Why You Need a Trademark

Coming up with a catchy name, slogan, or logo can be a time-consuming process. Registering a trademark ensures that no one else will be able to use your company name or logo for profit.

If you want to ensure that your ideas remain yours, registering a trademark is a good idea.

Patents Vs. Trademarks
Here are some of the major differences:

- Patents protect products whereas trademarks protect names.
- Generally, patents are tougher to get than trademarks.
- Patents last 20 years. Trademarks last 10 years.
- Protection from patents and trademarks may both be necessary in cases of new products with new names or logos and separate applications must be filed.

Tips for Obtaining a Trademark
If you are planning on registering a trademark, make sure you're prepared:

- Verify that your name, logo, slogan, etc. has not been used by someone else
- Make sure your name, logo, slogan, etc. can be trademarked (generic names, people's names, etc. cannot be trademarked)
- Include a depiction of the trademark you are registering for, including font style, color, size, etc.