Trademarks

A trademark is a word, phrase, symbol or design that identifies a product or service in the marketplace. For example, consumers identify the trademarked name, "Nike," by its name and symbol;…

It's very exciting to come up with a new trademark for your business. You want to attach this word, phrase, symbol or design to your product as soon as possible, but you need to use caution before…

Apple Inc. owns more than 200 trademarks for its products and services, from AirDrop to Xserve. This includes trademarks for the company's ubiquitous "i" products, including the iPad, iPod,…

Although you can establish rights over a trademark through its use in commerce, registering your intellectual property and branding on the principal trademark register offers a greater degree of…

As a business owner, you may decide to help brand your company with a trademark. A trademark is a picture or words that have been registered to represent a product or company. In the course of running…

A trademark is a "word, phrase, symbol or design or a combination thereof, that identifies and distinguishes the source of the goods of one party from those of others," according to the U.S. Patent…

A trademark is a legally-recognized word, phrase, symbol or other identifier for a product or service in commerce. Trademarks are a form of intellectual property, and only the owner of the trademark…

Whether you're a seasoned inventor or you've come up with the next iPhone, legally protecting your idea requires due diligence so nobody steals it. Additionally, you'll have legal recourse to stop…

Brand piracy is the counterfeiting of a retail product by the production and sale of a product that uses a confusingly similar name, logo, masthead, or other phrases or images to confuse the consumer.…

Intellectual property is a legal field that deals with protecting ideas like new inventions, creative works and designs. A trademark is a symbol, word, phrase or combination of symbols, words and…

Trademarked images indicate the originator of the product or service for which it is associated. Coca-Cola, FedEx and many other companies use trademarked names attach to their particular brand:…

AdWords is the online advertising service offered by Google. Google AdWords ads are displayed on Google search engine results by websites that have signed up and used the Google AdSense service and…

Naming your business is the first step in branding yourself to potential clients; therefore, it is essential to chose a memorable business name. Using your personal name as your brand can have a…

In a library setting, legal deposits are regulatory obligations a particular person or group has over the submission of their publications to a repository, meaning a library or some other information…

When purchasing expensive and big-ticket items, such as computers, electronics and camera gear, it is wise to check the store or company's return or exchange policies prior to purchase. Many companies…

A trademark is a unique sign or symbol used to distinguish a good or service. Registered trademarks benefit their owner by helping consumers recognize a brand or service. A trademark development…

Trademarks are a form of protected intellectual property, which also includes patents and copyrights. Intellectual properties are intangible products that can have a monetary value. Trademarks need to…

Trademarking a name is necessary if you plan on starting a business or if you have created a new product. Before you attempt to trademark any name, check to be sure the desired trademark is not…

A coat of arms can be registered with your home country. This will ensure that your family's coat of arms will be kept in the records. Unfortunately, just registering your coat of arms does not give…

Trademarking an item is a timely process that begins with filing an application. Trademarking is regulated by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, or USPTO.

There is no specific statute of limitations for trademark infringement. If the infringement is ongoing a claim can generally be filed any time as long as it is not barred by the doctrine of laches or…

It may be tempting to avoid the cost of a brand-name Nike shirt by putting the logo on a generic item of clothing, but you cannot do this because it violates intellectual property law.

Designers of flyers, brochures and websites may sometimes want to include an organization's official logo. In general, a company or organization uses a trademarked logo to indicate that company's…

Domain name squatting is a practice whereby a person lays claim to Internet addresses that bear another entity's or person's trademark, with the intent of making a profit. The Anticybersquatting…

Every online business depends on its Web address, or domain name, for customers to locate the store from the many others available on the Internet. Disputes concerning ownership of specific domain…

Any Australian business that operates under a name other than its owner's given name is required to register an Australian Business Name (ABN). If you wish to register an ABN, you must complete…

In 1989, The Protocol Relating to the Madrid Agreement Concerning the International Registration of Marks (Madrid Protocol) was created. This international treaty allows for trademark owners to apply…

It is necessary to obtain a domain name to establish a website address. A domain name is a unique name not used by any other website. It is possible for one person to own the domain name and for…

A trademark is a type of intellectual property. Intellectual property is an expression of the human mind that has value. The Lanham Act protects a trademark against infringement.

Although refurbished items are generally sorted into two categories--one for items that were merely taken out of the box and then returned and another for items that needed to be repaired before being…

According to the Keyt Law legal information website, trademarks and domain name infringement are governed in the U.S. by federal laws and international arbitration agreements to halt trademark…

The Internet has spawned a whole new area of law dealing with the treatment of intellectual property--trademarks, copyrights and patents--as it is used on the web. Questions of trademark protection…

A brand name has associated with it a reputation, and consumers become loyal to a brand name, so it is important to protect a brand from piracy and imitation. In order to secure the legal rights of a…

A service mark is like a trademark except that it can only be used for services such as legal, medical or accounting work. Businesses often file for service marks to protect themselves from others…

Your trademark is your brand. It can be a word, a symbol or even a device that sets you apart from your competition. While you are not required by law to register your trademark, doing so will protect…

Florida has become one of the fastest growing states to start and conduct business. If you are starting a new business or expanding your business into Florida, you are required to register your…

A trademark is a unique emblem, name, motto or design used by a business on its products to alert consumers that the product is an original, distinguishable from similar products. Trademarks are a…

While there are no legal requirements that a business register its trade name, the benefits of registration cannot be ignored. At the most basic level, registration prohibits other businesses from…

Slogans and phrases cannot be copyrighted in the same way that movies, music and computer software are copyrighted for protection. It is possible, however, to register a slogan or catchphrase as a…

A service mark identifies the source of a service, rather than a physical product (which requires a trademark). Service marks normally appear in the communications and advertising of the service,…

A trademark violation, or infringement, is the use of the same or a confusingly similar trademark to that in established use by another vendor, without that other vendor's permission. The…

Brand names are eligible for copyright along with any other text or graphics associated with a project. A brand name can also be covered by trademark law, according to the Harvard University website.…

While works of art, songs, poetry and stories are protected under copyright law, it is not legally possible to copyright a saying or a phrase. However, if there is a phrase or saying that is specific…

Trademarks protect words, symbols and phrases used to distinguish products from their competitors. They represent the accumulated "goodwill" of a product—the value of the product's reputation. A…

Sometimes during business, two companies may choose similar trademarks, yet their respective businesses are targeted for completely different markets and uses. Rather than a costly litigation over a…

It's not possible to lawfully copyright a phrase, as copyright only applies to creative works like songs, books or plays. If you've got a catchy and marketable phrase and want to make sure you and…

The NFL is notorious for guarding its intellectual property rights to the full extent of the law. As the most popular and most profitable sporting event in the United States, the Super Bowl is clearly…

A trademark is a legal form of intellectual property that is immediately associated with a particular brand or company by consumers. For example, Nike has trademarked the "swoosh" on its sports shoes…

According the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), "Trademarks protect words, names, symbols, sounds or colors that distinguish goods and services from those manufactured or sold by…

Comparative advertising compares one company's product with a competitor's product. Truthful, non-misleading comparative advertising is legal. It is effective and can produce a competitive advantage.…

A brand logo is the element that identifies a company's product or service to the public. The brand logo is a trademarked image, or text and image combination. It's a crucial component of a company's…

If you thought of a name for your new business or product and want to protect it then you'll want to trademark your intellectual property and reap the benefits of being protected under the U.S.…

When establishing a business, designing a product or marketing a service, it is important that in-depth research is conducted before settling on any names or key phrases that describe your business,…

Under U.S. law, names, including band names, cannot be legally licensed via copyright. Although it's possible to copyright the design of a band logo, the band name itself can't be copyrighted. Most…

The symbol "®" designates a trademark that is registered with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. This symbol can be distinguished from the symbol "™," which is used to indicate…

Imagine the power of the name "Coca-Cola." Now imagine being able to buy the rights to use that name. The ability to purchase trademarks is what trademark acquisition is all about. Trademarks are…

Federal trademark law protects brand names and symbols, such as logos, that consumers rely upon to recognize particular goods and services. Trademarks in the United States are managed by the United…

Copyrighting enables you to ensure that something you created is protected under the law. Many works of art are created on a daily basis in a wide variety of areas such as music, art, theater, and…

A trademark is an intellectual property (something that is not an actual item, but is instead non-tangible) that is designated for exclusive use by a single business, individual, or corporation. It is…

A trademark is a name or symbol used on a product or its related packaging and marketing materials. Businesses use a trademark to brand the product and distinguish it from competing products. Maryland…

A copyright protects your work legally by proving you are the original author. According to the U.S. Copyright Office, you can copyright literary, dramatic, musical and artistic works, but not names,…

Consider trademarking your company's logo if the logo is a unique design that is essential to your business. A trademark is an insignia that is legally protected as intellectual property that only you…

Service marks and trademarks are both means to protect the sales and profits of goods and services. Individuals or companies who register their goods or services have a legal right to prevent…

A trademark is something that identifies the goods of a particular manufacturer or seller, similar to a brand logo. You can trademark a shirt design intended to function as the identifying mark of a…

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) makes applying for a trademark relatively straightforward. The guidelines included below mirror those suggested on the USPTO website. Keep in mind when…

Starting your own company requires much preparation and research before you can even get your business started. One of the first things that is required for starting a company is to establish a name…

A service mark is like a trademark, except that it is associated with a service instead of a product. It is a logo, design, word, name, symbol or device (or combination thereof) that identifies a…

A United States Service Mark is used to identify and distinguish the source of a service being offered. This is different than a trademark which is used to identify a specific product. U.S. Service…

One of the most important aspects of a product is its name. Establishing a brand name in the United States involves registering a trademark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, or USPTO. While…

A trademark is any word, name, symbol, slogan, design or combination of such devices that identifies or distinguishes a specific brand or product in the market place. A trademark is used not only to…

Your company name and your company logo are what you use to identify your business. In order to protect your business and help your business grow, you want to prevent others from using your name or…

In the high-tech world of intellectual property, it can be easy to forget one of the central purposes of patents. Originally, the patent system was designed not only to encourage innovation, but to…

There is often confusion between copyright, trademark and patent. A copyright is for intellectual property, such as songs, books, movies and art. A patent protects inventions. A trademark protects a…

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) determines whether a patent or trademark application meets the requirements for federal registration. A trademark is any combination of words,…

Trademarks are one of the three main intellectual property protection devices (the other two are copyrights and patents). Trademarks protect words, symbols, and phrases that are used to distinguish a…

There are three kinds of intellectual property: trademark; copyright; and patent. A trademark is defined as a legal protection of a word, name, symbol, color or sound that needs protection and…

Before you trademark something that you're making or selling--or that you intend to produce sometime in the future--you must register your trademark with the United States Patent & Trademark Office…

A trademark is a unique indicator that identifies an individual, business or other legal entity. A trademark can be a design, a slogan, a name such as "Betty Crocker," a shape like McDonald's Golden…

Items that can be trademarked include a name, a word, a phrase, a logo, a symbol, a design or an image. Find out what types of things can be trademarked, which prevents others from using it, with help…

A trademark protects words, names, symbols, sounds or colors that distinguish your goods from similar goods made and sold by other people. A trademark also identifies goods as having a source of…

Trademarks, also known as "marks," serve two functions: to provide assurance to consumers that goods are of a certain quality and consistency, and to assist consumers in making informed purchases.…

Do you have aspirations to be the next big name in designer purses? While your aspirations are to be applauded, there is a very important business matter that is vital before you "make it big":…

A trademark is a type of intellectual property used by an individual or group (often businesses) to identify themselves. It can be an identifying symbol, slogan, sign, word, phrase or collection of…

The first thing to do in avoiding a duplicate company name is by going to the local area's Chamber of Commerce. Avoid duplicating company names within the same state by checking the patent and…

Starting off, it is not legally possible to copyright a phrase. Copyright protection is assigned to longer works where authorship is established on a complete creative endeavor. Songs and poetry are…

According to the U.S. Copyright Office, slogans cannot be copyrighted. Copyrights are only intended to protect literary, artistic, musical and dramatic works, not titles, slogans or short phrases.…

Trademark laws are put in place to protect the brand identity of established businesses. These laws prevent new companies from being able to enter the market under an existing name, or making a…

Search the trademark database to determine whether someone is already using the trademark you are attempting to register. Symbols, icons, and letter combinations are commonly used as trademarks so be…

A trademark makes a business, individual or legal entity separate and distinct from similar types of business. Discover how a trademark law is designed to protect names, phrases, words logos or…

Trademarks, which are often confused with copyrights or patents, are specific words, phrases or symbols used to identify and distinguish the source of goods or services. Applying for a trademark can…

Trademarks distinguish one person's or company's goods and services from everyone else's and are registered to protect infringement on the bearer's rights. It is imperative to keep trademarks valid…

The United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is the governing body for trademarks in the United States. Trademarks are issued to original logos and images used by businesses and individuals…

Coats of arms were used by ancient families of noble descent as an identifying mark and symbol. Despite some sources that might suggest otherwise, coats of arms are not linked to a particular name but…

There are benefits to registering your trademark with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The registration itself publicizes the trademark and legitimizes your presumption of ownership on a national…

If you are planning on selling albums and other merchandise with your band, it is absolutely necessary that you get your band name legally trademarked, which is obtained by going through the trademark…

A trademark is a form of legal protection in the business world, a type of intellectual property. No one else is supposed to use your trademarked name in a way that causes confusion with your…

Businesses work hard to build a brand that customers will instantly recognize, either when they hear the business's name or see their logo. McDonald's is easily identifiable by its golden arches and…

The first thing many new restaurant owners want to do is to file a copyright on the name of their business. What they quickly learn is that a copyright is not what they need to file. The name of the…

A trademark is used in commerce to protect a product or service from being copied. This designation is identified by the TM or ® symbols.

While you do not need to obtain a trademark to claim your rights and use the symbol TM, it is beneficial for several reasons. It gives you the legal ownership of the mark and, therefore, the legal…

When trademarking a business name, it's important to make sure that the name isn't substantially similar to another name that is already trademarked. Avoid infringing on another business' trademark…

According to the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), trademarks protect words and symbols that distinguish products or services from those of other sellers or manufacturers and indicate…

The United States government has three ways to protect intellectual property, trademarks, patents and copyrights. Each covers different types of property. Patents are how you protect inventions.…

A trademark is a symbol, word, phrase or combination of the three which acts as a call sign or identifier for a person, business or any other organization. A trademark is strongly associated with the…

A trademark is considered a distinctive sign or name or even symbol that allows consumers to identify a product or service. The trademark is an effective means of creating brand association between…

A trademark is a legal designation that a product or service originates from one particular company or individual and is used to distinguish this product/service from those offered by competitors. A…

Like patents, trademarks are an important way for American innovators to maintain the competitive advantages of their efforts. Trademarks were only granted in individual states until the late 1800s,…

An entertainment lawyer engages in the practice of several different types of law. Through the Madrid Protocol, an entertainment attorney can register a trademark in multiple countries with a single…

A trademark is often the greatest asset of a company. It carries along with it invaluable goodwill and consumer trust. Since registration with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) is…

Choosing the right fictitious business name or "doing business as" name not only establishes a company's identity, but it also can attract customers to the company. To do this, the DBA name needs to…

A copyright does not protect a name. There are only a few instances where a copyright might be applicable to a name. However, if you want to protect a name, you need to file an application to get a…

A trademark can help brand your company's identity, but as a part of your company's image, you will need to defend it from disputes and misuse. There is a wide potential for abuses against trademarks…

Overzealous lawyers may send out cease-and-desist letters against people who have not actually violated any laws regarding intellectual property. If you face such a situation, you will need to defend…

Digital trademark laws allow a business to utilize a symbol or name synonymous with their product to distinguish themselves from the competition. However, trademark laws are tricky in application and…

The use of a trademark, whether it is a word, number or symbol, indicates a unique source of products or services in a particular industry. Trademarks of large companies are most familiar, but anyone…

The trademark process in the United States involves the use of symbols or names to distinguish one business from another. Business owners who turn to virtual storefronts and online advertising use a…

A trademark is a name, figure or design created by a company to distinguish its product or service. A registered trademark can then be licensed to another firm in return for a royalty. Due care must…