Do I Need One for My Business Name and Logo?
Wondering if a trademark is important to you as a business owner? Let’s start with the basics. A trademark is a word, phrase, symbol, or logo that distinguishes and identifies the source of goods of one company or person from another. For example, the name Kraft is trademarked, as is Nike’s “swoosh” logo. The list of what constitutes a trademark is long. A trademark can also be granted to unique packaging such as the shape of Coca-cola’s bottle, building designs, color, sound, and even fragrance. Service marks receive the same legal protection, but are used to distinguish services instead of products. Your business can acquire trade or service marks through the consistent use of a mark. The symbols TM and SM demonstrate the owner treats the mark as a trademark or service mark. There is no requirement to federally register at the trademark office. You are still protected under intellectual property laws. However, if another party uses your mark it can be more difficult to prove your own
