Trademarks 101 An overview for the Non-IP Practitioner
Francine D. Ward, Esq. Business | Intellectual Property Law Attorney
1Copyright 2011 Francine Ward. All Rights Reserved.
Agenda
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1. What is a trademark2. How to select a trademark3. How to protect your trademark4. Post-registrations MUST-DOs
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What is a Trademark
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Some thing (a device) used, or intended to be used, in commerce, which identifies and distinguishes the goods of one manufacturer or seller from goods manufactured or
sold by someone else.
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Trademark vs. Copyright
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Brand name / source identifier.
************Content.
Legal protection for original content reduced to a tangible format, e.g., books, web content, videos,
cartoon, html code, sculptures, software
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Device Examples
Words Huggies, Duracel, OWN
Names Tiger Woods, Donald Trump Signature Collection, The Oprah Winfrey Network
Symbols the Peacock for NBC network,
Sounds doink doink sound on the television show Law & Order, NBC Chimes
Colors color pink used in fiberglass insulation products (Owens Corning)
Logos Stylized blue clock (Quicktime)
Package designs Distinctive bottles (Coca Cola)
Smells Fragrant sewing thread & yarn
Numbers V-8 for vegetable juice, Seagram’s 7 for whisky
FOUR Types of Trademarks
1. Trademarks2. Service Marks3. Collective Marks4. Certification Marks
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Types of Trademarks - Trademarks
1. Trademark2. Service Mark3. Collective Mark4. Certification Mark
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Examples of Trademarks
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Types of Trademarks – Service Marks
1. Trademark2. Service Mark3. Collective Mark4. Certification Mark
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Types of Trademarks – Service Mark
Service Mark
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Types of Trademarks – Collective
1. Trademark2. Service Mark3. Collective Mark4. Certification Mark
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Types of Trademarks – Collective
Collective Mark
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NATIONAL SPEAKERS ASSOCIATION NSA CERTIFIED SPEAKING PROFESSIONAL CSP
AMERICAN BAR ASSOCIATION
Types of Trademarks -Certification
1. Trademark2. Service Mark3. Collective Mark4. Certification Mark
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Types of Trademarks -- Certification
Certification Mark
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MASTER CERTIFIED COACH (MCC)
PROFESSIONAL CERTIFIED COACH (PCC)
What is Not Protected by Trademark?1. Ideas 2. Book titles (in some cases)3. Names (in some cases)4. Procedures 5. Methods6. Systems7. Processes8. Inventions9. Plant Strains10. Generic marks
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Who Owns a Trademark?
General Rule:In the US, it’s the first to use …
however to really secure trademark protection you must
register with the USPTO.
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How long does a Trademark last?
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Forever, so long as you renew
every 10-years.
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Levels of Trademark Protection
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Fanciful or Coined
Arbitrary
Suggestive
Generic
Descriptive
Levels of Trademark Protection
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Fanciful or Coined
Arbitrary
Suggestive
Generic
Descriptive
Levels of Trademark Protection
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Fanciful or Coined
Arbitrary
Suggestive
Generic
Descriptive
Levels of Trademark Protection
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Fanciful or Coined
Arbitrary
Suggestive
Generic
Descriptive
Levels of Trademark Protection
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Fanciful or Coined
Arbitrary
Suggestive
Generic
Descriptive
How to Protect a Trademark?
USE it in Commerce
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How to Protect a Trademark?
Use appropriate
symbol
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How to Protect a Trademark?
Send Cease & Desist Letters
when appropriate
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How to Protect Your Trademark?
Don’t involuntarily lose your rights
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Involuntary loss
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1. Abandonment (no use, plus an intent not to re-use)
2. Contracts (e.g., Licensing, Consulting, Speaker, Reality Show, Publishing, and Collaboration Agreements)
3. Loss of Distinctiveness
4. False statements in your application
5. Misuse of “R” in the circle ®
How to Protect a Trademark?
Don’t let it become generic!
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What happens if you become generic?
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Thermos
ElevatorAspirin
Yellow Pages “Walking fingers” logo
How to Protect Your Trademark?
REGISTER it!
www.uspto.gov
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Benefits of USPTO Registration
1. Establishes a public record 2. Receives a Certificate of Registration 3. Right to use your mark nationwide 4. Right to sue for infringement5. Easier to get an international registration6. Right to recover lost profits, treble statutory
damages, court costs, and attorney’s fees.
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How to Register Your Trademark?
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Make initial determination of
classification
How to Register Your Trademark?
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Do a THOROUGH Search
What goes into a THOROUGH Search?
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1. USPTO TESS system2. All state registration databases3. Library reference materials e.g., Thomas Register4. Trade publications5. Internet search engines6. Business name databases e.g., Dun & Bradstreet7. Telephone books
How to Register Your Trademark?
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Analyze the Report carefully
What to look for in the Search Report?
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1.Likelihood of Confusion2.How others are using similar mark3.Prior Challenges / Oppositions4.Descriptiveness5.Supplemental or Principle Register
How to Register Your Trademark?
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Which application applies
Intent to Use
Actual Use
How to Register Your Trademark?
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Read application carefully
How to Register Your Trademark?
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Identification of Goods/Services
Acceptable Identification of Goods and Services Manual
How to Register Your Trademark?
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Craft an effective description
How to Register Your Trademark?
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Submit Specimens
How to Register Your Trademark?
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Follow-up / Status Checks
How to Register Your Trademark?
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Respond to Office Actions on time
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Post-Registration Actions1. Continued Use2. Monitor3. Oppose when necessary4. File Affidavit of Use (Section 8)5. File Incontestability Statement (Section 15)6. Renew Application (Section 9)7. Enjoy your trademark—forever!
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Francine D. Ward, Esq.Social Media Legal Expert | Copyright & Trademark Attorney
Helping small business entrepreneurs protect what’s theirs—their valuable content, brand, and business
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