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Get the Most Out of Your Trademark Protection

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How to get the most out of your trademark

Trademarking your brand is a smart business decision. Knowing how to get the most out of it is just as important.

You are responsible for using and maintaining your trademarks. You want to keep it in good standing at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. You’ll also want to take the steps needed to get the most out of it. Here’s how.   

  1. Announce Your Registration to the World
  2. Start Using the Trademark Symbol
  3. Look for Copycats
  4. Consider Foreign Trademark Protection
  5. Periodically Check New Filings at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
  6. Keep Your Application Alive
  7. Register your mark with U.S. Customs and Border Protection  

 

Announce Your Registration to the World

Trademark registration conveys stability, scale, and, most importantly, credibility. Don’t keep it a secret! Plus, you’ve worked hard to register your trademark – celebrate it. Publicize your achievement by:

  • Posting on social media sites like Facebook®, Instagram®, LinkedIn®, and Twitter®, and;
  • Writing a blog post;
  • Issuing a press release;
  • Sending out an email to your subscribers; and
  • Mentioning your award in your newsletter. Creating awareness about your trademark registration very well might result in a bump in sales too!

 

Start Using the Trademark Symbol

You should add the ® symbol to the upper right corner of your mark wherever it is used. This includes on social media and especially your website. This lets the world know that your brand is protected nationally by Federal law.

It also makes it easier to show that someone intentionally copied your mark and get money damages.

Beware: Only Federal trademarks that have been granted an official registration certificate by the USPTO should use the ®. 

 

 

Trademark Protection Means Looking for Copycats

As a trademark owner, you need to find and stop copycats. Otherwise, you could lose your trademark rights. While the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office will prevent others from registering similar marks, it does not get involved with enforcement.

You’ll need to search for trademark infringement by checking for similar brands selling like products or services.

The best way to do this is with Internet searches. Some trademark owners set up “Google Alerts” to automate this process.

If you do see a similar brand, for similar products or services, you’ll want to have a trademark law firm prepare and send a trademark cease + desist letter.

 

Consider Foreign Trademark Protection

If you do business abroad, you can use your U.S. registration as a basis to obtain a registration in foreign countries. Consider Canada, China, the European Union, and Japan.

 

Periodically Check New Filings at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office

The trademarking process is not perfect. The USPTO can make a mistake and approve a trademark that is too close to yours. If you discover a mistake, you have the option to oppose the registration of the new trademark. Talk with your trademark attorney.Often, applicants retreat at the first notice of an intent to oppose. 

 

Keep Your Trademark Alive

Trademarks may never expire – if you “check-in” with U.S. Patent and Trademark Office at specific times to let them know that you are still using your trademark.These dates are listed on your registration certificate.

  • The first renewal is due between the 5th and 6th year after the date of registration;
  • The second renewal is due between the 9th and 10th year after registration; and
  • The third and all subsequent renewals are due every ten years thereafter. These dates are important. If the documents are not filed timely, your registration will be canceled and cannot be revived or reinstated.

 

Watch Out for Scammers

There are private companies that try to impersonate the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office to scam people into paying fees to them. They often use names and terms like “United States,” “U.S.,” “Trademark,” “Patent,” “Registration,” “Office,” or “Agency” to make their solicitations look like official government documents. These solicitations are scams and have no connection with the USPTO. Unfortunately, this practice continues after registration. So, be sure to read trademark-related communications carefully before deciding to pay.

All official correspondence will be from the “United States Patent and Trademark Office” in Alexandria, VA, and if by email, specifically from the domain “@uspto.gov.” 

 

Register your mark with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP)

If you are worried about cheap and/or inferior quality knock-offs hurting your brand, you can ask the CBP, a part of the Department of Homeland Security, to stop the importation of goods that infringe your Federal trademark. The CBP stops over $1 billion of infringing goods every year. The top seized commodities included apparel, accessories, consumer electronics, and pharmaceuticals.

 

 

What Are Registered Trademarks and Why Are They Important for Your Business

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If you plan on being in business for any amount of time, registered trademarks are a part of building a brand.

Your brand is WHO you are, WHAT you do, and WHY you do it.

It’s how consumers will first encounter your business.

It’s the common thread throughout your marketing. Your website, business cards, and invoices all reflect it.

Remember – people don’t have relationships with products; they are loyal to brands. That’s why brands are important.

 

What can be a Trademark?

Trademarks represent brands. Names, logos, phrases (slogans) are the most common types.

They help customers find the products and services that they like, and helps make them repeat customers.

They also help customers recommend products and services to their friends, and is free marketing.

Trademarks convey stability, trust, and tap the human preference for visuals, which makes your marketing more effective and less expensive.

 

What Can You with Registered Trademarks?

The three most common things that a business can trademark are:

Names. Usually, your company name or the name of your product.

Logo. Your company logo or other graphic used to brand your products

Phrases + slogans. The phrase you use to sell your products.

In most cases, names and logos are the cornerstones of brands.

Some examples of things that you cannot trademark include ideas (that’s for patents), creative works (that’s for copyrights), and mobile apps (code is protected by copyrights).

Registered Trademarks Protect Brands

A Federal trademark registration is the single best way to protect the mark(s) that reflect your brand.

It gives you the exclusive right to use your name + logo + slogan. This means you’re the only one who can use them to represent your brand.

If you don’t do this to your name, then anyone can use it. You won’t be able to stop someone from using your brand.

Plus, if someone else trademarks it first, they’ll own the exclusive right to use the brand nationally. You’ll have to rebrand or face expensive legal work.

That’s why it’s so important to get a Federal trademark as soon as possible.

 

When Should You Trademark Your Brand?

You should apply as soon as possible.

Federal law allows you to apply before you even start your business.  In fact, about 50% take advantage of these provisions.

Also, the process can take up to a year (you’re working with the Federal government after all!). So, starting earlier rather than later minimizes the time you’ll be selling without protection.

By doing this earlier rather than later, you’ll:

Identify potential roadblocks for your brand early. Every trademark application is reviewed by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. The sooner you file, the sooner you’ll receive word about possible conflicts with competitors, registrability issues, or other problems that may require choosing a different trademark.

Begin discouraging others from using even similar brands. Every application is added to the Federal trademark database, which is the primary source for all trademark searches. This means that your competitors will find it when they conduct their trademark searches. More importantly, from the very day your application is filed, it will block applications for similar trademarks!

Enjoy some instant credibility. Only a Federal registration gives you the legal right to use the ® symbol, which tells the world that you take your business and brand seriously.

Start the Clock Towards Incontestability of Your Trademark. After five years of use, your Federal trademark protection becomes incontestable. This means that it cannot be challenged based on earlier or competing use by others. You are the owner – end of story. The value of incontestable status cannot be understated because it supercharges your ability to enforce your rights.

In our experience, there is little to gain by waiting.

The Four Requirements for a Trademark: AN EASY GUIDE

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Four Requirements for a Trademark

By Michael Kondoudis, Small Business Trademark Lawyer

This is our EASY guide to the trademark requirements.

Trademarks are the foundation of every successful brand. Knowing how to protect them with federal trademark registrations is essential.  

If you need to know the requirements for trademark protection, then this guide is for you.

Let’s get started!

CONTENTS

> I. Trademark Requirements Defined

> II. The Four Requirements for All Trademarks

> III. The Requirements for Trademark Protection

> IV. The Requirements for New Trademark Applications

> V. The Requirements for Trademark Registration

I. TRADEMARK REQUIREMENTS DEFINED

Trademark requirements are the criteria that must meet to be eligible for trademark protection. These trademark requirements dictate whether a trademark is eligible for trademark protection. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) uses trademark requirements to determine whether to approve or reject a trademark application. When you satisfy the trademark requirements, the USPTO will grant you a federally registered trademark. Trademark requirements come from Federal Trademark Statute.

II. THE FOUR REQUIREMENTS FOR ALL TRADEMARKS

There are four main trademark requirements.

First, your mark cannot conflict with any other trademark because of confusing similarity. Second, your mark must be distinctive.  Third, you must use your mark in commerce.  Fourth, your mark must be a source identifier for your products or services. So, getting your Federal trademark comes down to meeting the same four trademark requirements:

     1.  No conflicts with other trademarks

     2.  Trademark distinctiveness

     3.  Use in commerce

     4. The capability to be a source identifier

Trademark_Requirements

Here is what all this means for you and your brand.

Trademark Requirement  #1 – No Conflicts 

The first of the four trademark requirements is to show that a trademark does not  conflict with existing registrations or pending applications. Your trademark cannot conflict with any other Federal trademarks. The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (or “USPTO” for short) says that this is the most common reason to refuse registration. This is the most important of the requirements for a trademark.    

After your application is filed, the USPTO searches the Federal trademark database to look for conflicts between your mark and any other Federal trademarks. When there is a conflict, the USPTO will reject your application.

This search extends to other Federal trademarks that are close enough that confusion is “likely.” The USPTO bases this decision on (1) similarity between the marks in appearance, sound, or meaning, (2) similarity between the goods/services, and (3) how those goods/services are purchased.

Arguments that you disagree, without much more, will not change an Examiner’s mind.

You’ll need to apply the same multi-faceted 12-factor analysis the Examiner is using. This is where a trademark lawyer comes in. A trademark lawyer is far more likely than you to do this effectively.

Trademark Requirement 2 – Trademark Distinctiveness

The second of the four trademark requirements is to show that the trademark is “distinctive.”  In a trademark sense, distinctiveness is a measure of how well a mark identifies the source of a product. The more distinctive your mark, the stronger it will be, and the easier it will be to register. That makes distinctiveness an important one of the requirements for a trademark.

To be considered distinctive, a trademark must be either inherently distinctive or have acquired distinctiveness through use. Inherently distinctive trademarks are those that are not descriptive and are not similar to other marks in the same field. Acquired distinctiveness is when a mark has become distinctive through prolonged and exclusive use in commerce.

How The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office Measures Distinctiveness

The USPTO measures trademark distinctiveness on a spectrum and in view of the goods and/or services you list in an application.

The Strongest Trademarks are “Fanciful”

The strongest and most distinctive marks are “fanciful.” Fanciful marks are invented words with no dictionary like KODAK, PEPSI, and EXXON.

Fanciful = distinctive

“Arbitrary” Trademarks are Strong

The next strongest and very distinctive marks are “arbitrary.” Arbitrary marks are words with dictionary meanings that have no association/relationship with the goods/services of an application.  APPLE for computers is an example of an arbitrary mark.

Arbitrary = Distinctive

Suggestive Trademarks are “Protectable”

Next on the distinctiveness continuum are “suggestive” marks. Suggestive marks require a mental step – imagination, thought, or perception – to reach a conclusion as to the nature of those goods or services of an application. CITIBANK for financial services, GREYHOUND for bus lines, and JAGUAR for automobiles are examples of suggestive marks.

Suggestive = Distinctive

“Descriptive” Trademarks are Weak

The least distinctive marks are “descriptive” trademarks. Descriptive marks immediately convey an ingredient, quality, or characteristic of the goods or services of the application. No mental step is required. For example, the mark CREAMY would be merely descriptive for yogurt.

To register a descriptive trademark, you need to show that it as acquired some “secondary meaning” with buyers through extensive use over several years.

Descriptive + Secondary Meaning = Acquired Distinctiveness

In the end, there are four categories of trademarks: generic, descriptive, suggestive, and arbitrary or fanciful. Generic marks are those that describe the goods or services they are used on and cannot be registered. Descriptive marks are those that describe a feature or quality of the goods or services they are used on. Suggestive marks are those that suggest a quality or feature of the goods or services they are used on. Arbitrary or fanciful marks are those that have no relationship to the goods or services they are used on.

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Enforcement – Flex your trademark rights. Stop copycats.

Trademark Requirement #3 – Use in Commerce

The third of the four trademark requirements is use. Trademark rights are based on commercial use. So, it should be no surprise that another of the trademark requirements is to show that a trademark is actually used in commerce. This requirement for a trademark can often be difficult to show.

The USPTO will let you apply before you begin use, but you will still need to show that you are using your mark to complete the process.

The use must be of a type that the U.S. Congress can regulate. This means use with a good or service that crosses State, national, or territorial lines, or that affects commerce crossing such lines (e.g., an Internet business) or that caters to interstate or international customers.

Trademark Requirement #4 – An Identifier of Source 

The fourth trademark requirement is that a mark is capability of identifying the source of a product or service.  Not every word, name, symbol, or device adopted as a trademark is registrable. Some marks are simply not capable of distinguishing and identifying the source of a product. Others are precluded by Federal law. The following are a few examples:

Ornamentation: The USPTO will refuse registration of the applied-for mark when it is a feature or part of the “dress” of the goods. Such matter does not serve the trademark function of identifying the source of a product.

Deceptive: Marks containing a term that misdescribes the character, quality, function, composition, or use of a product will be refused registration. It is not impermissible for a mark to be technically misdescriptive so long as prospective consumers would not be likely to believe that the misdescription is true. For example, the mark BLACK FLEECE for clothing items would be deceptive while the same mark for cheese would not.

Protected by statute: Federal law reserves the use of certain particular national and international organizations such as Boy Scouts of America and Peace Corps. Also reserved are names, symbols, seals, and medals adopted by the United States Federal government, including agencies. For example, SECRET SERVICE, COAST GUARD, and SMOKEY BEAR are all reserved by the Federal government.

Generic terms: Any term that identifies a type of product instead of the source is not registrable. Aspirin, Jetski, Bubblewrap, and Jacuzzi are examples of generic terms. A generic term can never distinguish a brand because consumers use it to refer to a category of goods/services.

Remember, to register a trademark, a trademark distinguishes a product from the competition.  Only devices (names, logos, colors, catchphrases) that consumers recognize as a brand are protectable trademarks.  This is the last of the four requirements for a trademark.

III. TRADEMARK PROTECTION REQUIREMENTS

A trademark is only eligible for trademark protection when specific trademark requirements are met. There are two trademark requirements, and you must meet them to qualify for trademark protection. There are two basic requirements for trademark protection:

(1) the mark must be distinctive

(2) the mark must be in use 

Trademark Protection Requirement #1 – Distinctiveness

The first requirement, distinctiveness, means that the mark must be distinctive enough that consumers associate it with a particular source of goods or services. This requirement focuses on a trademark’s ability to communicate that specific goods emanate from one producer or source, not another. There are four categories of distinctiveness:

  • Arbitrary
  • Fanciful
  • Suggestive
  • Descriptive

 

Trademark Protection Requirement #2 – Use

The second requirement, use in commerce, means that the mark must be used in connection with goods or services. This requirement arises because trademark law is constitutionally grounded in the congressional power to regulate interstate commerce.

IV. REQUIREMENTS FOR TRADEMARK APPLICATIONS

There are six basic requirements for filing a trademark (or service mark) with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO):

 

1. The application must be filed in the name of the actual owner of the trademark.

A trademark owner is the individual or entity that applies the mark to goods they produce or uses the mark in the advertising or rendering of services they perform. The owner can be an individual or an LLC, corporation, or partnership. The application must specify whether the applicant is a person or a business formation (e.g., LLC, corporation, partnership, or trust).

 

2. The application must specify the applicant’s citizenship (if the application is a person) or the applicant’s state for formation (if the applicant is an LLC, corporation, or partnership).

The USPTO does not require that individuals have U.S. citizenship, but it requires that every applicant must state their citizenship.

 

3. The applicant must state whether the application on (a) actual use of the trademark in commerce, (b) an intent to use the trademark in commerce in the future, or (c) a foreign trademark.

The USPTO will require a good faith statement of your intent to use the trademark in the future, and the intent must be real.

 

4. The applicant must list the products and services being sold under the trademark (for applications based on actual use) or will be sold under the trademark (for applications based on intent to use).

For applications based on the actual use of the trademark, the applicant must list the products actually being sold under the trademark or the services that are actually being rendered under the trademark.

For applications based on an intent to use the trademark in the future, the applicant must list the products that will be sold under the trademark or the services that will be rendered under the trademark. 

 

5. The applicant must provide a drawing of the trademark.

A drawing is a depiction of the trademark. For applications based on actual use, the drawing must show the trademark as it is actually used. For applications based on an intent to use a trademark in the future, the drawing must show the mark as the applicant intends to use it.

The USPTO will generate the required drawing if the trademark consists of plain letters and/or words. The applicant must submit the drawing if the trademark is a logo or consists of stylized letters, colors, or design elements.

 

6. Payment of the appropriate filing fee for the application.

You must submit the appropriate filing fee for your application. The USPTO charges a filing fee for every trademark application. The USPTO charges a fee for each class of products and/or services listed in the application. So, the total required filing fee for any trademark application depends on the number of classes of products and/or services listed in it.

V. REQUIREMENTS FOR TRADEMARK REGISTRATION

If you want to register your name, logo, design, or slogan with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), you must file a trademark application that meets specific trademark requirements. There are six basic requirements. The six basic requirements for trademark registration are:

  1. Identify the trademark owner
  2. Specify whether the trademark owner is a business or person
  3. State whether the trademark is in use or there is a real intent to use
  4. Provide a drawing of the trademark
  5. List the products and/or services sold under the trademark
  6. The trademark must be distinctive

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Trademark Registration Requirement #1 – Owner Name

Trademark applications must state the name of the owner. The trademark owner is the entity responsible for the quality of the goods or services sold with that trademark. The owner can be an individual, a partnership, a corporation, an LLC, or an association.

Warning: The owner of the application must be correctly identified by name. Any failure to accurately identify the correct entity that owns the trademark will jeopardize an application. So, it is critical that the owner is correctly identified within the application.

Trademark Registration Requirement #2 – Owner Type

Trademark applications must indicate whether the owner is a person, an LLC, a corporation, or an association. If the owner is a person, an indication of citizenship is required. If the owner is a business formation (e.g., LLC, corporation), the state of formation is required.

Trademark Registration Requirement #3 – Trademark Use

Trademark applications must indicate whether the trademark is in use, or the applicant has a real intent to use the mark. 

For applications based on use, the application should list the products and/or services branded by the trademark.

For applications based on a real intent to use, the application should list the products and services that will be branded by the trademark in the future.

Trademark Registration Requirement #4 – Drawing

Trademark applications require a drawing that depicts the trademark you seek to register. The USPTO will generate a drawing for you if your application is just a word, name, phrase, or slogan. If your trademark is a character, symbol, design, or logo, you must submit a drawing of the trademark.

Trademark Registration Requirement #5 – List of Products/Services

Trademark applications must include a list of the products and/or services sold or to be sold under the trademark.

Trademark Registration Requirement #6 – Distinctiveness

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office only registers distinctive trademarks. This means that consumers associate them with a particular source of certain goods or services. This requirement focuses on a trademark’s ability to reduce confusion in the marketplace.

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Trademark Your Brand: 7 Practical Reasons

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trademark your brand

Your brand matters. After all, your brand is WHO you are, WHAT you do, and WHY you do it. Remember – people are loyal to brands, not products.

Trademarks protect brands. They are the foundation of every successful brand. That’s why it is important to trademark your brand.

The single best way to protect your brand is with a Federal trademark.

Here are seven practical reasons why you need to get a Federal trademark for your brand.

  1. You’ll Enjoy Enhanced Protection on Social Media
  2. You’ll Enjoy Enhanced Protection on the Web
  3. You’ll Have Access to Brand Registries Like Amazon’s Brand Registry
  4. You’ll be Able to Invest in Your Brand with Confidence
  5. You’ll Stand Out in a Crowd With the ®
  6. You’ll Enjoy Better Social Media Results
  7. You’ll Enjoy Some Instant Credibility

          Bonus Reason: You’ll Make Your Marketing Easier and Less Expensive

 

Reason #1 to Trademark Your Brand — You’ll Enjoy Enhanced Protection on Social Media

Social media services like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter have policies in place to protect brands against abuse – provided that you can establish ownership. A Federal trademark makes establishing ownership a mere formality.

 

Reason #2 to Trademark Your Brand — You’ll Enjoy Enhanced Protection on the Web

A trademark is an exclusive right to use your name or logo. This means you’re the only one who can use it in your industry. When you secure a domain that includes your trademark, all of the legal protections and presumptions that accompany Federal trademarks apply to your web address.

 

Reason #3 to Trademark Your Brand — You’ll Have Access to Brand Registries Like Amazon’s Brand Registry

The Amazon Brand Registry is an important and powerful brand protection tool. When you enroll, Amazon will look for and stop trademark violations. Amazon’s Brand Registry is limited to Federal trademarks, however.

 

 

 

Reason #4 to Trademark Your Brand — You’ll Can Invest in Your Brand with Confidence

Trademarking your brand gives you the exclusive and nationwide right to use it for your brand.  This means you won’t risk having to rebrand. So, you can confidently invest in your website, business cards, and marketing.

 

Reason #5 to Trademark Your Brand — You’ll Stand Out in a Crowd With the ®

Only owners of Federally registered trademarks are legally permitted to use the ® sign. This symbol is an attention grabber, in both the offline and online worlds.

 

Reason #6 to Trademark Your Brand — You’ll Enjoy Better Social Media Results

Customers are searching, tagging, and commenting on brands using Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram more than ever. A memorable trademark translates into greater visibility, which translates into higher rankings that bring more traffic, more customers, and more brand recognition.

 

Reason #7 to Trademark Your Brand — You’ll Enjoy Some Instant Credibility

Only Federal trademark registration gives you the legal right to use the ® symbol, which tells the world that you take your business and brand seriously. Plus, the ® has been shown to validate the confidence your customers want to have in you. Every company (young or old) can do with some instant credibility, right?

 

Bonus Reason: You’ll Make Your Marketing Easier and Less Expensive

Science confirms that humans are hardwired to process information visually. Studies have shown that humans have evolved to receive 90% of all information visually. That’s “a picture is worth a 1000 words” and why trademarks matter. They are the single best way to incorporate visual marketing in both the online and offline worlds.

 

Why wouldn’t you protect your good name and hard work?

Building a business that proudly offers quality products takes enormous amounts of hard work, dedication, and courage. The effective branding of those products also takes valuable time and creativity. Doesn’t it just seem right to protect that effort and investment? After all, think of the sales you might lose if another company opened up using your same name.

 

Plus, rebranding will be expensive

At some point, you might face a challenge from a competitor over your brand. If you don’t take the necessary steps to clear and register your trademarks, you could find yourself in a battle that you don’t want to fight. Rebranding is a nightmare that can be avoided by thinking ahead and acting earlier rather than later.

 

In the end, it comes down to this:

If you’re serious about your business and your brand, then you need to protect them. A Federal trademark registration is the single best way to do that.

 

Seven Legal Reasons to Trademark Your Brand

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Trademark Your Brand

Your brand matters. After all, your brand is WHO you are, WHAT you do, and WHY you do it. Remember – people are loyal to brands, not products.

Trademarks protect brands. They are the foundation of every successful brand. That’s why it is important to trademark your brand.

The single best way to protect your brand is with a Federal trademark.

Here are seven legal reasons why you need to get a Federal trademark for your brand.

  1. They Put the Federal Government to Work for You Protecting Your Brand
  2. They Come with Nationwide Protection
  3. They Deter Copycats
  4. They Make Protecting Your Brand Easier
  5. They Lead to More (and Repeat) Sales
  6. They Make Foreign Registrations Possible
  7. They Can Continue Indefinitely
  8. They Make Protecting Your Brand Easier

          Bonus Reason: They are Property With Real Monetary Value

 

Reason #1 to Trademark Your Brand — They Put the Federal Government to Work for You 

The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office will immediately begin rejecting

applications for trademarks that are similar to yours. In fact, the USPTO is legally required to refuse them. You can even ask the Department of Homeland Security to look for infringements at the border!

 

Reason #2 to Trademark Your Brand — Nationwide Protection

A Federal trademark comes with the legal presumptions of your ownership of your trademark in all 50 States, along with an exclusive right to use it and access to Federal courts to protect it.

 

Reason #3 to Trademark Your Brand — They Deter Copycats

Registration adds your mark to the Federal trademark database, where it will be found by competitors searching for new names. They will have strong incentives to steer far clear of your Federal rights, or risk having to rebrand.

 

 

 

Reason #4 to Trademark Your Brand — They Make Protecting It Easier

Your Federal registration will allow you to bring an action in Federal court for money damages. The threat of this potential legal option alone often causes infringers to stop.  In this way, a Federal registration makes it much easier, quicker, and cheaper for you to prevent competitors from using conflicting trademarks.

 

Reason #5 to Trademark Your Brand — They Lead to More (and Repeat) Sales

Trademarks help customers find the products and services that they like. This helps make them repeat customers, especially for e-commerce businesses. Also, trademarks help customers recommend products and services to their friends. This is free marketing.

 

Reason #6 to Trademark Your Brand — They Make Foreign Registrations Possible

A Federal trademark can be used to secure trademark protection in foreign countries like Canada, China, Mexico, and the United Kingdom.

 

Reason #7 to Trademark Your Brand — They Can Continue Indefinitely

Your Federal trademark registration may not expire as long as it is used in “interstate commerce” and certain filings are periodically made. In fact, some of the most recognized brands in the United States today have been registered for over a hundred years. Mercedes, for example, was first registered in 1900. Pepsi-Cola was registered in 1896.

 

Bonus Reason: They are Property Worth $

Federal trademarks are property.  They are the way you monetize a brand. The more your business reputation grows, the more valuable your brand can become. Federal trademarks can be bought, sold, licensed (like renting or leasing) or used as a security interest to secure a loan to grow your business.

 

Why wouldn’t you protect your good name and hard work?

Building a business that proudly offers quality products takes enormous amounts of hard work, dedication, and courage. The effective branding of those products also takes valuable time and creativity. Doesn’t it just seem right to protect that effort and investment? After all, think of the sales you might lose if another company opened up using your same name.

 

Plus, rebranding will be expensive

At some point, you might face a challenge from a competitor over your brand. If you don’t take the necessary steps to clear and register your trademarks, you could find yourself in a battle that you don’t want to fight. Rebranding is a nightmare that can be avoided by thinking ahead and acting earlier rather than later.

 

In the end, it comes down to this:

If you’re serious about your business and your brand, then you need to protect them. A Federal trademark registration is the single best way to do that.

 

Register your trademark - click here.

The Trend of “Verse” Trademarks Applications for the Metaverse

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The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) continues to receive an increasing number of new trademark applications for the Metaverse.  Included in this trend are applications for various “verses.”

This trend started with a trademark application filed by Pumpernickel Associates, LLC on February 3, 2022 for the name PANERAVERSE.  The USPTO assigned the application no. 97251535.

The trend continued with a trademark application filed by Panda Restaurant Group, Inc. on February 14, 2022 for the name PANDAVERSE. The USPTO assigned the application no. 97265873.

This trend continued further with with a trademark application filed by Wrangler Apparel Corp. on February 16, 2022 for the name WRANGLERVERSE. The USPTO assigned this application no. 97270043.

Top 10 Best Trademark Firm in DC

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We are proud to announce that we have been recognized as one of the top trademark firms in Washington DC.  This time, Yelp! has ranked us as one of its top 10.  A big THANK YOU to our team and our clients. We couldn’t have done it without you!

Top 10 Trademark Firm

About The Top 10 Trademark Firm of Michael E. Kondoudis

Mr. Kondoudis is a US trademark attorney and a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office registered patent attorney. Mr. Kondoudis is an expert at navigating the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. He is an Amazon best-selling author on trademarks and branding and is regularly interviewed about trademark and patent stories for national television and print media, including Bloomberg, Washington Lawyer, and Inventor’s Digest. His latest book, Going from Business Owner to Brand Owner, was a No. 1 on the Amazon bestseller list in 2017.

From the very start, our firm has aimed to provide common-sense approaches to the protection of brands and inventions. To these ends, we offer our services in much the same way as our clients do – with fixed prices and bundled services.

For over a decade, we have dedicated our practice to helping applicants large and small secure trademarks and patents at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. We’ve worked with some of the world’s leading corporations, including Microsoft®, Corel®, and Leica Geosystems®, just to name a few. Still, our primary focus remains start-ups and small businesses – like us.

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Top 10 Patent Firm in DC for 2019

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We are proud to announce that we have been recognized as a top patent firm in Washington DC.  This time, Three Best Rated® has ranked us as one of its top 3.  A big THANK YOU to our team and our clients. We couldn’t have done it without you!

 

About The Patent Firm of Michael E. Kondoudis

Mr. Kondoudis is an astrophysicist (that’s a rocket scientist) and a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office registered patent attorney. Mr. Kondoudis is an expert at navigating the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. He is an Amazon best-selling author on trademarks and branding and is regularly interviewed about trademark and patent stories for national television and print media, including Bloomberg, Washington Lawyer, and Inventor’s Digest. His latest book, Going from Business Owner to Brand Owner, was a No. 1 on the Amazon bestseller list in 2017.

From the very start, our firm has aimed to provide common-sense approaches to the protection of brands and inventions. To these ends, we offer our services in much the same way as our clients do – with fixed prices and bundled services.

For over a decade, we have dedicated our practice to helping applicants large and small secure trademarks and patents at the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. We’ve worked with some of the world’s leading corporations, including Microsoft®, Corel®, and Leica Geosystems®, just to name a few. Still, our primary focus remains start-ups and small businesses – like us.

Click Here to Learn More

 

 

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