What is a Trademark?

If you have ever wondered what a trademark actually is – this article should help to clear things up.

Trademarks are usually among the most essential and valuable assets of a business, brand, product, service, nonprofit or a company.

Why? Because trademarks allow the general public to identify goods or services in the marketplace. The more your customers or clients are able to know that your goods and services belong to you – the more likely they are to purchase from you. In the business world, the goodwill of a company which is largely be influenced by the strength of a company or brand’s trademark and reputation in the marketplace has actual value when it comes to determining the overall worth or valuation of a business.

So what exactly are trademarks? Trademarks are simply defined as a slogan, logo, or combination of characters or words that will uniquely identify your product, service, business or company. Trademarks help familiarize products and services to customers and/or clients. They also set products and services apart in the midst of their fellow competitors. Trademarks also give the owner the legal right to opposed any unauthorized use of the mark.

The primary purpose of a trademark is to help the community to recognize the goods or services as originating from a particular company or business as well as being associated with a particular product or service.

Does a trademark, copyright, and patent protect the same thing?

The answer is NO. Each of them protect different things.

A trademark normally protects names, logos, or slogans used for goods and services.

Copyrights protect the exclusivity of creative, dramatic, literary or musical work.

Patents protect an innovation or discovery.

For instance, if you invent a new kind of electric cooker, you would apply for a patent to protect your invention. You would apply to register a trademark to own the name, logo and slogan of the electric cooker. You might register a copyright for the TV commercial that you use to market the electric cooker.