Can You Add A Trademark Symbol To Your Logo Anytime Or Does It Have To Be Registered?

In our previous article, we talked about the use of trademark symbols and when individuals and businesses should begin using them to claim their marks.

It will also exist important for united states of america to hash out where trademark symbols should be placed next to your name, make or logo.

Where Should I Place the Trademark Symbol?

Trademark symbols are commonly placed at the top right or bottom right of a name, brand or logo. Although these placements are almost typical, businesses should know that there is no requirement as to where trademark symbols should be positioned. More importantly, trademark symbols should be placed closely to the proper name, brand or logo – clear enough for 3rd parties to acknowledge your marking as your intellectual belongings, but not too distracting every bit to have attention away from your name, brand or logo.

Subscript Placement

A common way in which trademark symbols are incorporated in the wait of a proper name, brand or logo is to place information technology to the lower right of the registered mark. Subscript placements of trademark symbols are equally illustrated below:

Superscript Placement

Trademark symbols are also regularly positioned on the upper right of the name, brand or logo. Superscript placements of trademark symbols are illustrated below:

What if I have trademarked my proper name but not my logo, or vice versa?

Yous are only able to apply certain trademark symbols for registered trademarks, namely ®. For example, a registered mark would appear every bit Star®. Should you wish to use your logo or design side by side to your trademarked proper name, you lot must ensure your logo or design has been registered equally a trademark too. The following example by sportswear company Reebok signals to 3rd party competitors clearly that non only the proper noun 'Reebok' has been registered as a trademark, just likewise its accompanying pattern:

If your logo or design has notwithstanding to be trademarked, you may use other symbols to claim your mark, merely not the ® symbol. For instance: Star®☆™. Y'all may likewise use no trademark symbols after the star logo.

The same deduction applies to a situation in which a name has even so to exist trademarked, but a logo or design has.

The Trademark Symbol Does Non Fit the Wait of my Brand

Whilst in that location are no requirements as to where trademark symbols should be placed, trademark symbols are meant to indicate to tertiary parties that you are serious about protecting and enforcing your intellectual property rights and therefore trademark symbols should exist obvious to the centre. It may be a business organisation to businesses notwithstanding, that trademark symbols affect the look, vibe and experience of the proper noun, brand or logo.

It must be emphasised that it is not mandatory to place trademark symbols in the upper or lower right of your name, brand or logo – businesses hoping to streamline and maximise the aesthetic potential of their name, brand or logo may fit trademark symbols into their respective marks in the position that best suits them.

Businesses may as well utilise the dagger symbol † near the mark in combination with footnotes to indicate to third parties of their protected trademarks. For example, the footnote for Star† may read:

'Star and the star logo are registered trademarks of Star Sdn Bhd.'

When Should I Use the Trademark Symbol?

It is recommended to use trademark symbols, particularly registered trademark symbols in connection to all relevant registered marks. However, businesses should keep in heed that trademark symbols should only be used with the registered mark as to bespeak specific goods or services registered to the marker. For case, in advertisements and brochures. In that location isn't a need for trademark symbols under the circumstances of correspondences, such every bit emails and letters, even if the company name, brand or logo is in use.

Learn more nearly trademark laws and Intellectual Property Protection at Quality Oracle. We are proud of our 28 years of professional person experience in Intellectual Property and we are ready to defend your IP rights in Malaysia and internationally: anything, anytime, anywhere.