Case Study Proposal Template (US)
Updated on September 24, 2026
A case study proposal asks a customer to let a company tell a success story. That sounds simple until the document reaches legal, marketing, sales and privacy reviewers. The story may use the client name, logo, employee quotes, performance numbers, screenshots, product results, photos, confidential background and claims that future buyers will treat as proof. A serious proposal must control approval, claims, privacy, trademark permission, publication channels and withdrawal/update mechanics.
The Jotform PDF is better than many sources in this batch because it already says the proposal is generally non-binding and that the client must approve final content. It still ships with a duplicated "Use of Client Name and Materials" section and leaves major marketing-law issues thin. This US master fixes the duplicate, adds testimonial and advertising-substantiation safeguards, separates logo/name permission from broader trademark use, adds privacy/data handling, states whether compensation or incentives exist, and gives the parties a practical approval workflow.
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Case Study Proposal
This Case Study Proposal is dated and is submitted by to regarding .
1. Purpose and participation
Purpose and intended publication channels: . Client participation requested: .
2. Claims, quotes and evidence
Claims, metrics, outcomes and evidence sources to be verified before publication: .
Attributed individual quotes, names, titles, photos or likenesses may be used only as approved in writing through the review process.
3. Review and approval
Review and approval process: . No final case study will be published externally without written approval of the final version, unless the parties expressly state a different rule in a signed agreement.
4. Name, logo and publication rights
Name, logo, trademark and approved-material permissions: . Publication term, archive, correction, removal and update rules: .
5. Privacy, confidentiality and compensation
Privacy and confidentiality limits: . Compensation, incentives, discounts, credits, donations or other material connections: .
6. Non-exclusive cooperation
This Proposal does not require either party to publish a case study unless final content and permissions are approved. Confidentiality, approval, privacy, compensation-disclosure and permitted-use obligations survive the proposal process to the extent stated here.
Sponsor
Date signed:
Client
Date signed:
A case study is marketing, not just documentation
A case study may be presented as education, but it usually functions as advertising. If it says the product saved time, increased revenue, reduced risk, improved health, achieved compliance or delivered a percentage result, the company needs support before publishing. A signed customer quote does not by itself substantiate an objective claim.
This template asks the sponsor to identify the claims, evidence source and review owner. That is more useful than a broad approval sentence because it makes the marketing team attach the facts before the customer is asked to approve a polished story.
Approval should happen in stages
A client may be comfortable discussing a project in an interview and still reject the final headline, metric, logo placement or quote. The proposal should set a staged workflow: interview authorization, draft review, factual corrections, legal/PR approval, final approval and publication.
This template gives the client a right to request reasonable factual edits and confidentiality removals before publication. It also says silence is not approval unless the parties intentionally choose that rule.
Logo permission is not unlimited trademark permission
The proposal should define how the client name and logo can appear: in the approved case study, on landing pages, in sales decks, in ads, in social posts or in investor materials. USPTO materials explain that trademarks identify source. Permission to use a logo in one approved case study should not become permission to imply sponsorship everywhere.
This template separates approved case-study use from any broader logo, trademark or endorsement use. If the sponsor wants paid ads, broad customer-logo walls or co-branded campaigns, those rights should be stated separately.
Privacy and confidential information need a filter
Case studies often involve employee names, job titles, customer data, screenshots, usage data, business processes, security architecture or financial figures. Even when the client is a business, personal data and confidential information can appear in interviews and drafts.
The proposal therefore includes a data-minimization and confidentiality filter: do not collect unnecessary personal data, do not publish confidential information, and require written approval for names, photos, screenshots or quotes attributed to individuals.
Compensation and incentives should be visible
If the client receives a discount, gift card, service credit, charitable donation, co-marketing benefit or other incentive for participating, the parties should record it. FTC endorsement principles focus on material connections that could affect how an audience evaluates a statement.
The proposal does not decide the disclosure wording for every publication channel. It creates the record that lets the sponsor decide whether a disclosure is needed when the case study is used in advertising, sales or social media.
Case study proposal guide
- Purpose and subject
- Names the product, service, client story, intended audience and business purpose.
- Participation
- Explains interviews, questionnaires, data requests, screenshots, approvals and time commitment.
- Claims and evidence
- Lists outcome claims, metrics, evidence source and who verifies them before publication.
- Review and approval
- Sets draft review, factual corrections, confidentiality review and final written approval process.
- Name, logo and trademarks
- Limits use of client name and logo to approved materials unless broader rights are granted.
- Quotes and testimonials
- Controls quote attribution, individual consent, material connections and withdrawal/update requests.
- Privacy and confidentiality
- Protects confidential information and limits collection/publication of personal data.
- Publication rights
- States channels, territory, term, archive/removal, paid media and reuse rights.
- Compensation or incentives
- Records discounts, credits, gifts or other benefits connected to participation.
US case study proposal checklist
Case studies often become advertising assets. Use this checklist before collecting interviews or publishing claims.
Substantiate objective claims before publication
FTC advertising-substantiation policy expects advertisers to have a reasonable basis for objective claims before they are disseminated. Metrics and outcomes need evidence, not only enthusiasm.
FTC advertising substantiation policyApply endorsement and testimonial principles
FTC endorsement guides cover advertising messages that audiences are likely to believe reflect someone else's opinions or experiences and address material connections that may need disclosure.
16 CFR Part 255Limit logo and trademark permission
USPTO materials explain that trademarks identify and distinguish source. Use the client name and logo only in the approved scope and do not imply broader sponsorship.
USPTO trademark basicsMinimize personal and confidential data
Do not collect or publish unnecessary personal data, confidential client information, screenshots, security details or regulated data. Get written approval for attributed quotes, names and images.
Record compensation or incentives
Discounts, credits, gifts, charitable donations, co-marketing benefits or other incentives should be recorded so disclosure can be evaluated when the case study is used in advertising.
Set archive and update mechanics
A case study can become stale after a product change, merger, metric correction or ended relationship. State who can request correction, archival or removal and what happens to already-distributed materials.
How to complete this case study proposal
- Define the story. State the client, product, challenge, outcome, intended audience and publication channels.
- Plan participation. List interviews, data requests, screenshots, quotes, approvals and expected time commitment.
- Identify claims and evidence. Attach sources for metrics, results and objective statements before drafting final copy.
- Set approval rights. Write the draft review, confidentiality edit, final approval and publication process.
- Control use and withdrawal. Limit name/logo use, publication channels, paid media, term, archive and update requests.
Frequently asked questions
Is a case study proposal legally binding?
It can be partly binding if it includes confidentiality, approval, publication and permission terms. This template lets the parties proceed with interviews and review while making final publication depend on written approval.
Can we publish a client logo after approval?
Only within the approved scope. Permission to include a logo in one case study is not the same as broad permission for ads, customer-logo walls, investor decks or social campaigns. State the channels clearly.
Do client quotes count as testimonials?
They can. If a quote is used in advertising and audiences treat it as the client's experience, FTC endorsement and testimonial principles may apply, especially if compensation or incentives are involved.
Do we need proof for case study metrics?
Yes. Objective claims such as percent improvement, time saved, revenue lift or risk reduction should have a reasonable basis before publication. Customer approval alone does not replace substantiation.
Can the client withdraw approval later?
The proposal should say. Many sponsors allow correction or archival for confidentiality, legal or factual issues but do not promise to retrieve every already-distributed PDF or sales deck. Define the rule before publication.
What if the case study uses personal data?
Minimize it, get consent where needed, and avoid publishing unnecessary personal details. Names, photos, titles, screenshots and quotes attributed to individuals should receive explicit approval.
Should compensation be disclosed?
If the client receives a discount, credit, gift, donation or other benefit that could affect how readers evaluate the statement, the sponsor should evaluate disclosure under endorsement and advertising rules. The proposal records the facts so that decision can be made.
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Disclaimer
This template and guide are general information only, not legal, tax, employment, advertising, intellectual-property, environmental, health-care, construction, licensing, or insurance advice. No attorney has reviewed your facts. Check current federal, state, local, and industry rules before signing.
