Secure Your Business with Trademark
Protection.

As the business world becomes competitive, you must protect your business identity and reputation. One way to do this is through trademark protection. It prevents other companies from using a similar mark, creating confusion among consumers. It also helps businesses build goodwill and strengthen their brand.

In this guide, we’ll discuss what a trademark is. Ways in which a trademark protects your business. You’ll understand how to create and use a strong trademark effectively. You will also learn what makes your trademark protection ineligible and how to end trademark protection to avoid those practices. So, Let’s Begin!

What is Trademark?

A trademark distinguishes the services or products of one company from those of another. It can be a word, phrase, logo, or image. Trademarks are used to protect businesses’ investment in their brand. Trademarks prevent others from using similar signs to take advantage of their good reputation.

How Can You Use Trademark Protection?

There are many ways that you can use trademark protection to your advantage. You give yourself exclusive rights to use your brand name or logo. This will prevent others from using it without your permission and can give you a leg up in court if someone does try to infringe on your rights.

Use the strength of your trademark to negotiate better terms with suppliers and partners. Having a strong trademark can give you more bargaining power, when setting prices and terms of contracts. Trademarks also help you create an identity for your business that sets it apart from your competition.  A well-chosen brand name or logo can help customers remember your business and what it stands for, making them more likely to choose you over other options.

What Is Your Trademark Protection Eligibility?

If your business is US-based and you want to obtain a trademark registration in the United States, you must file a trademark application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). The USPTO (or the country’s office) will examine your trademark application. It will determine whether your mark meets the legal requirements for a federal registration. If your trademark application meets all the requirements, your mark will be published in the Official Gazette. Anyone with a valid reason as to why the registration of your mark would harm them has thirty (30) days to oppose the mark’s registration.

To be eligible for federal registration in the United States, a trademark must meet several requirements. Some factors include the mark’s use in interstate commerce and its distinctive commercial impression.

A trademark can be either inherently distinctive or acquired distinctiveness through use over time. In order for a trademark to be considered inherently distinctive, it must be unique and not descriptive of the services or products it represents.

The experienced Attorney at Nadkarni Law, can help you determine what steps you can take to meet the trademark protection eligibility.

How to Choose A Strong Trademark?

Here are a few tricks you can use to generate a strong trademark for your business:

1.    Avoid generic terms, such as restaurant, car, shoes, or any commonly used terms in daily routine. These words cannot be easily registered as trademarks.

2.    Choose a made-up word or phrase that has no meaning in relation to the goods or services you offer for sale. This type of mark is easier to protect because it is unique and distinct.

 3.   Be sure to thoroughly search for existing trademarks before choosing your own. This avoids any potential conflict with another company’s similar mark. The Trademark Attorney at Nadkarni Law can help you conduct a comprehensive search to validate the selection of your mark.

4.   Once you have chosen your trademark, use it consistently and prominently on all your products and marketing materials. This will help establish it as a solid and recognizable one. 

5.   Please consult with the Attorney at Nadkarni Law for assistance to validate the strength and uniqueness of your mark. Depending on the value and scope of your business, you may need to file a state trademark application or a federal trademark application.

Length of  A Trademark Protection?

The time that trademark protection lasts depends on the jurisdiction in which it is registered. In the United States, for instance, the trademark protection can last perpetually. The registered mark in the United States must be continually used in commerce in relation to its goods or services. Furthermore, the federally registered mark must be renewed at certain time periods under the U.S. trademark maintenance rules requirements. Each country may have its own rules as far as the length of the trademark protection. Determine how long your trademark protection will last in each country in advance. Have a proper trademark maintenance plan in place to avoid the expiration of your trademark registration.

How Does Trademark Protection Secure Your Business?

A trademark is one of the most important assets for a business. A trademark sets the company apart from its competitors. It gets customers to remember and choose the products or services. A trademark ensures that the business can keep its hard-earned goodwill, reputation, and customers. By registering its mark, a business can potentially seek protection nationwide and worldwide. A trademark registration allows a business to bring an infringement action in a federal court against anyone using their trademark without its permission.

There are also other important benefits to trademark registration. First, it shows the public that a particular person or company owns the mark. Second, it gives the owner the exclusive right to use and sell the mark in connection with its goods or services. Third, it prevents confusion among consumers about the source of the product or service. Finally, it can serve as a valuable marketing tool to promote and sell products and services.

What Can End Trademark Protection?

Trademark protection can end in several ways. The most common way is when a trademark is no longer used by its owner for the services or products it was registered for. If a trademark is not used for three consecutive years, it can be canceled by anyone who files a petition with the Trademark Trial and Appeals Board.

Another way that can end trademark protection is if the mark becomes generic. A generic term describes the thing itself rather than identifying a particular brand. For example, “aspirin” and “band-aid” were once trademarks. They became generic over time due to the reference of their use.

Finally, a trademark can lose protection through abandonment. This happens when either a trademark is no longer used in commerce or the owner makes no effort to keep its registration alive.

Takeaway.

In conclusion, trademark protection is vital for businesses. Without trademark protection, consumers would be unable to distinguish brands from their competitors. There would be confusion about the source of services or products.

With trademark protection, businesses can build goodwill and reputation. They can increase their sales and profits. Therefore, as a business owner you should consider registering your trademarks. It can protect your investment, assets, and help you gain a competitive advantage over your competitors.

Call our Board-Certified Intellectual Property Attorney at Nadkarni Law to discuss how we can use our simple and straight forward process to protect your trademark.