Trade-marking your company name and logo can pay dividends down the road. A logo design trademark can prevent competitors from infringing on your brand name and identity. It can also protect your own company from accusations of logo design infringement. This article addresses some of the key trade-marking issues of logo design, as it?s a topic that many businesses will come across.
Trade-marking a logo design can be a complicated process. Because of the many other companies the registrar will have to compare your logo against, the process will often be time-consuming. There is always a certain amount of subjectivity involved in making the comparisons, and it often depends on the type of industry you?re in. Software companies for example often trade-mark their logo as they depend on it for their packaging and branding etc. Construction companies on the other hand may not be as attached to their logo, as it won?t find itself on the end-product.
Also, because a logo is comprised of different design elements, sometimes only one aspect of the logo will be able to be trade-marked at a time. This is because a logo design is often comprised of a graphic design element and a word element. The words may also comprise of a design element. Such an example can be found in the lettering of ?Coca-Cola.? It?s common that you will need to submit both a word and design trademark to fully insure a logo design.
Generally speaking, the stronger and the more unique the logo, the easier it will be to trademark. With respect to logo design however, simplicity is often a good thing, so a delicate balance between originality and simplicity is required. Avoid basic geometric shapes while maintaining a crisp, clean image.
Before you even embark on a logo design, you should make sure that you have registered your company name. Nobody wants to pay for a logo design, and then find out that the name used in the logo has already been registered. Make sure that you have done some market research, and have contacted your local registry before moving forward.
If you don?t end up trade-marking your logo, having it on your letterhead and business cards can offer you a certain amount of protection. Use of the logo on such stationary can serve as a kind of documentation of your use of the logo. This way, companies that develop future logos won?t be able to say that you had copied their design. However it is always best to consult a lawyer with expertise in the trade-marking field to be sure of your rights and responsibilities.
Russell Arsenault is the Director of Marketing and Public Relations for LogoBee, Inc. For further information on logo design and branding visit the articles section at
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