The Institute of

Trade Mark
Attorneys

BEST PRACTICE
ON TRADE MARK USE

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What is a trade mark?

A trade mark is essentially a way of
identifying goods or services; differentiating
between the goods and services of one trader
and another. It is something which is unique
to a business and is, in effect, a sign or
symbol that allows for instant recognition.
Trade marks can take a variety of forms
including, for example, a word or words,
slogans, logos, company names, trading
names, domain names, jingles, colours,
shapes, letters, numbers, forms of packaging
or personal names.

A Form of
Packaging:

A Word:

In the U
as trade
includin

A Jingle:
Air on a
G-string

A Personal
Name:

Hamlet Cigars
Letters:

A Number:

Trade marks can be different or the same as

trading names or corporate/ business names.
For many businesses the business name is one
of, or possibly the only, trade mark.

Why register a trade mark?

A trade mark registration gives you a statutory
nationwide monopoly in your mark which can
last forever subject to renewal every 10 years.
By registering a trade mark, rights to it are
established even before it is used a valuable
advantage for a new product or service.
A registered trade mark is an asset which can
be sold or licensed like any other property. As
such it adds value to a business. It is likely that
any purchaser of a business would want the
reassurance that all of the trade marks of the
business were registered.
Trading Standards Officers will be able to take
immediate action against counterfeiters where
proof of ownership of the trade mark in
question has already been established by virtue
of its registration.
Having a registered trade mark enables action to
be taken under trade mark law. Under trade
mark law the most common principal test of
whether infringement has occurred is whether,
due to the similarities in the marks and
goods/services, there is a likelihood of confusion.

How long does a registration

last?
Unlike some other forms of intellectual property
a trade mark registration can remain in force
forever. The initial duration is 10 years,
renewable on request every 10 years, by
payment of the appropriate renewal fees.
However, if the mark registered is not used for
5 years, anyone can apply to have it removed
from the Register which is maintained by the
Trade Marks Registry, a division of the
Intellectual Property Office.

trade m
can be
owner

What is the position regarding

unregistered marks?
It is also possible to acquire rights in
unregistered marks. The UK recognises common
law rights which are acquired through extensive
use of trade marks. Under these rights action
can be taken against passing off if somebody is
misrepresenting their goods or services as the
goods or services of someone else.
The main difference between the action that
can be taken to protect a registered trade mark
and one that is not registered is that for
unregistered trade marks the complainant has
to prove that their mark has an established
trading goodwill. The onus of proof for this falls
to the complainant, whereas with a registered
trade mark mere proof of ownership is all that
is needed without the need to prove goodwill.

How should trade marks be used

correctly?
Trade marks are adjectives which should be
followed by a noun e.g. KLEENEX tissues.
Trade marks are not nouns and should not be
allowed to develop into nouns as this will make
them generic terms thereby precluding them
from protection as registered trade marks.
As in the preceding example, it is good for
trade marks to be capitalised completely or
used with initial capitals or in quotes. Different
typeface might also serve to distinguish them
from the rest of the text.
As they are not nouns, they should not be
pluralised; nor should they be used in the
possessive form unless they themselves are in
the possessive form e.g. LEVIS jeans or
McDONALDS restaurants.
If a trade mark has not been registered, it is a
criminal offence to use R in a circle .
indicates a trade mark irrespective of whether it
has been registered or not.

It is not compulsory to use either or but it

is best practice to identify your trade marks.
Alternatively, the phrase x is a trade mark of
y is acceptable.
Increasingly in todays technological age, trade
marks mirror domain names and vice-versa. The
advice from ITMA is that companies should,
where permissible, register their domain names
as trade marks as soon as possible. It is also
useful to register their trade marks as domain
names in order to prevent cybersquatters from
getting there first.

l esca
l aspir
l linol

These n
and can
compan
order to
manufa

In contr
have be
usage b
recogni
which a
technic
owners
misuse
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devalua

Examp
commo
by the

HOO

PERS
POT

POR

ROLL

VASE

How can trade marks be

protected?
Watching for misuse
Trade marks are guarantees of the quality of the
goods or services being provided and are an
important asset. As such they need to be
protected.
Every company should ensure that it maintains
a list of its current trade mark registrations and
applications, with a note of the goods or
services covered.
It is best practice to appoint a named individual
or department to maintain the lists. To protect
trade mark rights it is advisable to keep a
constant eye on newspaper articles, periodicals,
trade literature and advertising.
If it is thought that any of your trade marks are
being improperly used by others, action needs
to be taken immediately to ensure misuse does
not recur. A trade mark attorney can handle any
such action and offer appropriate advice.

Forms of trade mark misuse

Sometimes marketing techniques can be so
successful that the trade mark becomes so well
known that in effect it becomes the actual
name of the product. When this happens, the

THER

FRIS

Examp
newsp

Incorre

The br
out by
away w
from th

Correct

The br
was car
sunglas
ROLEX
on in-li

Seeki
permi

One sim
permissi
their tra
the trad
in the o
requesti
stopped
seeking

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rk of

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r

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rotect
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odicals,

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needs
e does
ndle any
.

so
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ual
s, the

trade mark is said to have become generic and

can be struck from the Register leaving the
owner with no rights in the trade mark.
In the UK a number of words that started out
as trade marks have now become generic
including:
l escalator
l aspirin
l linoleum

These names have fallen into everyday usage

and can be used not only by the originating
companies but also by their competitors in
order to describe products of any
manufacturer.
In contrast there are many trade names which
have become generic in popular everyday
usage by the public but which are still
recognised as trade marks by competitors and
which are still validly registered. Whilst
technically this is incorrect use, trade mark
owners are often not too concerned by such
misuse by the public. It is misuse by
competitors which is of much more
concern and which ultimately leads to the
devaluation of the trade mark.

Examples of such trade marks which are

commonly used by the public followed
by the correct generic term:
HOOVER:

vacuum cleaner

PERSPEX:

acrylic sheet

POT NOODLE:

instant hot snack

PORTAKABIN:

portable building

ROLLERBLADE: in-line skates

VASELINE:

petroleum jelly

THERMOS:

vacuum flask

FRISBEE:

flying disc

Checking if a name is a registered

trade mark
The Trade Marks Register contains a list of all
the trade marks registered in the UK. It is
possible to conduct a search of the Register;
details of which are available from the
Information Centre of the Intellectual Property
Office on 0300 300 2000 (open to the public
for inspection). In addition, The Intellectual
Property Office website www.ipo.gov.uk
enables word searches of the UK Trade Marks
Register on-line. The Community Trade Marks
Register, containing a listing of trade marks
registered throughout the European Union, can
also be searched online at www.oami.eu.int
A trade mark attorney can also carry out a
search and advise on how a trade mark can be
correctly used in any publication and whether
or not the owners permission is required.
If there is any doubt as to whether or not a
word is a trade mark, it is best to err on the side
of caution. If there is another more obvious
generic name for the product then it might be
better to use that name.
Sometimes all that the trade mark owner
requires is that the trade mark is identified
differently from the everyday name for the

product or service in question. A companys

trade mark should only be used when referring
to products which actually originate from that
company.

Comparative advertising
The law allows the comparison in advertising of
goods and services of one company to those
provided by a rival under their respective trade
marks. Case law shows that so long as the use
of a competitors trade mark in this way is
honest and in no way misleading, then
comparative advertising is permitted. However,
it is wise to seek legal clearance before
embarking on a significant comparative
advertising campaign.

What happens if the trade mark

is persistently misused?
Most trade mark owners, on discovering
misuse, will contact the originator of the
offending article to seek correction of the error
and an assurance that the trade mark will be
correctly used in future publications.
Persistently misusing a trade mark after being
given a warning may result in stronger action by
the trade mark owner.

Examples of
trade marks
Letters & Numerals
BP Petroleum Products
501 Jeans

Words
Examples of use and misuse in
newspapers:
Incorrect
The break-in at the portakabin was carried
out by youths wearing ray-bans. They got
away with a haul of Rolexes and escaped
from the scene on rollerblades!

Esso Tiger
Petrol
Mercedes
Star Cars
Lloyds TSB Black Horse Banking Services

Seeking trade mark owners

permission
One simple way of avoiding misuse is to seek
permission from a trade mark owner to use
their trade mark. In the absence of permission,
the trade mark may be misused and could result
in the offending party receiving a warning letter
requesting that the misuse is immediately
stopped. This may be followed by a court action
seeking an injunction and damages.

Computers
Biscuits
Chocolate
Perfume

*PENGUIN is a registered trade mark of

United Biscuits (UK) Ltd.

Correct
The break-in at the PORTAKABIN building
was carried out by youths wearing RAY-BAN
sunglasses. They got away with a haul of
ROLEX watches and escaped from the scene
on in-line skates!

APPLE
PENGUIN*
MARS
CHANEL

Logos

Colours
Black & Gold
DURACELL batteries
Red & White stripes SIGNAL toothpaste

Shapes

TM

TOBLERONE triangle Chocolate bars

COCA-COLA bottle Soft drinks

Slogans
Vorsprung Durch Technik Audi cars
Just do it
Nike
I'm lovin it
McDonald's

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The purpose of this Guide

Find a trade mark attorney

The purpose of this guide is to explain how trade

marks should be used correctly and what action
needs to be taken to ensure they are not abused or
misused.

Most members of ITMA are happy to offer a

FREE initial consultation of about half an
hour to prospective new clients without any
obligation or commitment. To find a trade
mark attorney near you, use the search
facility on the front page of the ITMA
website: www.itma.org.uk where you can
find a local trade mark expert by County,
City or postcode, or by name.

It is produced by ITMA the Institute of Trade Mark

Attorneys the UK body dedicated to the
promotion and protection of trade marks, which
was established in 1934 and now has over 1,500
members throughout the world.
The guide contains some examples of trade marks
and how they should be represented. It also
includes some instances of trade mark misuse, not
only by the general public but also by the media,
and suggests ways in which such misuse can be
reduced or even avoided.
The guide is aimed not just at the trade mark
owner but also at anyone who refers to trade
marks in day to day working. This applies to
journalists, marketing and advertising executives
and anyone who refers to trade marks in any way.

The Institute of
Trade Mark
Attorneys

To begin, it is worth going back to basics and

explaining just what a trade mark is, why they are
registered in the first place and what the position is
regarding unregistered trade marks. The Institutes
leaflet Trade Marks an Introduction gives a fuller
account of the registration process as well as more
general information about trade marks.

5th Floor
Outer Temple
222-225 Strand
London
WC2R 1BA
Tel: 020 7101 6090
Fax: 020 7101 6099
E-mail: [email protected]
www.itma.org.uk

TM

ITMA 2010