practical, affordable legal advice

to protect your big ideas

Main menu

Skip to primary content
Skip to secondary content
  • home
  • who we are
    • testimonials
  • what we offer
    • small businesses and start-ups
    • established and growing businesses
    • marketing and web design agencies
    • overseas law firms and trade mark attorneys
  • services
    • trade marks
    • copyright
    • website terms and conditions
    • domain names
    • confidentiality agreements
    • other advice
  • blog
  • case studies
  • our fees
  • contact us

Post navigation

← Previous Next →

What exactly is a trade mark?

Posted on March 25, 2014 by Liz Sproston

A question I am asked time and time again is what exactly can be protected as a trade mark?  This month therefore I thought it would be useful to give you some well known live examples of what can be protected and some of the items may well surprise you!

A trade mark is essentially a means of distinguishing one trader and his/her products from those of other traders but what does this actually MEAN in practice?

Here is a list of just some of the different types of marks that have been registered to date:

  • Words (eg. COCA COLA, KODAK)
  • Slogans (eg. JUST DO IT for Nike sportswear)
  • Letters (eg. RBS for banking services)
  • Domain names (eg. amazon.com)
  • Numerals (eg. 501 jeans)
  • Shapes (eg. the triangular shape of a Toblerone chocolate bar)
  • Colours (eg. registration by Heinz of the colour turquoise for baked beans)
  • Sounds (eg. Intel’s 4 note musical jingle)
  • Smells (eg. “a floral fragrance of roses as applied to tyres” registered by Sumitomo Rubber Industries)

So take a look again at what you are using in your business as there may be more to protect than you first thought!

If you would like to arrange a FREE consultation to discuss protecting any aspect of your company branding then please call us on 07551 585783 or email info@thebigideaslegalcompany.com.

This entry was posted in Blog, Intellectual Property, Trade Marks and tagged branding, company logo, Intellectual Property, IP, trade marks by Liz Sproston. Bookmark the permalink.
Terms of Website Use | Privacy Policy | Website Acceptable Use Policy | Cookie Policy

The founder of The Big Ideas Legal Company is Liz Sproston, a qualified solicitor practising in England. She is a self employed practitioner contracted as a consultant to Virtual Law and covered under Virtual Law's professional indemnity insurance that provides cover up to £5 million. Virtual Law is a recognised body that is authorised and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA No. 462361), whose rules are available at www.sra.org.uk.

Copyright © 2021, The Big Ideas Legal Company

Website by Takkall Design