A trademark is defined as any word, symbol, device, brand name, etc. (or a combination of these) that not only identifies but also distinguishes the goods of one entity from those of another, thereby giving intellectual property rights/trademark rights to brand owners. The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USTPO) defines a wordmark as a…
Trademark symbols act as visual indicators to demonstrate that brands, product names, logos, designs, phrases, etc. are trademarked by the owner. These trademark symbols not only identify trademark ownership of a mark but also reflect upon the intellectual property rights of the brand owner by warning the competitors about such ownership. The usage of these…
There is often confusion about the differences between trademarks, patents and copyright. This is no surprise as the law in this area is quite complex and very conceptual. This post provides a brief overview of the differences. But firstly, let’s start with the similarities. The reason that trademarks, copyright and patents are often mixed up is…
Do I Need a Registered Trademark? Having an officially registered trademark for your business is not actually a legal requirement. As long as you are otherwise obeying the legal obligations of running your business, such as having the correct licences, paying taxes and abiding by consumer law, among other things, then you technically do not need to have a…
As a new business manager, you might ask yourself whether it is necessary to register your trademark immediately or if it is something that can wait until you are more established in the marketplace. You might wonder why, if you have already taken the steps to register your business name and your domain name, should you also register…