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trademark

Also known as ™, trade mark, TM, trade-mark, merchant mark

A trademark (also written trade mark or trade-mark) is a type of intellectual property that consists of a word, phrase, symbol, design, or combination thereof that identifies a product or service from a particular source and distinguishes it from others. Trademarks also extend to non-traditional marks like drawings, symbols, 3D shapes like product designs or packaging, sounds, scents, or specific colors used to create a unique identity. For example, Pepsi is a registered trademark associated with soft drinks, and the distinctive shape of the Coca-Cola bottle is a registered trademark protectin

AI overview

A trademark is a distinctive name, symbol, design, or other identifier that a company uses to distinguish its products or services from competitors—like the Pepsi name or the unique shape of a Coca-Cola bottle. Trademarks matter because they protect a company's exclusive right to use that identifier and help customers recognize and trust the brands they're buying from.

AI-generated from the Wikipedia summary — may contain errors.

Wikidata facts

Image: Registered trademark symbol.png

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short name: TM
Commons category: Trademarks
Unicode character: ™
ACM Classification Code (2012): 10003467
equivalent class: id.cabi.org/cabt/118741

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Article

38 sections

Contents

Terminology
Trademarks
Trademark symbols
Brand vs. trademark
Fundamental concepts
Public policy
Comparison with patent and copyright
History
Early origins
National trademarks
Oldest registered trademarks
Establishing rights
First-to-file and first-to-use
Distinctiveness
Acceptable trademarks
Unacceptable trademarks
Clearance search
National registration
Madrid System
Maintaining registration
Enforcing rights
Trademark infringement
Limits and defences to claims of infringement
Wrongful or groundless threats of infringement
Other aspects
Sale, transfer and licensing
Licensing
Domain names
International law
Territorial application
Madrid system
Trademark Law Treaty of 1994, and the Singapore Trademark Law Treaty of 2006
EU Trademark system
Well-known status
Protection of well-known marks
See also
References
External links

The primary function of a trademark is to identify the source of goods or services and prevent consumers from confusing them with those from other sources. Legal protection for trademarks is typically secured through registration with governmental agencies, such as the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) or the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO). Registration provides the owner certain exclusive rights and provides legal remedies against unauthorised use by others.