiscence a mental impression retained and recalled from the past crossroads a point where a choice must be made interface the overlap where two theories or phenomena affect each other or have links with each other imagination image , thought-image a mental image produced by the imagination reinterpretation a new or different meaning figure a unitary percept having structure and coherence that is the object of attention and that stands out against a ground ground a relatively homogeneous percept extending back of the figure on which attention is focused visual image , visual percept a percept that arises from the eyes; an image in the visual system recollection something recalled to the mind engram , memory trace a postulated biochemical change (presumably in neural tissue) that represents a memory confabulation (psychiatry) a plausible but imagined memory that fills in gaps in what is remembered screen memory an imagined memory of a childhood experience; hides another memory of distressing significance memory image a mental image of something previously experienced visual image , visualisation , visualization a mental image that is similar to a visual perception impression , mental picture , picture a clear and telling mental image auditory image a mental image that is similar to an auditory perception loadstar , lodestar something that serves as a model or guide epitome , image , paradigm , prototype a standard or typical example holotype , type specimen the original specimen from which the description of a new species is made microcosm a miniature model of something archetype , original , pilot something that serves as a model or a basis for making copies guide , template , templet a model or standard for making comparisons prefiguration an example that prefigures or foreshadows what is to come illusion , semblance an erroneous mental representation 3-D , 3D , three-D having a three-dimensional form or appearance front the outward appearance of a person embodiment , shape a concrete representation of an otherwise nebulous concept anagoge a mystical or allegorical interpretation (especially of Scripture) type of: cognitive content , content , mental object the sum or range of what has been perceived, discovered, or learned
• noun an activity that stands as an equivalent of something or results in an equivalent see more see less types: show 14 types... hide 14 types... model , modeling , modelling the act of representing something (usually on a smaller scale) dramatisation , dramatization a dramatic representation pageant , pageantry an elaborate representation of scenes from history, etc.; usually involves a parade with rich costumes figuration representing figuratively as by emblem or allegory diagramming , schematisation , schematization providing a chart or outline of a system pictorial representation , picturing visual representation as by photography or painting typification the act of representing by a type or symbol; the action of typifying simulation the act of imitating the behavior of some situation or some process by means of something suitably analogous (especially for the purpose of study or personnel training) guerrilla theater , street theater dramatization of a social issue; enacted outside in a park or on the street puppetry a stilted dramatic performance (as if by puppets) symbolising , symbolizing the act of representing something with a symbol delineation , depiction , portrayal representation by drawing or painting etc imaging , tomography (medicine) obtaining pictures of the interior of the body photography , picture taking the act of taking and printing photographs type of: activity any specific behavior
• noun a creation that is a visual or tangible rendering of someone or something see more see less types: show 120 types... hide 120 types... adumbration a sketchy or imperfect or faint representation audiogram a graphical representation of a person's auditory sensitivity to sound copy a thing made to be similar or identical to another thing cosmography a representation of the earth or the heavens creche a representation of Christ's nativity in the stable at Bethlehem cutaway , cutaway drawing , cutaway model a representation (drawing or model) of something in which the outside is omitted to reveal the inner parts display , presentation a visual representation of something document anything serving as a representation of a person's thinking by means of symbolic marks drawing a representation of forms or objects on a surface by means of lines ecce homo a representation (a picture or sculpture) of Jesus wearing a crown of thorns effigy , image , simulacrum a representation of a person (especially in the form of sculpture) illustration a visual representation (a picture or diagram) that is used make some subject more pleasing or easier to understand map a diagrammatic representation of the earth's surface (or part of it) model , simulation a representation of something (sometimes on a smaller scale) nomogram , nomograph a graphic representation of numerical relations objectification a concrete representation of an abstract idea or principle exposure , photo , photograph , pic , picture a representation of a person or scene in the form of a print or transparent slide; recorded by a camera on light-sensitive material icon , ikon , image , picture a visual representation (of an object or scene or person or abstraction) produced on a surface pieta a representation of the Virgin Mary mourning over the dead body of Jesus projection the representation of a figure or solid on a plane as it would look from a particular direction rubbing representation consisting of a copy (as of an engraving) made by laying paper over something and rubbing it with charcoal shade a representation of the effect of shadows in a picture or drawing (as by shading or darker pigment) set , stage set representation consisting of the scenery and other properties used to identify the location of a dramatic production Station of the Cross a representation of any of the 14 stages in Christ's journey to Calvary avatar an electronic image representing a computer user anamorphism , anamorphosis a distorted projection or perspective; especially an image distorted in such a way that it becomes visible only when viewed in a special manner beefcake a photograph of a muscular man in minimal attire bitmap , electronic image an image represented as a two dimensional array of brightness values for pixels black and white , monochrome a black-and-white photograph or slide blueprint photographic print of plans or technical drawings etc. carbon , carbon copy a copy made with carbon paper cast , casting object formed by a mold charcoal a drawing made with a stick of black carbon material chart a map designed to assist navigation by air or sea cheesecake a photograph of an attractive woman in minimal attire chiaroscuro a monochrome picture made by using several different shades of the same color choropleth map a map that uses graded differences in shading or color or the placing of symbols inside defined areas on the map in order to indicate the average values of some property or quantity in those areas closeup a photograph or video taken at close range collage , montage a paste-up made by sticking together pieces of paper or photographs to form an artistic image contour map , relief map a map having contour lines through points of equal elevation daguerreotype a photograph made by an early photographic process; the image was produced on a silver plate sensitized to iodine and developed in mercury vapor delineation , depiction , limning , line drawing a drawing of the outlines of forms or objects diagram a drawing intended to explain how something works; a drawing showing the relation between the parts duplicate , duplication a copy that corresponds to an original exactly blowup , enlargement , magnification a photographic print that has been enlarged autotype , facsimile an exact copy or reproduction figure a model of a bodily form (especially of a person) float an elaborate display mounted on a platform carried by a truck (or pulled by a truck) in a procession or parade foil , transparency picture consisting of a positive photograph or drawing on a transparent base; viewed with a projector frame a single one of a series of still transparent pictures forming a cinema, television or video film globe a sphere on which a map (especially of the earth) is represented glossy a photograph that is printed on smooth shiny paper computer graphic , graphic an image that is generated by a computer Guy an effigy of Guy Fawkes that is burned on a bonfire on Guy Fawkes Day headshot a photograph of a person's head hologram , holograph the intermediate photograph (or photographic record) that contains information for reproducing a three-dimensional image by holography iconography the images and symbolic representations that are traditionally associated with a person or a subject god , graven image , idol a material effigy that is worshipped imitation something copied or derived from an original inset a small picture inserted within the bounds or a larger one clone , knockoff an unauthorized copy or imitation likeness , semblance picture consisting of a graphic image of a person or thing longshot a photograph taken from a distance map projection a projection of the globe onto a flat map using a grid of lines of latitude and longitude mechanical drawing scale drawing of a machine or architectural plan etc, microdot photograph reduced to the size of a dot (usually for purposes of security) miniature , toy a copy that reproduces a person or thing in greatly reduced size mock-up full-scale working model of something built for study or testing or display modification slightly modified copy; not an exact copy arial mosaic , mosaic , photomosaic arrangement of aerial photographs forming a composite picture mug shot , mugshot a photograph of someone's face (especially one made for police records) cyclorama , diorama , panorama a picture (or series of pictures) representing a continuous scene pen-and-ink a drawing executed with pen and ink photocopy a photographic copy of written or printed or graphic work photographic print , print a printed picture produced from a photographic negative photomicrograph a photograph taken with the help of a microscope architectural plan , plan scale drawing of a structure planetarium an apparatus or model for representing the solar systems plat a map showing planned or actual features of an area (streets and building lots etc.) plate a full-page illustration (usually on slick paper) print a copy of a movie on film (especially a particular version of it) quadruplicate any four copies; any of four things that correspond to one another exactly radiogram , radiograph , shadowgraph , skiagram , skiagraph a photographic image produced on a radiosensitive surface by radiation other than visible light (especially by X-rays or gamma rays) restoration a model that represents the landscape of a former geological age or that represents and extinct animal etc. reflection , reflexion the image of something as reflected by a mirror (or other reflective material) rendering perspective drawing of an architect's design replica , replication , reproduction copy that is not the original; something that has been copied road map a map showing roads (for automobile travel) roughcast a rough preliminary model CAT scan , scan an image produced by scanning bird-scarer , scarecrow , scarer , straw man , strawman an effigy in the shape of a man to frighten birds away from seeds scene , scenery the painted structures of a stage set that are intended to suggest a particular locale doodle , scrabble , scribble an aimless drawing silhouette a drawing of the outline of an object; filled in with some uniform color silverpoint a drawing made on specially prepared paper with an instrument having a silver tip (15th and 16th centuries) sketch , study preliminary drawing for later elaboration sketch map a map drawn from observation (rather than from exact measurements) and representing the main features of an area shot , snap , snapshot an informal photograph; usually made with a small hand-held camera Snellen chart display consisting of a printed card with letters and numbers in lines of decreasing size; used to test visual acuity echogram , sonogram an image of a structure that is produced by ultrasonography (reflections of high-frequency sound waves); used to observe fetal growth or to study bodily organs spectacle an elaborate and remarkable display on a lavish scale spectrogram , spectrograph a photographic record of a spectrum stereo , stereoscopic photograph , stereoscopic picture two photographs taken from slightly different angles that appear three-dimensional when viewed together stick figure drawing of a human or animal that represents the head by a circle and the rest of the body by straight lines still a static photograph (especially one taken from a movie and used for advertising purposes) telephoto , telephotograph a photograph made with a telephoto lens telephotograph a photograph transmitted and reproduced over a distance time exposure a photograph produced with a relatively long exposure time trace , tracing a drawing created by superimposing a semitransparent sheet of paper on the original image and copying on it the lines of the original image triplicate one of three copies; any of three things that correspond to one another exactly vignette a photograph whose edges shade off gradually wax figure , waxwork an effigy (usually of a famous person) made of wax weather chart , weather map (meteorology) a map showing the principal meteorological elements at a given time and over an extended region wedding picture photographs of bride and groom and their friends taken at their wedding xerox , xerox copy a copy made by a xerographic printer scene , shot a consecutive series of pictures that constitutes a unit of action in a film letter , missive a written message addressed to a person or organization diorama a three-dimensional representation of a scene, in miniature or life-size, with figures and objects set against a background selfie a photograph that you take of yourself, typically with a digital camera pastel a drawing made with pastel sticks type of: creation an artifact that has been brought into existence by someone
• noun a performance of a play synonyms: histrionics , theatrical , theatrical performance see more see less types: matinee a theatrical performance held during the daytime (especially in the afternoon) type of: performance , public presentation a dramatic or musical entertainment
• noun a factual statement made by one party in order to induce another party to enter into a contract “the sales contract contains several representations by the vendor” see more see less type of: statement a message that is stated or declared; a communication (oral or written) setting forth particulars or facts etc
• noun a statement of facts and reasons made in appealing or protesting “certain representations were made concerning police brutality” see more see less type of: statement a message that is stated or declared; a communication (oral or written) setting forth particulars or facts etc
• noun the state of serving as an official and authorized delegate or agent synonyms: agency , delegacy see more see less types: free agency (sports) the state of a professional athlete who is free to negotiate a contract to play for any team legal representation personal representation that has legal status virus a harmful or corrupting agency type of: state the way something is with respect to its main attributes
• noun the right of being represented by delegates who have a voice in some legislative body see more see less type of: right an abstract idea of that which is due to a person or governmental body by law or tradition or nature
• noun a body of legislators that serve in behalf of some constituency “a Congressional vacancy occurred in the representation from California” see more see less type of: body a group of persons associated by some common tie or occupation and regarded as an entity

Vocabulary lists containing representation

The Colonies–Reconstruction (1600s–1877)

Declare your independence and master these words related to the American Revolution. Learn all about the conflict between the colonists and the redcoats, from the Boston Tea Party to the British surrender at Yorktown. Explore causes of the war and review major battles, key historical figures, and the structure of the new American republic.

To punish Massachusetts for the Boston Tea Party, the British Parliament enforced acts that the colonies found intolerable. In response, they convened the First Continental Congress in 1774 to outline a list of grievances, rights, and resolves. Read the full text here . Here are links to our lists for other notable declarations: Declaration of Colonial Rights , Declaration of the Rights of Man , Declaration of the Rights of Woman , Universal Declaration of Human Rights

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