- Product Compliance Services
Global Trademarks
If you’re looking to maintain your brand image and gain market recognition, registering for a trademark could be a key step forward for your business.
You may have already noticed two small symbols associated with many common brands:
Registered trademark
Represents a sign that has been registered with at least one trademarking body.
Provides legal protection to the sign in the place of registration.
Unregistered trademark
Represents a sign that has been used by a business in a similar way to a trademark.
The business may be in the process of applying for a trademark, or will take action against those that try to use a similar sign
Crucially, the ‘TM’ symbol does not automatically provide legal protection.
Could my business benefit from registering a trademark?
Different jurisdictions will have their own trademarking bodies responsible for receiving and approving applications, so it’s important to consider your target market.
When you successfully register for a trademark, you obtain several key advantages:
Exclusive usage
Trademarked signs are legally protected – other businesses cannot use any sign that is substantially similar. The legal protection usually lasts for 10 years in most jurisdictions and can be renewed.
Protection against infringement
In the case that another business does use a substantially similar sign, your business can pursue legal action – both to stop them from using the sign, and to obtain any profits they may have made through the use of the sign.
Enhance your credibility
A trademark is a valuable business asset in promoting both brand image and recognition. In wider market research, this has repeatedly been shown to be one of the key purchase decision-making considerations for consumers.
Exclusive benefits for Amazon sellers
Gain access to the Amazon Brand Registry, which allows your business to establish its own webstore on Amazon and incorporate unique design elements such as dynamic imagery.
You can also easily file complaints against other infringing sellers.
Types of Trademarks
Only certain types of signs can be trademarked. This can include words, phrases, slogans and imagery. The sign must also be substantially unique from other signs that are already in use, and cannot be a generic representation.
For example
TBA Global Logo
Text/Slogan
Image
Logo
You’ll also need to be aware of how your goods/services are defined in trademarking terms.
The World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) has defined several different classes for categorising trademarks, known as the Nice Classification for Trademark Registration (NCL).
Ready to boost your business?
Not sure where to start? We’re here to help.
Consultation
Get in touch with us for a free one-to-one consultation. We aim to respond to your enquiry within 24 working hours.
Collaboration
Application
We help prepare your application for submission to the appropriate intellectual department.
Submission
Your trademark application will be reviewed by the intellectual department, and we’ll help with any issues you might face.
Result
Frequently Asked Questions
A trademark is a legally protected sign. The legal protection means that other businesses are not able to use the same sign, or any sign that is substantially similar.
Trademark designs can come in many forms – words, slogans, pictures/images. The key point is that they need to be distinct enough to be recognisable and cannot be generic or similar to other signs that are already in use.
If another business uses the same or a substantially similar sign, you will be able to take legal action against them and recover any lost profits.
Extensive consumer feedback also indicates that a trademark is a key factor in forming brand recognition, which is often crucial for consumers in deciding where to purchase a product from.
Amazon sellers also have exclusive benefits when they sell products with a valid trademark.
With a valid trademark, you can access the Amazon Brand Registry (ABR). ABR allows you to create dynamic and user-friendly product pages, as well as an interactive web-shop to help your seller profile stand out from others.
It also allows you to easily take action against other sellers who are infringing upon your trademark.
No. Because when you register a trademark in the UK then you only have the legal protection in the UK.
If you’d like to have protection is the US then you must register it in the US.
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