Trademarks carry the weight of some of your business’ most creative, impactful work. You control the way your work is licensed, presented, reused, and imitated through trademark protection. As we mentioned in our previous blog on the four types of trademarks, however, not all works are created equal.
A weak trademark will either never be approved or be exposed to significant scrutiny. Our team handles trademark registrations for Florida businesses that want to protect their success and innovation for a more prosperous future. Here’s how you can make the most of your registrations and create a trademark portfolio that helps your business thrive.
Get Creative
A generic or simply descriptive trademark may garner trademark protection, but it won’t stand out. Think of a car manufacturer. If they just went with “Fast Car” for the name of a vehicle, would it be convincing and eye-catching? No, every manufacturer has vehicles they claim are fast (and Tracy Chapman might want to have a word).
Try to get out of the mindset of just describing what you have. How can you convey a message of speed and power without just stating it? Your marketing strategy can do that for you, but a name can say so much more. Names like “Road Runner” are a little closer to descriptive but connect people to the nostalgia of the old WB character known for its speed while also referencing the purpose of the vehicle.
You can take this a step further, however, and completely disconnect from convincing people with a name. The Kia Telluride is one of the most popular cars on the road right now, but it doesn’t describe the vehicle in any direct way – it references Telluride, Colorado. What does that tell you about the car? It speaks to adventure and the outdoors which Telluride and Colorado are known for. When you drive this car, you will feel adventurous and capable of much more than just your daily commute.
Suggestive trademarks that leave it up to the consumer to make some logical connections with your product hold a high value. So too do arbitrary marks that have little-to-no connection with the product itself – think “Apple” or “Google.”
Be Memorable
How do you want people to remember you? Ideally, your products will do the work for you. While you’re still building your brand, however, you need a name people won’t forget when they aren’t engaging with you. Apple and Google are great examples of this with simple, unique names that don’t take a ton of energy to retain. You remember the name “Tylenol,” but few people remember the real name of the drug which is acetaminophen.
Inspiration for memorable branding can come from anywhere. In Apple’s case, Steve Jobs simply loved apples. You know Pepsi today, but did you know the name was actually just purchased from a different company because “Brad’s Drink” just wasn’t working?
The world around you is full of influence to make a memorable mark in your industry. Circling back to the car example, what is something that makes you feel safe? What is something that makes you confident you can get from point A to point B?
Strong Trademarks are Indisputable
At Alvarez Law Group, we handle trademark registrations but do not handle trademark disputes. These disputes come with significant legal barriers that can cost your business time and money, two of the most valuable resources available to you.
The stronger your trademarks are the better protected you are. We work with clients to ensure their marks won’t be easily disputable in the future. Do you have something worth registering? Let us help you answer that question.
Alvarez Law Group
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