If you own a business, then you know just how many different things are involved to keep the business running. One of those many things are trademarks. Trademarks are very important components of your business, if you want to ensure that something you do or have (like a logo for example) aren’t copied by other businesses.
As well as this, it is important to check trademarks to ensure you don’t infringe on other businesses. Domain name trademark infringement for example, is a pretty series matter and you need to ensure that the domain name you choose doesn’t infringe on others. This is just one of the areas that you need to be aware of, so you don’t cause any issues for yourself and your business down the line.
So, if you need to know about trademarks, then you have come to the right place. Have a read on below to find out more information about all the different trademarks:
Sound Trademark
Yes, that’s right you can trademark sounds! There are many different companies that have trademarked various sounds, usually a little jingle that the business uses at the end of their advertisements. For example, the McDonalds jingle, which is iconic, and you probably only just have to hear that sound to know that it is for McDonalds.
Movement Trademark
Movement trademarks are becoming increasingly popular these days. This type of trademark provides your company protection from movement related to a good or service. If you are applying for a movement trademark, you will need to provide a video file to support what you are trying to trademark. A classic example of a movement trademark is the Toyota jump.
Colour Trademark
While you can apply for a colour trademark, this type is notoriously difficult to apply and get accepted for. The first thing you will need to overcome is evidence to support that the public now associates that particular colour with your brand. If this is the path you want to go down, then a combination of colours is a bit easier to get approval for. An example of a single colour trademark is Cadbury; they have been using the same shade of purple for almost 20 years.
Series of Trademarks
This type of trademark is particularly useful if you have a brad that offers a range of related but also distinct products. For example, you business is called Mr B’s and you make, homewares, toys, kitchen utensils, etc., then you could apply for a series of trademarks to cover all the different products you make. A series of trademarks is applied for the same way as a normal trademark, but the application fee is different.
Non-English Trademark
If you are operating your international business in Australia, you can apply for a non-English trademark, if your business name, or anything related to your business that you want to trademark is not in English. This can include non-English words in Roman characters, or non-Roman characters (like in Chinese, for example). There are a few specific requirements when applying for this type of trademark, so make sure you read through them carefully.
Shape Trademark
This is a three dimensional shape that is use to differential your goods or services from another similar business. There are many shape trademarks that already exist, so you will need to be careful that you don’t apply for something that is similar to another that has already been trademarked. You can also not trademark shapes that are already in common use. In your application you will also need to show how your shape differs from others in the market.
