Which Elements Of Your Business Can You Trademark?

Trademarking your business is an effective way of protecting your brand. A question that occasionally arises from my clients is how can they best protect their brand and what are all the elements of the business that they can trademark. Sometimes, my answer surprises them because most aren’t completely aware of all the elements of a business that can be trademarked.

So, what are all the elements of your business that you can trademark?

Company Name

This is one known by most people. You can trademark your company name and ensure that no one else uses it.

Logo

More than a name, a visual representation of your company is more likely to build recall with customers.

For example:

Source: wikimedia.org

Nike has a simple logo - a tickmark. However, the logo has come to define the brand, often plainly appearing on Nike merchandise without any mention of Nike.

Slogan

A slogan can become an association that goes along with your company name. It is repeated along your advertisements and put on your company products. Hence, a slogan can become a vital part of your company and its marketing.

Source: wikimedia.org

Can you imagine McDonald’s without the slogan: I’m lovin it?

The slogan is as much a part of McDonald’s as the name and Ronald McDonald.

Mascot

If your business has a mascot, he or she can be trademarked.

For example, McDonald’s has trademarked the name and costume, clown face and overall persona of Ronald McDonald.

Domain Name

If you have the same domain name as your business name, there is no requirement to trademark it as you have already trademarked your business name.

However, if the domain name is different from the business name, you may wish to trademark the domain name. This would prevent any other business from purchasing and utilising the domain name.

Google’s Alphabet created quite a stir in the trademark circles as Alphabet is trademarked by BMW. Since BMW didn’t pursue any legal action, it is difficult to state that Google’s Alphabet violated any trademarks. Additionally, Google was unable to get the domain name Alphabet.com.

Product/Service Name

Have a special product or service? You can protect the brand value of the product or service by trademarking the name.

For example, the iPhone is a trademark name of Apple and this prevents any other businesses for having a similarly named product.

Do I need to trademark all these elements?

Frankly, it isn’t necessary to trademark all these elements. Contrary to belief, your competitors are not out to steal your brand name. This only becomes a viable possibility when your business is well-known.

It is recommended that you always trademark your business name and logo. For the other elements, it largely depends on how popular and well-known is your business.

To know more or learn whether you need to trademark these business elements, you can reach out to me. I’ll be able to assist you.