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.

Slogan

Whether a slogan can be registered depends on its originality and distinctive character.

Sound

Sometimes it is possible to obtain a registration for sounds, tones or jingles as a soundmark.

Symbols

It is possible to obtain a trademark or design registration to get protection for logos and other identifiable graphical elements.

Smell

Sometimes 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.

Figures

Figures may constitute or be part of a trademark, and therefore can obtain protection by a registration either seperately or in combination with the trademark.

Flavour

Usually flavours are not included in trademark and copyright laws.

Lay-out

For a design and lay-out of a label and other packaging a registration can be obtained to get protection as a graphical mark.

Shape

Protection for a shape mark or three dimensional object is, under certain conditions, possible by means of a trademark registration

Copyrights

Copyright protects 'original' works of literature, science and art, in the broadest possible sense

Colour

Colours are important aspects of identification and can under certain conditions get protection by means of a registration as colour marks.

Typeface

It is possible to obtain a registration for proprietary typeface and lettering and get protection for those.

Visuals

Figurative elements in designs can often be registered as visual mark.