Why register a trademark?
A trademark is a sign that is used in trade to identify products. Your trademark is the symbol your customers use to pick you out and it distinguishes you from your competitors. It serves multiple important purposes.
A trademark protects your assets. Registering a trademark establishes your legal ownership of your brand and makes it your intellectual property. For example, with registered trademark of your company name, your products and services are protected from stealing and copying by your competitors or any counterfeits.
A trademark also secures your brand in terms of any future legal issues. You can operate freely and can put the ® symbol next to your brand to show that it legally yours. Without a registered trademark, your business is open to legal actions against it from individuals/companies who registered a trademark with the same or similar name/logo.
Trademark is the company’s most valuable asset. It increases the value as your business grows. It is an important part of brand recognition and customer acquisition. Moreover, a trademark is an asset that can be bought, sold, licensed, or used to secure a loan.
Use of the trademark before it is accepted for registration
A trademark may be used at any stage, even before filing the application. However, this use does not guarantee the registration of the trademark.
Difference between trademarks, copyrights, patents, and designs
– Trademark is applied to the product and identifies a certain company as a source of a particular product or service.
– Copyrights protect original artistic work, such as books, music, paintings, etc.
– Patents protect original inventions. For an invention to be patent protected it has to meet certain requirements.
– Designs specify how products look.
Difference between a product/good and a service
– Product/good is any kind of item that may be traded.
– Service is the provision of activities in accordance with human needs
Registration of business name and logo
You can register your logo with the text but it would be considered as one trademark. It does not protect them separately.
