What is a Trademark? Discover Some Key Information about Trademarks

Posted by Paolo Rubino

What is a Trademark?

A Trademark is a recognizable sign, design or expression which identifies products or services of a particular source from those of others. A trademark may be located on a package, a label, a voucher or on the product itself. As a business owner it is imperative to protect your companies’ intellectual property with a trademark. You might be asking yourself how to register trademark to protect your brand. We offer comprehensive assistance registering a Trademark.

What You Need to Know About The extent of the Trademark Protection

The key to filing a trademark petition is to specify which type of product or service you are intending to protect. One of the most common misunderstandings regarding trademark applications is the notion that it can protect a name and logo against anybody, even companies that produce entirely different products or offer different services. That is not the case!

What’s a “specimen”?!

A specimen is the proof that a certain product or service is in use at the time of filing the application.

Examples of specimens for goods are tags, labels, instruction manuals, containers, photographs that show the mark on the actual goods or packaging, or displays associated with the actual goods at their point of sale.

Examples of specimens for services are signs, photographs, brochures, website printouts or advertisements that show the mark used in the actual sale or advertising of the services.

Copyright vs. Trademark

Remember, if you have a work of art (book, song, picture) that you would like to protect, you file a Copyright, if you have a name or logo or both, then you file a Trademark. You’ll be protected from day one (you’ll be able to advertise with the “TM” symbol), even if the process takes a few months. Once it’s all approved, and your petition gets filed in the official gazette, then you’ll be able to use the ® symbol, because you’ll officially be a registered trademark.

Document People is a network of independently owned stores that share a common purpose: helping customers represent themselves. We are looking forward to offering you Trademark registration assistance. We serve Los Angeles, Orange County and San Diego County.

The information contained in this blog – including information of a legal nature – is provided for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as legal advice on any subject matter.