Many people wonder about the benefits of trademarking a name or logo and whether they can use the name or logo without filing for an application to register their mark. While you can use a name or logo without filing for a trademark, your mark will not have the complete benefits and protections of the law and you cannot use the ® symbol.
The costs of trademark registration are expensive, but for many bands are worth the peace of mind in having a name and/or logo protected, plus having all the benefits listed in this post.
Registering your mark with the United States Trademark Office gives you the following benefits*:
- Public notice that you own the mark;
- The right to use the federal registration symbol ®;
- Listing in the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s online databases;
- A legal presumption of your ownership of the mark and your exclusive right to use the mark nationwide on or in connection with the goods/services listed in the registration;
- The ability to bring a lawsuit to protect the mark in federal court;
- The use of the U.S. registration as a basis to obtain registration in foreign countries; and
- The ability to record the U.S. registration with the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Service to prevent importation of infringing foreign goods;
Filing a trademark application is best done by someone experienced in trademarks, as the applications require very specific information and can also be quite confusing to someone who has never filed one of these applications before.
IAR’s experience in filing trademark applications will eliminate the headache and confusion associated with trying to file an application yourself. Click here to see IAR’s Trademark Registration Services.
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