Intellectual Property Law Series: Common Trademark Pitfalls Even the Pros Make
We’ve all heard of trademarks. But, what exactly do they do? And how do you select your trademarks, protect them, and then properly use them in commerce? As we discussed in the previous article, trademarks identify original sources for products and services and ideally help distinguish one source’s goods and services from another source’s goods and services. Trademarks can come in a variety of forms, including logos, taglines, product or service names, colors, scents, etc. As many of you already know, selecting a trademark is not always an easy task. And, properly using your trademark in commerce requires diligence. Avoiding the mistakes below can help you protect your trademarks, wallet, brand, and reputation. 7 Tips to Avoid Common Trademark Pitfalls: 1. Select a distinctive mark. In order for you to distinguish your goods and services from others, your trademark must be distinctive, i.e. not confusingly similar to another’s mark for similar goods or services. If your trademark confuses consumers as to the source of origin of your goods or services, you run the risk of losing your mark and even a lawsuit for infringement. So, make sure your mark is distinctive before you begin to use it in commerce. Trademarks can be: Arbitrary (Apple for computers, Kodak for cameras) or Suggestive (Microsoft for microprocessor software) However, trademark protection is not afforded to marks that are: Descriptive (Smartphone for smart phones) or Generic (Escalator, Realtor, Dumpster) 2. Conduct a search to see if any others are using your mark or something confusingly similar. Even if your mark is not identical to another’s mark, you could still be at risk. We recommend searching through online search engines like Google and reviewing the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (“USPTO”) database records. Not all trademarks are registered with the USPTO, but you still need to be cautious of using marks similar to others that already exist. Run the search before registering your trademark or using it in commerce. Example of Confusingly Similar Names but Vastly Different Products 3. Register your mark with the USPTO. Trademark registration gives you the exclusive right to use your mark in all 50 states for the covered goods/services, except for prior users. The registration process can be started based on the intent to use the mark in commerce, even if you haven’t used it yet. After five years of continued use in commerce, a registered mark can become incontestable, meaning that others cannot contest the validity of your mark. 4. Properly mark your trademark. Remember this difference: a common law trademark (a mark that is not registered with the USPTO) is marked with ™, and a mark that is registered with the USPTO is marked with ®. Use the ™ symbol before you file your trademark application with the USPTO and during the pendency of the federal trademark application. Upon receiving a federal registration, switch the ™ symbols to ® symbols. 5. Use your trademark as a proper adjective. The proper adjective describes the generic name of goods or services to which it applies. For example, we stocked up on Q-tips® cotton swabs and Little Debbie® snack cakes. Incorrect: Little Debbie® represents a third of the snack cake market. Correct: Little Debbie® snack cakes represent a third of the snack cake market. The risk of using your mark as a noun instead of an adjective is total loss of your trademark rights. If your mark is used as a noun and becomes a generic term for the goods or services with which it is used, you will lose your exclusive rights to the term and your competitors will be able to...
Read MoreIntellectual Property Law Series: Do Trademarks Matter? Yes.
Companies have many assets to protect, such as cash, equipment, inventory, furniture, etc. But, one asset that is often overlooked is intellectual property (IP), such as trademarks, patents, copyrights, and trade secrets. In today’s global economy, it is critical for business owners, executives, inventors, authors, and marketing professionals to identify their IP, take the steps necessary to protect it, and enforce their rights when appropriate. Our team presents this first article of a series that will provide you important reminders and tips for protecting your IP. This first one specifically covers IP assets protected under trademark principles, including the following: Trademarks – identify goods or products Service marks – identify service provided for the benefit of another Trade dress – identifies packaging and product configurations Trade names – identify names under which businesses operate A trademark identifies which person or company is the original source of a product or service and distinguishes it from those made or provided by competitors. Trademarks can take the form of names (Gillette®), brands (Johnson & Johnson’s “Band Aid®”), designs and symbols (Starbuck’s twin-tailed mermaid logo), and slogans (Walmart’s “Save Money. Live Better.”). A service mark identifies a service provided for the benefit of another, such as Unum insurance. Trademarks consisting of color, sound, packaging, and scents are commonly referred to as trade dress like the shape of a Coca-Cola glass bottle and the colors of 7-Eleven’s logo. A trade name is the name under which businesses operate and is usually different from their legal name. When managing your IP, the first step is to always identify your assets. The second step is to protect them. And, not protecting your IP could result in the loss of money (lawsuits, license fees, and settlements), time (fighting to protect your rights), credibility, and even your brand or company identity. The following articles in this series will address mistakes to avoid when managing your trademarks and copyrights. If you have questions about identifying, protecting, or enforcing your IP, please contact us. Interested in learning more about Paul and the Chambliss IP practice? Click to watch Paul’s video in our “UNLEASHED” video...
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