{"id":1249,"date":"2018-04-02T13:51:36","date_gmt":"2018-04-02T13:51:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/firstsiteguide.com\/trademark-copyright\/"},"modified":"2023-10-13T10:27:10","modified_gmt":"2023-10-13T10:27:10","slug":"trademark-copyright","status":"publish","type":"guide","link":"https:\/\/firstsiteguide.com\/trademark-copyright\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Trademark & Copyright a Logo or Name"},"content":{"rendered":"
Your business has a name<\/a>, and it also needs to have its own recognizable logo in order to establish a visual representation of your brand. The logo needs to perfectly reflect your company\u2019s market niche and brand personality. It should also be unique enough to differentiate your company from the competition. Because your brand name (blog name<\/a>) and logo are part of the DNA of your brand and your business, applying for registration of the copyright and trademark of both is an important consideration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You certainly don\u2019t have to register the copyright and trademark your company\u2019s name or logo. In the United States, you own the copyright as soon as you put original work on a piece of paper or computer drive, and you win a trademark as soon as you use your name and logo for marketing your business. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, taking the extra step of registering both can give you important protection. Registering the trademark protects you from losing your rights to it if some other company uses the same or a highly similar name. By registering your trademark name, you\u2019re declaring exclusive rights to it for your line of business. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you own a small online business<\/a> which you operate in one state and don\u2019t plan on expanding into new markets, you don\u2019t need to register the trademark of your name. You already have the right to use it in your market. <\/p>\n\n\n\n On the other hand, if you plan to expand your business, explore different ways to earn money<\/a>, and reach out to new markets, it would be wise to register the trademark, so that no confusion arises if another company is using the same or a similar name as yours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you start a blog<\/a> and design a new logo<\/a> for it, you need to protect it. When it comes to registering your logo, simply by using it, you are creating a trademark. You are creating a visual representation of your brand since your logo<\/a> is what your customers recognize you by and it\u2019s what distinguishes you from your competitors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n However, a trademark does offer more protection, since it prevents others from stealing your logo or using one that\u2019s very similar to yours. By simply using your company\u2019s mark in commerce, without registration, you are establishing your \u201ccommon law\u201d rights. However, registering your trademark with the United States Patent and Trademark Office<\/a> (USPTO) will provide a number of advantages.<\/p>\n\n\n Copyrighting and trademarking your name or logo is certainly not required, but it can provide you with very useful benefits.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you create a website<\/a>, you should register your business name and make your logo. At that time you can pursue copyright and trademark registration because that will protect your name and logo from infringement. <\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019s important to secure the rights to your intellectual property and ensure that no other company steals your idea and logo design, which is the primary idea behind copyright and trademark.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Both copyrights and trademarks provide you with an excellent way to protect your original ideas from being used as the property of someone else. This is, without question, the most important benefit they offer you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Trademarks never expire, so as long as you\u2019re using your trademark in commerce to identify the source of your products or services, people will identify your business by it. It\u2019s a valuable asset and a very effective communication tool that can instantly communicate the image of your company and the products or services you offer to customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Trademarks offer far more protection than copyrights, but copyrights are extremely important for the protection of logos. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Read on to explore in detail the difference between the two, so that you can better understand their importance and the impact they can have on your company.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Protect Your Name, Logo, or Slogan with LegalZoom<\/a>\n\n\n If you only copyright your name or logo without trademarking it, you cannot fully protect it against infringement. You\u2019re only securing your rights to it since it is something you have created and it is your intellectual property. A trademark can protect your name and logo in case someone else wants to use them for their own purposes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Also, you cannot really copyright a name, since copyright protects artistic works. This is exactly why you need to have a trademark that protects your company\u2019s intellectual property, such as your logo. Below are the basic differences between copyrights and trademarks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A trademark is a word, phrase, symbol or design, or a combination of them, that\u2019s used to distinguish one manufacturer or seller from others operating in the same field of business and offering the same products or services. <\/p>\n\n\n\n This means that you can register a trademark for your business name, logo, slogan, symbol, design, and anything else that contributes to the brand identity of your company and the products or services that you offer.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Your trademark is used to notify others that your company\u2019s products, name, and logo are your property. You have the exclusive right to use them in connection to your services or products.<\/p>\n\n\n\n However, a trademark does not encompass the colors and designs of logos, since it doesn\u2019t protect against unlicensed copying. It only refers to similarities between the company\u2019s mark and others that closely resemble it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Therefore, it does not refer to the uses of the logo, but rather to confusion in the marketplace, thus limiting what uses of the logo could be found infringing. This means that if someone else is using a similar logo design, it cannot refer to trademark infringement, but rather copyright infringement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Simply using your trademark does not protect you from someone else in the same industry using your name or design\u2014but registering your trademark does. In the case of someone else using the same name or design as your company, you\u2019ll have to prove that you came up with it first, which is not possible if you haven\u2019t registered it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Without registering your trademark, you have no legal defense in case of a lawsuit. A registered trademark is a federal and legal registration of your company\u2019s mark. If anyone else wants to register a name or design that\u2019s the same or too similar to yours, they will be guilty of trademark infringement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n A copyright protects original works, such as books, songs, paintings, photography, movies, choreography, and other original works of authorship that are expressed in a physical form.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Companies can copyright their audio and video materials, their books and reports, as well as any other original material they have created, such as the design of their logo. It\u2019s important to note that every original work is copyrighted at the moment of its creation. But registering it is what protects it from someone else trying to use it for their own purposes since you then have a document to prove your claim to it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If anyone tries to steal your original creation, such as your logo, and use it as their own, you can sue them over the use of your property\u2014but only if you have a copyright registration.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When you have a federally registered copyright, you can control exactly how your intellectual property is used, published, and distributed, as well as exactly how it is presented to the public. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Also, you can prevent anyone from using it for their own purposes. If someone tries to do so, you can sue them in a federal court because you have claimed your right to your intellectual property by copyrighting it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Now, there is a trick when it comes to the copyright protection of your logo. Your logo must have the required level of creativity in order for it to be actually considered copyrightable and for your copyright application to be approved. Therefore, many very simple logos are not considered copyrightable, since copyright does not protect your logo design, colors, and name.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your logo is a bit more artistic or ornate, you\u2019ll find it easier to get your copyright registered.<\/p>\n\n\n\n There are certain steps you need to take in order to copyright and trademark your name and logo. Below is a brief outline of those steps.<\/p>\n\n\n Quite a lot of confusion arises when it comes to logos since many of them qualify for both copyright and trademark registration. Namely, if your logo qualifies for copyright as a piece of original artwork and is not used to identify your company, your logo can be copyright protected so that you can prevent unauthorized copying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Additionally, if you want to prevent others from using your logo design<\/a> and ensure that your company\u2019s mark is distinguishable from your competitors, you should trademark your logo. A trademark can only prevent confusion your customers may experience if there\u2019s a similar connection to your competitors, while copyright protects against unwanted copying.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Therefore, logos can be a confusing area of intellectual property law, since trademark and copyright protection often overlap. The important thing to note is that neither copyright nor trademark excludes one another, so many business owners opt for protecting their company\u2019s logo by both copyrighting and trademarking it.<\/p>\n\n<\/div>\n\n\n Now that you\u2019ve chosen your brand name and created a logo for the brand, you need to ensure that your assets are protected. Many people will infringe on the intellectual and creative property without even flinching. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Regardless of the industry, you\u2019re in or the size of your business, make sure to copyright your logo. However, bear in mind that copyright doesn\u2019t protect your brand name, titles, or slogan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Before trademarking your name or logo, you need to conduct a trademark search to make sure that no one else is already using a similar one. You can do so with the help of a tool called Trademark Electronic Search System<\/a> (TESS), which you can find on the official website of the United States Patent and Trademark Office.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Conducting a trademark search through the TESS Database is of crucial importance because it can identify potential conflicts with an existing trademark of another company or a trademark for which approval is pending.<\/p>\n\n\n This step is also important because you\u2019ll save money you would spend applying for a registration that may not be approved if it\u2019s too similar to an existing trademark. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Once you have conducted your trademark search, you need to file a trademark application through the Trademark Electronic Application System<\/a> (TEAS). You\u2019ll be presented with a form to fill out\u2014after you decide which application is right for you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n You can choose one of three different application forms: TEAS Plus, TEAS Reduced, or TEAS Regular.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If you choose the \u201cintent-to-use basis\u201d (ITU) in your application, you will also need to pay an additional filing fee of $50 for at least one class of products or services.<\/p>\n\n\n\n After the submission of your registration, you\u2019ll receive an email confirmation. Approximately three months after you submitted your application, it will be reviewed by an attorney who will determine whether or not your application meets all of the legal requirements necessary for trademark approval.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is important to monitor your application\u2019s progress every 3-4 months. You can do so through the Trademark Status & Document Retrieval<\/a> (TSDR).<\/p>\n\n\n\n The trademarking process can get really complicated. It requires a lot of research, and even then, it\u2019s likely that you\u2019ll make several mistakes along the way. Luckily, there is an alternative approach. <\/p>\n\n\n\n If you don\u2019t have the time or the patience to go through all of this, you can simply find a company that can handle the process from start to finish on your behalf. <\/p>\n\n\n <\/p>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\nDo you need to register a trademark and copyright for your logo or brand name?<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>\n\n\n\nThose advantages include:<\/h4>\n\n\n\n
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Why are trademark and copyright so important?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Trademarks vs. copyrights: what is the difference? <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
What is a trademark?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Benefits of trademark registration:<\/h4>\n\n\n
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What is a copyright?<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Benefits of copyright registration: <\/h4>\n\n\n
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How to copyright and trademark your assets for protection <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
The confusion about copyright and trademarking logos<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
How to copyright a logo <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
How to apply for the copyright of your logo <\/h3>\n\n\n\n
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You can also submit your application in paper form. However, applying for your copyright registration online is not only more convenient for you, it is also faster. It will take up to eight months for an online application to be processed, while processing time for paper forms can be up to 13 months.
Regardless of how you apply for your copyright registration, the date your registration becomes effective is the date the United States Copyright Office receives the submission of your application. So, if you want to publish your original work, you can do so without having to wait for your official certificate.
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This will lead you to a Form CO, which you need to fill out. The form will require your personal information, along with the name of the owner and creator, as well as the nature of the copyright documentation. For the copyright of a logo, you need to present a graphic representation of your logo.
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You will then receive a confirmation about your copyright registration, which will have a pending status for approval.
As already mentioned, your copyright will be in effect as of the exact date you submit your application, not the date of approval.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n\n\nHow to trademark a logo or a name <\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Hiring a third-party to trademark your name or logo<\/h3>\n\n\n\n