Trademark is basically a word, phrase or symbol that represents a company and product. It differentiates the products and services of a particular organization from the products and services provided by its competitors. You can register trademarks to protect the rights of their creations, also called Intellectual Property. There are some other examples of the trademark such as acronyms (IBM, NBC), slogans, fonts and even colours. Please go through the whole article to know more about trademark examples and the importance of them.

Different types of Trademarks

There are several types of trademarks available in the market. They can also be combined in separate ways to represent the personality or the look of a brand. Here we are discussing different types of trademarks:

• Brand names like Apple, McDonalds, Dolce & Gabbana etc.
• Products name like iPod
• Logos like McDonald’s golden arches or NBC’s peacock logo.
• Slogans like McDonald’s “I’m lovin’ It” and Capital One’s “What’s in your wallet?”
• Words with the stylized font as used in Coca-Cola and eBay
• Colours like Cadbury Egg Purple
• Sounds like Yahoo! Yodel and NBC chime.
• Shapes of products like Coca-Cola bottle and iPod
• Symbols like Nike swoosh or Marcedes Emblem
• Combination of above-mentioned features like Starbucks coffee symbol and symbol of Tiffany & Co. (combination of both name and symbol or shape).

Why do Trademarks matter?

Trademark bears utmost interest as people can recognize a brand in a competitive market on the basis of trademarks and they prevent the other companies from copying someone else’s brand. Brands are safe from infringement and trademarks are responsible for it. Trademarks also make the companies abide by the standards, rules and regulations. A brand is expected to deliver its brand promise to maintain continuous sales. Customers can identify a brand’s values and offerings after being satisfied with consistency and quality. This is how the relationships between the public and companies are built.

Trademark carries the most intangible value for a company. Right now the most valuable trademark in the world is Google. Different companies like Apple, Microsoft, and IBM provide exclusive products and services that are unique. It helps the customers to differentiate their services from other companies who provide the same facilities. Since there is a huge completion in the market the companies strive to provide the best services or products in the market to gain public trust and serve for public benefits.

How to use a Trademark?

There are proper guidelines to use a trademark properly. You don’t have to alter the registered name. Suppose if the name of the product does not include an ‘S’ then don’t make it plural.

Writing OREOS is incorrect for the same reason whereas the original name is OREO cookies. Similarly, Jack Daniel’s includes an ‘S’ in the name but ‘Levi’ does not.

Trademarks should be formed as adjectives, not as nouns. You should name your company as LEGO, not as LEGO’s. A trademark should not be named as a verb too. You cannot ‘Xerox’ something, but you ‘photocopy’ it. When you are using a Trademark in text, you have to use the font in caps, bold or italic. You can underline it or use quotation marks. Also, if the trademark is registered then one must include a registered symbol.