Introduction
Slogans are used to promote and advertise a product or service. They are also known as taglines, mottos and catch-phrases. A slogan can be trademarked and protect your brand, but it’s not essential for all businesses. Slogans come in all shapes and sizes, from short phrases (like Nike’s “Just Do It”) to long phrases (like “Let Your Usher Be Your Guide”). However, before deciding if you should register your slogan for US trademark filing or not there are several things that need to be considered.
What is a slogan?
A slogan is a short phrase or sentence that is used to identify the brand. Slogans are used in advertising and marketing campaigns, slogans can be associated with a brand or product. A good slogan should sound like it has been specifically written for your company, and not like a generic line created by someone else. The purpose of a slogan is to make you stand out from competitors, but also create an image in people’s minds so they remember who you are when they need your services or products.
Slogans often create catchy phrases that will be remembered by consumers such as “Just Do It”, which was used by Nike for over 10 years until it was retired in 2002; “Got Milk?”, which was used on billboards across California starting in 1993; “Think Different”, which Apple began using in 1997; and “Got Mail?”.
Is it essential to register a slogan?
You may have a slogan that you are very fond of and it may be very popular with your customers. However, it is not essential to register a slogan as a trademark. A slogan can be registered as a trademark in India. However, this protection is only available in the country where it has been registered. If you want to protect your slogan outside India and other countries too, it would be better if you use another method of protecting yourself against others using similar or identical slogans in their business dealings or marketing campaigns
What are the advantages of registering a slogan as a trademark?
If you have a slogan that’s used to promote your products and services, it’s important to register it as a trademark. This protects your slogan from being used by others. You may also be able to use it as a marketing tool or stop others from using or making products that look like yours.
A slogan is a short and striking phrase used to promote a brand, or products and services. Slogans are often found on advertisements, but they can also be used in other ways such as on business cards or websites. Slogans can be very effective in helping consumers remember your brand or product when they are looking for a certain type of product or service. The use of slogans allows businesses to establish their identity in the market place and helps them stand out from competitors who may have similar products/services to offer.
Registering a slogan with the USPTO isn’t necessary, but it can provide additional protection.
It is not necessary to register a slogan as a trademark in the US. However, if you want to protect your slogan from being used by others without permission, then registering it as a trademark can provide additional protection.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) does not require that you register your slogan before using it commercially or protecting it with federal registration; however, federal registration allows you to use the ® symbol next to your mark and provides nationwide notice of its ownership. Federal registration also gives you exclusive rights over the mark nationwide for 10 years from the date of registration and renewable indefinitely when timely filed during each successive 10-year period after that time.
When you claim ownership of a design mark (applying for a design patent), you are claiming the ornamental design embodied in a manufactured article as your own original creation.
When you claim ownership of a design mark (applying for a design patent), you are claiming the ornamental design embodied in a manufactured article as your own original creation.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) issues these patents for clothing, jewelry, furniture, textiles and any other physical object with an ornamental design on its surface or surface decoration when viewed from above. Design patents are also available for designs found in non-physical objects such as machines or computer programs. Design patents are not available for all products or designs—there are many items that cannot be protected by this patent because they do not meet the requirements listed below.
In order to obtain a design patent there are several requirements that must be met:
A slogan can be registered as a trademark, but only if it acts like one.
A slogan is a phrase or word that identifies the goods or services of an individual, company, or organization. Trademark registration is not required to protect a slogan, but it can provide additional protection.
The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) defines a trademark as any word or symbol used by a person for the purpose of distinguishing their goods from those manufactured or sold by others (1).
To be able to register your slogan as a trademark with the USPTO, your slogan must either:
- Be used on goods in connection with which it is registered;
- Be used on services in connection with which it is registered; or
- Otherwise function as an indicator of source for those goods and/or services (2).
Conclusion
It is not essential to register a slogan with US trademark filing, but it can provide protection against infringement of your intellectual property rights.
