How do you trademark or brand a name?

Registering a trademark for a company name is pretty straightforward. Many businesses can file an application online in less than 90 minutes, without a lawyer’s help. The simplest way to register is on the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Web site, www.uspto.gov.

Do you trademark or copyright a brand name?

A trademark represents your brand or product. Names, logos, and slogans are common trademarks. A copyright, on the other hand, protects a work of authorship, including books, paintings, and even computer code.

What can and cannot be trademarked?

What can and cannot be trademarked flows directly from this function of trademarks: to allow the market to tell your products and services apart from your competition’s. As I mentioned, pretty much anything can act as a trademark. It can be invented words—for example, Xerox or iPad.

Should you trademark your business name and logo?

Most businesses need to trademark both their business name and logo. They are the cornerstones of almost every brand. If you plan on being in business for any amount of time, you’ll be building a brand. You need to trademark your name and logo because they represent your brand.

How do I register a trademark?

Is your product or service eligible for registration? Most applicants base their U.S.

Determine what type of trademark you want to register. You can apply to register your trademark as a standard character trademark or a special form trademark.

Understand how the type of trademark you want to register affects your application.

Should I trademark my business name?

You can trademark your business name, logo, or slogan. If you decide to trademark your business name with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO), you will have exclusive rights to the trademark and no one else can use it in any state in the US.