World Cup trademarks burden to SA businesses
For small South African businesses it’s not easy to benefit from the World Cup 2010 in their country. The FIFA has protected the event with numerous trademarks, making it impossible for entrepreneurs to refer to the event for commercial purposes. Only the official World Cup sponsors have the right to use the logo, trademarks and various slogans.Source: Twenty10soccerworldcup
iPhone not a trademark in Switzerland
A Swiss court decided that the word “phone” is too generic, and the addition of the letter “i” does not make it distinctive enough to be trademarked.Source: macworld.com
Ozzy wants a part
Rockstar Ozzy Osbourne is accusing his bandmate Tony Iommi of illegally trademarking the Black Sabbath name. Osbourne wants a piece of Iommi's profits from use of the name. Iommi's lawyer argued that Osbourne signed away his rights to the Black Sabbath trademark when he left the band in 1979, but a federal judge recently decided that this agreement repudiated when Osbourne rejoined in 1997.Source: New York Post
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What makes a brand a brand?A name? A slogan? A logo? A symbol? The colour? The shape of the product? The label? The wrapping? The marketing budget? The fame? All these are elements of a trademark. Only the last two are a matter of money. The others are a matter of registration. Registering a trademark makes it your trademark - and protects your investment.That is where Bouma Trademark Office come in: to consult, to registrate, to guard your trademark. In the Netherlands, Benelux, Europe, or any other part of the world. 
SloganWhether a slogan can be registered depends on its originality and distinctive character.SoundSometimes it is possible to obtain a registration for sounds, tones or jingles as a soundmark.SymbolsIt is possible to obtain a trademark or design registration to get protection for logos and other identifiable graphical elements.SmellSometimes it is possible to obtain a registration for a smell. Once a company obtained a registration for 'smell of freshly cut grass' for tennis balls! In some cases the composition of an aroma can be copyrighted.FiguresFigures may constitute or be part of a trademark, and therefore can obtain protection by a registration either seperately or in combination with the trademark.FlavourUsually flavours are not included in trademark and copyright laws.Lay-outFor a design and lay-out of a label and other packaging a registration can be obtained to get protection as a graphical mark.ShapeProtection for a shape mark or three dimensional object is, under certain conditions, possible by means of a trademark registrationCopyrightsCopyright protects 'original' works of literature, science and art, in the broadest possible senseColourColours are important aspects of identification and can under certain conditions get protection by means of a registration as colour marks.TypefaceIt is possible to obtain a registration for proprietary typeface and lettering and get protection for those.VisualsFigurative elements in designs can often be registered as visual mark. |