Tag: Trademark

Trademarks Essentials: What’s in a Name? Picking a name for your business is often the first thing small business owners tackle. But despite their efforts to be different, clever, and expressive, we’ve seen some avoidable missteps. Follow our advice so you’ll (1) pick and use trademarks that are original and registerable and (2) avoid a…

Social media is a great way to build your brand, connect with customers, and share your message. But social media sites can be a free-for-all for your business’s intellectual property (e.g., trademarks and copyrighted materials), if you’re not careful. Protect your IP in 6 steps. Register your business across social media platforms. More is better….

Federal trademark registration with the United States Patent and Trademark Office is a worthwhile investment for businessowners looking to protect a unique logo, brand name, or product name from use by other similar businesses. There are two basic requirements that a mark owner must meet before applying to register: Registration is available only for marks…

Wondering whether you’re using a trademark that could be protected by a federal registration? Below are the categories of marks recognized by the United States Patent and Trademark Office as well as a list of some to avoid, plus examples. Yes, go for it: • Word—Twitter® (brand name) and Big Mac® (product name) • Design—logos…