A trademark is used to help associate your product or your service with your company or brand.
PURPOSE of Trademarks
The purpose of trademarks is to prevent consumer confusion of the commercial source of origin of goods and services.
RIGHTS of Trademarks
Trademark owners have the exclusive use of words, symbols, product packaging, product configuration.
TYPES of Protectable Marks
Trademarks ( TM,
® )
- protects goods Examples: word, name, device, symbol (Nike swoosh) or sound (NBC chimes), color, smell (purfume)
Service Marks ( SM ) - protects services
Trade Dress - The Design and Packaging of materials or a product if the packaging or the product configuration serve the same source-identifying function as trademarks.
Domain Names - If you have a protectable mark, you may be entitled to protect its use in web domains.