Overview

A trademark is a visual symbol that can be a word, name, numbers, label, color combination, etc used by business to distinguish it services or products from other same goods or services which are made in different business. Trademarks in India are listed by the Controller General of Patents Designs and Trademarks, Ministry of Commerce and Industry, Government of India. Trademarks are registered under the Trademark Act, 1999 and give the trademark owner the power to sue for losses when infringements of trademarks happen. Registered trademarks are intellectual property for business, they are used to safeguard the company’s investment in the brand or symbol. Trademarks are necessary to get registerable if it is unique for the products and services you give.

Proposed trademarks that are the same or identical to an existing registered trademark cannot be registered. Moreover, trademarks are not registrable if it is offensive, general, unreliable, not unique, includes specifically protected emblems, etc.

Once a trademark registration process is done, the R symbol can be applied and the registration will become valid for 10 years. Registered trademarks nearing expiry can regularly renew the registration process by filing a trademark renewal application for a time of another 10 years.

Trademark Registrations is done through Corporate Raasta in Delhi NCR & all other Indian cities. Offering a quality of trademark services like trademark filing, trademark search, trademark renewal, and patent registration, etc.

Who can all apply for a Trademark?

In context to the trademark rules and regulations in India, things like sound, logo, words, phrases, colors, images, symbols, initials or a mixture of all these can be registered.

A trademark application can be made by:

  •  Private firms
  •  Individuals
  • Companies- Limited Liability Partnership, OPC, Private limited, Public, Partnership, etc.
  • NGO’s

Note: In the case of NGOs and LLP companies the trademark has to be applied for registration in the name of the concerned business or a company.

Any person, pretending to be the proprietor of a trademark used or intended to be applied by him, may apply in writing in a prescribed manner for registration. The application must include the trademark, the goods or services, name and address of candidate with power of attorney, the time of use of the mark. The application must be in English or Hindi. It must be registered at the appropriate office.

The applications can be submitted individually at the Front Office Counter of the particular office or can be sent by post.

Advantages of Trademark Registration

Excellent Business Opportunity

A product or service being sold under a registered trademark assists in developing up trust, safety, quality, and goodwill in the minds of customers. It gives you a unique identity when linked to other sellers.

Legal Protection

A registered trademark owner has the legal right in case of infringement i.e you have a doubt that your trademark is copied by someone else, you sue them for copying your logo, brand, name or slogan.

Get Unique Identity

Customers will recognize a singular product or service only with the brand name. Registering a trademark guarantees that competitors will not apply it and so it remains a company’s unique asset.

Global Filling of Trademark

A trademark which is registered and filed in India is permitted to be filed in other countries outside India as well. Moreover, foreigners can also get a trademark registered and filed in India.

Creation of intangible asset

The trademark can be a valuable asset in case your brand builds a name and succeeds. Registering a trademark makes it an intangible asset that can be traded, franchised, distributed, or commercially contracted. This brings benefits to the company or the individual proprietor. A trademark is an intellectual property for the organization.

Infringement protection

Filing a trademark assures the trademarked object is not used unethically by any other company or Individual. But, if the trademark is used by a 3rd-party without the permission of the owner of the trademark, the owner can ask legal protection upon the act and even sue the person or the company who made a false usage of the trademark.

Exclusive rights

The proprietor of a registered trademark will be able to have exclusive rights over the trademark. The same trademark can be applied by the owner for all the products that fall under the same classes. Having the exclusive rights on the product or services also permits the owner to stop any kind of illegal use of the trademarked thing.

Applying the registered symbol

The company can use the registered symbol (®) once the trademark is filed. The logo is evidence of the fact that the trademark is already registered and cannot be applied by another individual or another company. In the case of illegal usage, the person who holds the trademark can decide to sue the other person

Differentiating products

Trademarking assists the consumers to find out about the products quickly. They can differentiate among the various kinds of products as the products tend to create an identity for themselves.

Promotes Goods and Services

Registering a trademark constitutes the face of the company or the goods and services. This serves to differentiate and promote brand creation. Most of the companies get their identity by trademark so it pays a crucial role in promoting and enhances the brand value.

Protect the Commercial Goodwill

A trademark’s registered owner has the power to build, secure and protect the goodwill of his/her goods or services. The owner can stop other traders from using his trademark illegally. One can also sue the infringer for using the brand name and demand damages for any infringement

Advertising sales

The customers of a company attach the name of the brand to the feature of the product or service that they give. This form of the product is spread in the market and so, it helps to increase sales by bringing more and more customers towards the product.

FAQs

  1. What defines a trademark? – A trademark is a distinctive sign or symbol that identifies certain goods or services as those produced or provided by a specific person or enterprise
  2. Do I need to register my trademark? Registering a trademark is not compulsory, but it does offer legal advantages and affirms your ownership, which can deter others from using a similar mark.
  3. What advantages does trademark registration offer? Registering your mark grants you exclusive rights to use it, legal protection against unauthorized use, and helps in building brand loyalty among consumers.
  4. How should I choose an effective trademark? Opt for a trademark that is unique, memorable, and easy to pronounce. Avoid descriptive terms or common names, and ensure it’s not already in use by conducting a thorough market search.
  5. What kinds of trademarks can be registered? You can register various types of trademarks, including names, invented words, letters, numbers, or a mix of these, as long as they can distinguish your goods or services from others.
  6. What is the trademark registration procedure? The process involves submitting an application to the relevant authority with details of the trademark and the goods/services it will represent. Online filing is also an option through official portals.
  7. What is the validity period of a registered trademark? A trademark registration is valid for 10 years from the date of filing and can be renewed every decade thereafter, indefinitely