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data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-toc.pin">move to sidebar</button> <button class="vector-pinnable-header-toggle-button vector-pinnable-header-unpin-button" data-event-name="pinnable-header.vector-toc.unpin">hide</button> </div> <ul class="vector-toc-contents" id="mw-panel-toc-list"> <li id="toc-mw-content-text" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1"> <a href="#" class="vector-toc-link"> <div class="vector-toc-text">(Top)</div> </a> </li> <li id="toc-The_spectrum_of_distinctiveness" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#The_spectrum_of_distinctiveness"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1</span> <span>The spectrum of distinctiveness</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-The_spectrum_of_distinctiveness-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle The spectrum of distinctiveness subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-The_spectrum_of_distinctiveness-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Fanciful_marks" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Fanciful_marks"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.1</span> <span>Fanciful marks</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Fanciful_marks-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Arbitrary_marks" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Arbitrary_marks"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.2</span> <span>Arbitrary marks</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Arbitrary_marks-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Suggestive_marks" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Suggestive_marks"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.3</span> <span>Suggestive marks</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Suggestive_marks-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Descriptive_marks" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Descriptive_marks"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.4</span> <span>Descriptive marks</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Descriptive_marks-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Generic_terms" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Generic_terms"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">1.5</span> <span>Generic terms</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Generic_terms-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Assessing_distinctiveness" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Assessing_distinctiveness"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2</span> <span>Assessing distinctiveness</span> </div> </a> <button aria-controls="toc-Assessing_distinctiveness-sublist" class="cdx-button cdx-button--weight-quiet cdx-button--icon-only vector-toc-toggle"> <span class="vector-icon mw-ui-icon-wikimedia-expand"></span> <span>Toggle Assessing distinctiveness subsection</span> </button> <ul id="toc-Assessing_distinctiveness-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> <li id="toc-Acquired_distinctiveness" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Acquired_distinctiveness"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.1</span> <span>Acquired distinctiveness</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Acquired_distinctiveness-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-Maintaining_distinctiveness" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-2"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#Maintaining_distinctiveness"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">2.2</span> <span>Maintaining distinctiveness</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-Maintaining_distinctiveness-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-See_also" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#See_also"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">3</span> <span>See also</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-See_also-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-References" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#References"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">4</span> <span>References</span> </div> </a> <ul id="toc-References-sublist" class="vector-toc-list"> </ul> </li> <li id="toc-External_links" class="vector-toc-list-item vector-toc-level-1 vector-toc-list-item-expanded"> <a class="vector-toc-link" href="#External_links"> <div class="vector-toc-text"> <span class="vector-toc-numb">5</span> 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role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td class="mbox-image"><div class="mbox-image-div"><span typeof="mw:File"><a href="/wiki/File:Question_book-new.svg" class="mw-file-description"><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/99/Question_book-new.svg/50px-Question_book-new.svg.png" decoding="async" width="50" height="39" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/99/Question_book-new.svg/75px-Question_book-new.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/9/99/Question_book-new.svg/100px-Question_book-new.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="512" data-file-height="399" /></a></span></div></td><td class="mbox-text"><div class="mbox-text-span">This article <b>needs additional citations for <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Verifiability" title="Wikipedia:Verifiability">verification</a></b>.<span class="hide-when-compact"> Please help <a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Trademark_distinctiveness" title="Special:EditPage/Trademark distinctiveness">improve 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Unsourced material may be challenged and removed.<br /><small><span class="plainlinks"><i>Find sources:</i> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.google.com/search?as_eq=wikipedia&q=%22Trademark+distinctiveness%22">"Trademark distinctiveness"</a> – <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.google.com/search?tbm=nws&q=%22Trademark+distinctiveness%22+-wikipedia&tbs=ar:1">news</a> <b>·</b> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.google.com/search?&q=%22Trademark+distinctiveness%22&tbs=bkt:s&tbm=bks">newspapers</a> <b>·</b> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.google.com/search?tbs=bks:1&q=%22Trademark+distinctiveness%22+-wikipedia">books</a> <b>·</b> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://scholar.google.com/scholar?q=%22Trademark+distinctiveness%22">scholar</a> <b>·</b> <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://www.jstor.org/action/doBasicSearch?Query=%22Trademark+distinctiveness%22&acc=on&wc=on">JSTOR</a></span></small></span> <span class="date-container"><i>(<span class="date">May 2010</span>)</i></span><span class="hide-when-compact"><i> (<small><a href="/wiki/Help:Maintenance_template_removal" title="Help:Maintenance template removal">Learn how and when to remove this message</a></small>)</i></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1251242444"><table class="box-Globalize plainlinks metadata ambox ambox-content ambox-globalize" role="presentation"><tbody><tr><td class="mbox-image"><div class="mbox-image-div"><span typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="Globe icon." src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bd/Ambox_globe_content.svg/48px-Ambox_globe_content.svg.png" decoding="async" width="48" height="40" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bd/Ambox_globe_content.svg/73px-Ambox_globe_content.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/bd/Ambox_globe_content.svg/97px-Ambox_globe_content.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="350" data-file-height="290" /></span></span></div></td><td class="mbox-text"><div class="mbox-text-span">The examples and perspective in this article <b>may not represent a <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:WikiProject_Countering_systemic_bias" title="Wikipedia:WikiProject Countering systemic bias">worldwide view</a> of the subject</b>.<span class="hide-when-compact"> You may <a class="external text" href="https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Trademark_distinctiveness&action=edit">improve this article</a>, discuss the issue on the <a href="/wiki/Talk:Trademark_distinctiveness" title="Talk:Trademark distinctiveness">talk page</a>, or <a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Article_wizard" title="Wikipedia:Article wizard">create a new article</a>, as appropriate.</span> <span class="date-container"><i>(<span class="date">November 2011</span>)</i></span><span class="hide-when-compact"><i> (<small><a href="/wiki/Help:Maintenance_template_removal" title="Help:Maintenance template removal">Learn how and when to remove this message</a></small>)</i></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table> </div> </div><span class="hide-when-compact"><i> (<small><a href="/wiki/Help:Maintenance_template_removal" title="Help:Maintenance template removal">Learn how and when to remove this message</a></small>)</i></span></div></td></tr></tbody></table> <p><b>Trademark distinctiveness</b> is an important concept in the law governing <a href="/wiki/Trademark" title="Trademark">trademarks</a> and <a href="/wiki/Service_mark" title="Service mark">service marks</a>. A trademark may be eligible for registration, or <b>registrable</b>, if it performs the essential trademark function, and has <b>distinctive character</b>. Registrability can be understood as a continuum, with "inherently distinctive" marks at one end, "generic" and "descriptive" marks with no distinctive character at the other end, and "suggestive" and "arbitrary" marks lying between these two points. "Descriptive" marks must acquire distinctiveness through secondary meaning—consumers have come to recognize the mark as a source indicator—to be protectable.<sup id="cite_ref-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-1"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>1<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> "Generic" terms are used to refer to the product or service itself and cannot be used as trademarks. </p> <meta property="mw:PageProp/toc" /> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="The_spectrum_of_distinctiveness">The spectrum of distinctiveness</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Trademark_distinctiveness&action=edit&section=1" title="Edit section: The spectrum of distinctiveness"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>In <a href="/wiki/United_States_trademark_law" title="United States trademark law">United States trademark law</a>, <a href="/wiki/Abercrombie_%26_Fitch_Co._v._Hunting_World" class="mw-redirect" title="Abercrombie & Fitch Co. v. Hunting World">Abercrombie & Fitch Co. v. Hunting World</a> 537 F.2d 4 (2nd Cir. 1976) established the <a href="/wiki/Spectrum" title="Spectrum">spectrum</a> of trademark distinctiveness in the US, breaking trademarks into classes which are accorded differing degrees of protection. Courts often speak of marks falling along the following "<b>spectrum of distinctiveness</b>," also known within the US as the "<a href="/wiki/Abercrombie_%26_Fitch" title="Abercrombie & Fitch">Abercrombie</a> classification" or "Abercrombie factors":<sup id="cite_ref-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-2"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>2<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-3"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>3<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-4"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>4<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Fanciful_marks">Fanciful marks</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Trademark_distinctiveness&action=edit&section=2" title="Edit section: Fanciful marks"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <figure class="mw-default-size" typeof="mw:File/Thumb"><a href="/wiki/File:Logo_of_the_Eastman_Kodak_Company_(2006%E2%80%932016).svg" class="mw-file-description"><img src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Logo_of_the_Eastman_Kodak_Company_%282006%E2%80%932016%29.svg/220px-Logo_of_the_Eastman_Kodak_Company_%282006%E2%80%932016%29.svg.png" decoding="async" width="220" height="56" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Logo_of_the_Eastman_Kodak_Company_%282006%E2%80%932016%29.svg/330px-Logo_of_the_Eastman_Kodak_Company_%282006%E2%80%932016%29.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/d6/Logo_of_the_Eastman_Kodak_Company_%282006%E2%80%932016%29.svg/440px-Logo_of_the_Eastman_Kodak_Company_%282006%E2%80%932016%29.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="348" data-file-height="89" /></a><figcaption></figcaption></figure> <p>A <b>fanciful</b> / <b>inherently distinctive</b> trademark is <a href="/wiki/Prima_facie" title="Prima facie">prima facie</a> registrable, and comprises an entirely invented or "fanciful" sign.<sup id="cite_ref-:0_5-0" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:0-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> For example, "<a href="/wiki/Kodak" title="Kodak">Kodak</a>" had no meaning before it was adopted and used as a trademark in relation to goods, whether photographic goods or otherwise. Invented marks are <a href="/wiki/Neologism" title="Neologism">neologisms</a> which will not previously have been found in any <a href="/wiki/Dictionary" title="Dictionary">dictionary</a>. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Arbitrary_marks">Arbitrary marks</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Trademark_distinctiveness&action=edit&section=3" title="Edit section: Arbitrary marks"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>An <b>arbitrary</b> trademark is usually a common word which is used in a meaningless context (e.g. "<a href="/wiki/Apple_Inc." title="Apple Inc.">Apple</a>" for computers). Such marks consist of words or images which have some dictionary meaning before being adopted as trademarks, but which are used in connection with products or services unrelated to that dictionary meaning. Arbitrary marks are also immediately eligible for registration. <i>Salty</i> would be an arbitrary mark if used in connection with e.g. telephones such as in <i>Salty Telephones</i>, as the term "<a href="/wiki/Salt" title="Salt">salt</a>" has no particular connection with such products. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Suggestive_marks">Suggestive marks</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Trademark_distinctiveness&action=edit&section=4" title="Edit section: Suggestive marks"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>A <b>suggestive</b> mark tends to indicate the nature, quality, or a characteristic of the products or services in relation to which it is used, but does not describe this characteristic, and requires imagination on the part of the consumer to identify the characteristic. Suggestive marks invoke the consumer’s perceptive imagination. Examples of a suggestive mark are <a href="/wiki/Blu-ray_Disc" class="mw-redirect" title="Blu-ray Disc">Blu-ray</a>, a new technology of high-capacity data storage that utilizes a "blue" (actually <a href="/wiki/Violet_(color)" title="Violet (color)">violet</a>) <a href="/wiki/Laser" title="Laser">laser</a> and <a href="/wiki/Airbus" title="Airbus">Airbus</a>, an aerospace corporation manufacturing commercial aircraft. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Descriptive_marks">Descriptive marks</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Trademark_distinctiveness&action=edit&section=5" title="Edit section: Descriptive marks"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>A <b>descriptive</b> mark is a term with a dictionary meaning which is used in connection with products or services directly related to that meaning.<sup id="cite_ref-:0_5-1" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:0-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> An example might be <i>Salty</i> used in connection with saltine crackers or anchovies. Such terms are not registrable unless it attains a 'secondary meaning', such that the mark is so distinctive that people associated it with specific brand name in the <a href="/wiki/Marketplace" title="Marketplace">marketplace</a>. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Generic_terms">Generic terms</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Trademark_distinctiveness&action=edit&section=6" title="Edit section: Generic terms"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1236090951">.mw-parser-output .hatnote{font-style:italic}.mw-parser-output div.hatnote{padding-left:1.6em;margin-bottom:0.5em}.mw-parser-output .hatnote i{font-style:normal}.mw-parser-output .hatnote+link+.hatnote{margin-top:-0.5em}@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .hatnote{display:none!important}}</style><div role="note" class="hatnote navigation-not-searchable">"Generic term" redirects here. For other uses, see <a href="/wiki/Generic_(disambiguation)" class="mw-redirect mw-disambig" title="Generic (disambiguation)">Generic</a>, <a href="/wiki/Generic_name_(disambiguation)" class="mw-redirect mw-disambig" title="Generic name (disambiguation)">Generic name</a>, and <a href="/wiki/Umbrella_term" class="mw-redirect" title="Umbrella term">Umbrella term</a>.</div> <p>A <b>generic term</b> is the common name for the products or services in connection with which it is used, such as "salt" when used in connection with sodium chloride. A generic term is not capable of serving the essential trademark function of distinguishing the products or services of a business from the products or services of other businesses, and therefore cannot be afforded any legal protection.<sup id="cite_ref-:0_5-2" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:0-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> This is because there has to be some term which may generally be used by anyone—including other manufacturers—to refer to a product without using some organization's proprietary trademark. Marks which become generic after losing distinctive character are known as <a href="/wiki/Generic_trademark" title="Generic trademark">generic trademarks</a>. Marks which are a misspelling of a generic term (e.g., the elimination of a space) do not change the generic significance of the term.<sup id="cite_ref-6" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-6"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>6<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-7" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-7"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>7<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Aspirin tablet is a registered trademark by Bayer AG. Aspirin is a generic word in the United States for the pain reliever acetylsalicylic acid (also known as ASA).<sup id="cite_ref-8" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-8"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>8<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Another example is the term "<a href="/wiki/Cyberpunk" title="Cyberpunk">cyberpunk</a>", which in the United States is a registered trademark by <a href="/wiki/R._Talsorian_Games" title="R. Talsorian Games">R. Talsorian Games Inc.</a> for its <a href="/wiki/Cyberpunk_2020" class="mw-redirect" title="Cyberpunk 2020">tabletop role-playing game</a><sup id="cite_ref-9" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-9"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>9<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> and within the European Union by <a href="/wiki/CD_Projekt" title="CD Projekt">CD Projekt SA</a> for "games and online gaming services"<sup id="cite_ref-10" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-10"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>10<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> (particularly for the <a href="/wiki/Cyberpunk_2077" title="Cyberpunk 2077">video game adaptation of the former</a>) and by <a href="/wiki/Sony_Music" title="Sony Music">Sony Music</a> for use outside games.<sup id="cite_ref-11" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-11"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>11<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Trademark right is generally country specific. Thus, a mark that become generic in one country, such as the example of Aspirin, can still be used and recognized as a trademark in another country.<sup id="cite_ref-12" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-12"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>12<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="Assessing_distinctiveness">Assessing distinctiveness</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Trademark_distinctiveness&action=edit&section=7" title="Edit section: Assessing distinctiveness"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>In trademark litigation, courts are most frequently asked to distinguish between <i>suggestive</i> and <i>descriptive</i> marks on the one hand, and between <i>descriptive</i> and <i>generic</i> marks on the other. This is because suggestive marks, like fanciful and arbitrary marks, are presumed to be entitled to trademark protection, while descriptive marks are entitled to protection if they have become known as representing the producer of the goods, and generic marks can never receive protection.<sup id="cite_ref-13" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-13"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>13<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> It can be seen from the examples above that the distinctive character of a term is closely related to the products or services in relation to which the term is used. </p><p>A general method for assessing the distinctive character of a mark is to consider a consumer's reaction to a mark.<sup id="cite_ref-:0_5-3" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:0-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> The mark may only be inherently registrable if the consumer has never encountered the mark before. On the other hand, the mark is unlikely to be inherently registrable if it informs him about any characteristic of the relevant products or services (e.g. whether they are delicious, large, spicy, black, or sweet, in the case of fruit). In any other case the mark may not be registrable. </p><p>Another example of a descriptive mark would be a geographical word or phrase that merely indicates the origin of the product or service. For example, <a href="/wiki/Houston,_Texas" class="mw-redirect" title="Houston, Texas">Houston</a> based <a href="/wiki/Ice_cream" title="Ice cream">ice cream</a> might find that the name "Houston ice cream" is denied trademark protection on the grounds that the word Houston is merely descriptive. However, they might have better luck with the name "North Pole ice cream". In the latter case, although North Pole is a geographical location, the ice cream is not actually made at the <a href="/wiki/North_Pole" title="North Pole">North Pole</a>, and no reasonable person would assume that the phrase North Pole is literally descriptive.<sup id="cite_ref-14" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-14"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>14<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>Therefore marks that identify or describe a product or service, or that are in common use, or that are used as <a href="/wiki/Geographical_indication" title="Geographical indication">geographical indications</a>, generally cannot be registered as trademarks, and remain in the <a href="/wiki/Public_domain" title="Public domain">public domain</a> for use by anyone.<sup id="cite_ref-:0_5-4" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:0-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> For example, a generic term such as "apple", or descriptive terms such as "red" or "juicy" could not be registered in relation to apples. </p><p>Primary consideration in the selection and use of trademarks should be given to marks which are inherently distinctive, as they possess the strongest distinctive character and do not require evidence of use to establish acquired distinctiveness. A fanciful, arbitrary, or suggestive term can be inherently distinctive and registrable without proof of acquired distinctiveness. Although these categories are most easily applied in relation to trademarks comprising words, the same general principles are applied in relation to all kinds of trademarks. For example, a pine tree shape is descriptive when used on pine-scented products. </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Acquired_distinctiveness">Acquired distinctiveness</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Trademark_distinctiveness&action=edit&section=8" title="Edit section: Acquired distinctiveness"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>A trademark with no distinctive character (i.e. a mark which is not inherently distinctive) is <a href="/wiki/Prima_facie" title="Prima facie">prima facie</a> unregistrable.<sup id="cite_ref-15" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-15"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>15<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> However, most jurisdictions may still allow such marks to be registered if the trademark owner can demonstrate, typically by reference to <b>evidence of use</b>, that consumers in the marketplace exclusively associate the mark, as used on the identified goods or in connection with the identified services, with a particular commercial origin or source (i.e. the trademark owner). "Use" may include authorized use by a licensee or other party. If the trade mark office is satisfied that the evidence demonstrates that a mark has "acquired" distinctive character <i>as a <a href="/wiki/De_facto" title="De facto">matter of fact</a></i>, then the mark may be accepted for registration on the basis of <b>acquired distinctiveness</b>. </p><p>The nature and extent of acceptable evidence of use varies between jurisdictions, although the most useful evidence usually includes sales figures, details of advertising and promotional expenditure, and examples of promotional material. Consumer surveys may also help establish that consumers chiefly associate an otherwise non-distinctive mark with the trademark owner and its products or services. Generally, evidence of use may only be acceptable or relevant if it covers a certain period of time (e.g. three years prior to the filing date of the trademark application) and originates from within the jurisdiction where registration is sought. </p><p>The terminology of acquired distinctiveness is accepted in the <a href="/wiki/European_Union" title="European Union">European Union</a> and <a href="/wiki/Commonwealth_of_Nations" title="Commonwealth of Nations">Commonwealth</a> jurisdictions such as <a href="/wiki/Australia" title="Australia">Australia</a>, <a href="/wiki/Hong_Kong" title="Hong Kong">Hong Kong</a> and the <a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom" title="United Kingdom">United Kingdom</a>, and the common law jurisdiction of the <a href="/wiki/United_States" title="United States">United States</a> (which also uses the term <b>secondary meaning</b>). In the U.S., if a trademark has been used for a continuous period of at least five years after the date of registration, the right to use the mark and the registration may become "incontestable" (e.g. invulnerable to cancellation for non-use, but not for becoming <a href="/wiki/Genericized_trademark" class="mw-redirect" title="Genericized trademark">generic</a>). In such cases the <a href="/wiki/United_States_Patent_and_Trademark_Office" title="United States Patent and Trademark Office">USPTO</a> checks and confirms whether the request for incontestability meets formality requirements, but whether a registration is incontestable at law can only be determined during legal proceedings involving the registration. </p><p>The essential function of a trademark is to exclusively identify the commercial source or origin of products or services, such that a trademark, properly called, indicates source or serves as a badge of origin. The use of a trademark in this way is known as trademark use. Certain exclusive rights attach to a registered mark, which can be enforced by way of an action for trademark infringement, while unregistered trademark rights may be enforced pursuant to the common law tort of <a href="/wiki/Passing_off" title="Passing off">passing off</a>. </p><p>Trademark rights generally arise out of the use and/or registration (see below) of a mark in connection only with a specific type or range of products or services. Although it may sometimes be possible to take legal action to prevent the use of a mark in relation to products or services outside this range (e.g. for passing off), this does not mean that trademark law prevents the use of that mark by the general public. A common word, phrase, or other sign can only be removed from the public domain to the extent that a trademark owner is able to maintain exclusive rights over that sign in relation to certain products or services, assuming there are no other trademark objections. For a case study in both concepts, see <i><a href="/wiki/Apple_Corps_v_Apple_Computer" title="Apple Corps v Apple Computer">Apple Corps v Apple Computer</a>.</i> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading3"><h3 id="Maintaining_distinctiveness">Maintaining distinctiveness</h3><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Trademark_distinctiveness&action=edit&section=9" title="Edit section: Maintaining distinctiveness"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <p>If a court rules that a trademark has become "<a href="/wiki/Genericized_trademark" class="mw-redirect" title="Genericized trademark">generic</a>" through common use (such that the mark no longer performs the essential trademark function and the average consumer no longer considers that exclusive rights attach to it), the corresponding registration may also be ruled invalid.<sup id="cite_ref-:0_5-5" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-:0-5"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>5<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> </p><p>For example, the <a href="/wiki/Bayer" title="Bayer">Bayer</a> company's trademark "<a href="/wiki/Aspirin" title="Aspirin">Aspirin</a>" has been ruled generic in the United States, so other companies may use that name for <a href="/wiki/Acetylsalicylic_acid" class="mw-redirect" title="Acetylsalicylic acid">acetylsalicylic acid</a> as well (although it is still a trademark in <a href="/wiki/Canada" title="Canada">Canada</a>). <a href="/wiki/Xerox" title="Xerox">Xerox</a> for photocopiers and <a href="/wiki/Band-Aid" title="Band-Aid">Band-Aid</a> for adhesive bandages are both trademarks which are at risk of losing their trademark status by becoming declared generic in certain countries, something that the respective trademark owners actively seek to prevent. In order to prevent marks becoming generic, trademark owners often contact those who appear to be using the trademark incorrectly, from web page authors to dictionary editors, and request that they cease the improper usage. </p><p>The proper use of a trademark means using the mark as an <a href="/wiki/Adjective" title="Adjective">adjective</a>, not as a <a href="/wiki/Noun" title="Noun">noun</a> or a <a href="/wiki/Verb" title="Verb">verb</a>,<sup id="cite_ref-16" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-16"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>16<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-17" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-17"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>17<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-18" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-18"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>18<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup><sup id="cite_ref-19" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-19"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>19<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> though for certain trademarks, use as nouns and, less commonly, verbs is common. For example, <a href="/wiki/Adobe_Systems" class="mw-redirect" title="Adobe Systems">Adobe</a> sent e-mails to many web authors using the term "<a href="/wiki/Photoshopped" class="mw-redirect" title="Photoshopped">photoshopped</a>" telling them that they should only use the term "modified by Adobe® Photoshop® software." Xerox has also purchased print advertisements declaring that "you cannot 'xerox' a document, but you can copy it on a Xerox Brand copying on machine." Another popular example is the use of the word "<a href="/wiki/Frappuccino" title="Frappuccino">frappuccino</a>" by <a href="/wiki/Starbucks" title="Starbucks">Starbucks</a> customers to mean any blended coffee beverage, though employees are instructed to only say "frappuccino blended coffee" or "frappuccino blended cream" when referring to such drinks. This rule is not hard-and-fast, however; for example, Lexis-Nexis has a U.S. trademark registration for "Shepardize," <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="http://tarr.uspto.gov/servlet/tarr?regser=serial&entry=74120780">Reg. No. 1743711</a>, and defines "Shepardizing on a web page as "the process of looking up citations" in "a series of books called Shepard's Citations."<sup id="cite_ref-20" class="reference"><a href="#cite_note-20"><span class="cite-bracket">[</span>20<span class="cite-bracket">]</span></a></sup> Such efforts may or may not be successful in preventing genericism in the long run, which depends less on the mark owner's efforts and more on how the public actually perceives and uses the mark. In fact, legally it is more important that the trademark holder visibly and actively seems to attempt to prevent its trademark from becoming generic, regardless of real success.<sup class="noprint Inline-Template Template-Fact" style="white-space:nowrap;">[<i><a href="/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed" title="Wikipedia:Citation needed"><span title="This claim needs references to reliable sources. (January 2016)">citation needed</span></a></i>]</sup> </p> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="See_also">See also</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Trademark_distinctiveness&action=edit&section=10" title="Edit section: See also"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Ghost_mark" title="Ghost mark">Ghost marks</a></li> <li><a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/Transwiki:Glossary_of_legal_terms_in_technology" class="extiw" title="wikt:Transwiki:Glossary of legal terms in technology">Glossary of legal terms in technology</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/International_Trademark_Association" title="International Trademark Association">International Trademark Association</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Madrid_system" class="mw-redirect" title="Madrid system">Madrid system</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Proper_adjective" title="Proper adjective">Proper adjective</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Service_mark" title="Service mark">Service marks</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Trade_dress" title="Trade dress">Trade dress</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Trademark_attorney" title="Trademark attorney">Trademark attorney</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Trademark_dilution" title="Trademark dilution">Trademark dilution</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Unregistered_trademark" title="Unregistered trademark">Unregistered trademark</a></li></ul> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="References">References</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Trademark_distinctiveness&action=edit&section=11" title="Edit section: References"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1239543626">.mw-parser-output .reflist{margin-bottom:0.5em;list-style-type:decimal}@media screen{.mw-parser-output .reflist{font-size:90%}}.mw-parser-output .reflist .references{font-size:100%;margin-bottom:0;list-style-type:inherit}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-2{column-width:30em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns-3{column-width:25em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns{margin-top:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns ol{margin-top:0}.mw-parser-output .reflist-columns li{page-break-inside:avoid;break-inside:avoid-column}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-alpha{list-style-type:upper-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-upper-roman{list-style-type:upper-roman}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-alpha{list-style-type:lower-alpha}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-greek{list-style-type:lower-greek}.mw-parser-output .reflist-lower-roman{list-style-type:lower-roman}</style><div class="reflist"> <div class="mw-references-wrap mw-references-columns"><ol class="references"> <li id="cite_note-1"><span class="mw-cite-backlink"><b><a href="#cite_ref-1">^</a></b></span> <span class="reference-text"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1238218222">.mw-parser-output cite.citation{font-style:inherit;word-wrap:break-word}.mw-parser-output .citation q{quotes:"\"""\"""'""'"}.mw-parser-output .citation:target{background-color:rgba(0,127,255,0.133)}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-free.id-lock-free a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/65/Lock-green.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited.id-lock-limited a,.mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration.id-lock-registration a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/d6/Lock-gray-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription.id-lock-subscription a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/aa/Lock-red-alt-2.svg")right 0.1em center/9px no-repeat}.mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background:url("//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4c/Wikisource-logo.svg")right 0.1em center/12px no-repeat}body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-free a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-limited a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-registration a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .id-lock-subscription a,body:not(.skin-timeless):not(.skin-minerva) .mw-parser-output .cs1-ws-icon a{background-size:contain;padding:0 1em 0 0}.mw-parser-output .cs1-code{color:inherit;background:inherit;border:none;padding:inherit}.mw-parser-output .cs1-hidden-error{display:none;color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-visible-error{color:var(--color-error,#d33)}.mw-parser-output .cs1-maint{display:none;color:#085;margin-left:0.3em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-left{padding-left:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .cs1-kern-right{padding-right:0.2em}.mw-parser-output .citation .mw-selflink{font-weight:inherit}@media screen{.mw-parser-output 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Retrieved <span class="nowrap">2019-09-12</span></span>.</cite><span title="ctx_ver=Z39.88-2004&rft_val_fmt=info%3Aofi%2Ffmt%3Akev%3Amtx%3Ajournal&rft.genre=unknown&rft.jtitle=www.lexisnexis.com&rft.atitle=Farewell+to+Zimmerman%27s+Research+Guide&rft_id=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.lexisnexis.com%2Finfopro%2Fkeeping-current%2Fb%2Fweblog%2Farchive%2F2015%2F12%2F10%2Ffarewell-to-zimmerman-s-research-guide.aspx&rfr_id=info%3Asid%2Fen.wikipedia.org%3ATrademark+distinctiveness" class="Z3988"></span></span> </li> </ol></div></div> <div class="mw-heading mw-heading2"><h2 id="External_links">External links</h2><span class="mw-editsection"><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">[</span><a href="/w/index.php?title=Trademark_distinctiveness&action=edit&section=12" title="Edit section: External links"><span>edit</span></a><span class="mw-editsection-bracket">]</span></span></div> <style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1235681985">.mw-parser-output .side-box{margin:4px 0;box-sizing:border-box;border:1px solid #aaa;font-size:88%;line-height:1.25em;background-color:var(--background-color-interactive-subtle,#f8f9fa);display:flow-root}.mw-parser-output .side-box-abovebelow,.mw-parser-output .side-box-text{padding:0.25em 0.9em}.mw-parser-output .side-box-image{padding:2px 0 2px 0.9em;text-align:center}.mw-parser-output .side-box-imageright{padding:2px 0.9em 2px 0;text-align:center}@media(min-width:500px){.mw-parser-output .side-box-flex{display:flex;align-items:center}.mw-parser-output .side-box-text{flex:1;min-width:0}}@media(min-width:720px){.mw-parser-output .side-box{width:238px}.mw-parser-output .side-box-right{clear:right;float:right;margin-left:1em}.mw-parser-output .side-box-left{margin-right:1em}}</style><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1237033735">@media print{body.ns-0 .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox{display:none!important}}@media screen{html.skin-theme-clientpref-night .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox img[src*="Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg"]{background-color:white}}@media screen and (prefers-color-scheme:dark){html.skin-theme-clientpref-os .mw-parser-output .sistersitebox img[src*="Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg"]{background-color:white}}</style><div class="side-box side-box-right plainlinks sistersitebox"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1126788409">.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul{line-height:inherit;list-style:none;margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .plainlist ol li,.mw-parser-output .plainlist ul li{margin-bottom:0}</style> <div class="side-box-flex"> <div class="side-box-image"><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg/40px-Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg.png" decoding="async" width="40" height="40" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg/60px-Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/9/99/Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg/80px-Wiktionary-logo-en-v2.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="512" data-file-height="512" /></span></span></div> <div class="side-box-text plainlist">Look up <i><b><a href="https://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/trademark" class="extiw" title="wiktionary:trademark">trademark</a></b></i> in Wiktionary, the free dictionary.</div></div> </div> <link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1235681985"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1237033735"><div class="side-box side-box-right plainlinks sistersitebox"><link rel="mw-deduplicated-inline-style" href="mw-data:TemplateStyles:r1126788409"> <div class="side-box-flex"> <div class="side-box-image"><span class="noviewer" typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/df/Wikibooks-logo-en-noslogan.svg/40px-Wikibooks-logo-en-noslogan.svg.png" decoding="async" width="40" height="40" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/df/Wikibooks-logo-en-noslogan.svg/60px-Wikibooks-logo-en-noslogan.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/d/df/Wikibooks-logo-en-noslogan.svg/80px-Wikibooks-logo-en-noslogan.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="400" data-file-height="400" /></span></span></div> <div class="side-box-text plainlist">Wikibooks has a book on the topic of: <i><b><a href="https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/US_Trademark_Law" class="extiw" title="wikibooks:US Trademark Law">US Trademark Law</a></b></i></div></div> </div> <ul><li>Canadian Trademark Law <a rel="nofollow" class="external text" href="https://web.archive.org/web/20080918044116/http://www.crollco.com/FAQs.php">FAQ</a></li></ul> <div class="navbox-styles"><style data-mw-deduplicate="TemplateStyles:r1129693374">.mw-parser-output .hlist dl,.mw-parser-output .hlist ol,.mw-parser-output .hlist ul{margin:0;padding:0}.mw-parser-output .hlist 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href="/wiki/Template:Trademark_law" title="Template:Trademark law"><abbr title="View this template">v</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-talk"><a href="/wiki/Template_talk:Trademark_law" title="Template talk:Trademark law"><abbr title="Discuss this template">t</abbr></a></li><li class="nv-edit"><a href="/wiki/Special:EditPage/Template:Trademark_law" title="Special:EditPage/Template:Trademark law"><abbr title="Edit this template">e</abbr></a></li></ul></div><div id="Trademark_law" style="font-size:114%;margin:0 4em"><a href="/wiki/Trademark" title="Trademark">Trademark law</a></div></th></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Concepts</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a class="mw-selflink selflink">Distinctiveness</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Trademark_dilution" title="Trademark dilution">Dilution</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Generic_trademark" title="Generic trademark">Generic trademark</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Passing_off" title="Passing off">Passing off</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Concurrent_use_registration" title="Concurrent use registration">Concurrent use</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Priority_right" title="Priority right">Priority right</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Trade_mark_coexistence_agreement" class="mw-redirect" title="Trade mark coexistence agreement">Coexistence agreement</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Confusing_similarity" title="Confusing similarity">Confusing similarity</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Functionality_doctrine" title="Functionality doctrine">Functionality doctrine</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Initial_interest_confusion" title="Initial interest confusion">Initial interest confusion</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Tea_Rose_%E2%80%93_Rectanus_doctrine" title="Tea Rose – Rectanus doctrine">Good faith doctrine</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Fair_use_(U.S._trademark_law)" title="Fair use (U.S. trademark law)">Fair use</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Secondary_liability" title="Secondary liability">Secondary liability</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Nominative_use" title="Nominative use">Nominative use</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Disparagement" title="Disparagement">Disparagement</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Reputation_parasitism" title="Reputation parasitism">Reputation parasitism</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Cybersquatting" title="Cybersquatting">Cybersquatting</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Parallel_import" title="Parallel import">Parallel import</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Trademark#Well-known_status" title="Trademark">Well-known trademark</a></li></ul> </div></td><td class="noviewer navbox-image" rowspan="8" style="width:1px;padding:0 0 0 2px"><div><span typeof="mw:File"><span><img alt="The word "R" within a circle" src="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2b/RegisteredTM.svg/50px-RegisteredTM.svg.png" decoding="async" width="50" height="50" class="mw-file-element" srcset="//upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2b/RegisteredTM.svg/75px-RegisteredTM.svg.png 1.5x, //upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/2b/RegisteredTM.svg/100px-RegisteredTM.svg.png 2x" data-file-width="200" data-file-height="200" /></span></span></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Treaties</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Paris_Convention_for_the_Protection_of_Industrial_Property" title="Paris Convention for the Protection of Industrial Property">Paris Convention</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Madrid_Agreement" class="mw-redirect" title="Madrid Agreement">Madrid Agreement</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Madrid_Protocol" title="Madrid Protocol">Madrid Protocol</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Agreement_on_Trade-Related_Aspects_of_Intellectual_Property_Rights" class="mw-redirect" title="Agreement on Trade-Related Aspects of Intellectual Property Rights">TRIPS</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Singapore_Treaty_on_the_Law_of_Trademarks" title="Singapore Treaty on the Law of Trademarks">Singapore Treaty</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Community_Trade_Mark" class="mw-redirect" title="Community Trade Mark">Community Trade Mark</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Uniform_Domain-Name_Dispute-Resolution_Policy" title="Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy">Uniform Domain-Name Dispute-Resolution Policy</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Country</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Australian_trade_mark_law" title="Australian trade mark law">Australia</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Canadian_trademark_law" title="Canadian trademark law">Canada</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Trademark_law_of_China" title="Trademark law of China">China</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Trade_mark_law_of_the_European_Union" title="Trade mark law of the European Union">European Union</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hong_Kong_trademark_law" class="mw-redirect" title="Hong Kong trademark law">Hong Kong</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Indian_trademark_law" title="Indian trademark law">India</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Irish_trademark_law&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Irish trademark law (page does not exist)">Ireland</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Japanese_trademark_law" title="Japanese trademark law">Japan</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Trademark_Law_of_Oman" class="mw-redirect" title="Trademark Law of Oman">Oman</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Philippine_trademark_law" title="Philippine trademark law">Philippines</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_Kingdom_trade_mark_law" title="United Kingdom trade mark law">United Kingdom</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_trademark_law" title="United States trademark law">United States</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Trademark_classification" title="Trademark classification">Types</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"></div><table class="nowraplinks navbox-subgroup" style="border-spacing:0"><tbody><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/International_(Nice)_Classification_of_Goods_and_Services" title="International (Nice) Classification of Goods and Services">Standard</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Registered_trademark" class="mw-redirect" title="Registered trademark">Registered trademark</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Service_mark" title="Service mark">Service mark</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Trade_dress" title="Trade dress">Trade dress</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Unregistered_trademark" title="Unregistered trademark">Unregistered trademark</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Wordmark" title="Wordmark">Wordmark</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Non-standard</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Certification_mark" title="Certification mark">Certification marks</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Chartered_mark" title="Chartered mark">Chartered marks</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Collective_trademark" class="mw-redirect" title="Collective trademark">Collective trademarks</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Defensive_trademark" class="mw-redirect" title="Defensive trademark">Defensive trademarks</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Electronic_registration_mark" title="Electronic registration mark">Electronic registration marks</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Intellectual_property_protection_of_typefaces" title="Intellectual property protection of typefaces">Font trademark</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ghost_mark" title="Ghost mark">Ghost marks</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Geographical_indication" title="Geographical indication">Geographical indication</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Protected_designation_of_origin" title="Protected designation of origin">Protected designation of origin</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%"><a href="/wiki/Non-conventional_trademark" title="Non-conventional trademark">Non-conventional</a></th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Colour_trade_mark" title="Colour trade mark">Colour trademarks</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Hologram_trademark" title="Hologram trademark">Hologram trademarks</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Motion_trademark" class="mw-redirect" title="Motion trademark">Motion trademarks</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Scent_trademark" class="mw-redirect" title="Scent trademark">Scent trademarks</a></li> <li><a href="/w/index.php?title=Shape_trademark&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="Shape trademark (page does not exist)">Shape trademarks</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Sound_trademark" title="Sound trademark">Sound trademarks</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Related</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Brand" title="Brand">Brand</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Emblem" title="Emblem">Emblem</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Logo" title="Logo">Logo</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr></tbody></table><div></div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Bodies</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/World_Intellectual_Property_Organization" title="World Intellectual Property Organization">WIPO</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/International_Trademark_Association" title="International Trademark Association">International Trademark Association</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/European_Union_Intellectual_Property_Office" title="European Union Intellectual Property Office">EUIPO</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/United_States_Patent_and_Trademark_Office" title="United States Patent and Trademark Office">USPTO</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Internet_Corporation_for_Assigned_Names_and_Numbers" class="mw-redirect" title="Internet Corporation for Assigned Names and Numbers">ICANN</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Deutsches_Patent-_und_Markenamt" class="mw-redirect" title="Deutsches Patent- und Markenamt">Deutsches Patent- und Markenamt</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Canadian_Intellectual_Property_Office" title="Canadian Intellectual Property Office">CIPO</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Symbols</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Registered_trademark_symbol" title="Registered trademark symbol">Registered trademark symbol</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Service_mark_symbol" title="Service mark symbol">Service mark symbol</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Trademark_symbol" title="Trademark symbol">Unregistered trademark symbol</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Disputes</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-even" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Budweiser_trademark_dispute" title="Budweiser trademark dispute">Budweiser</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Debian%E2%80%93Mozilla_trademark_dispute" title="Debian–Mozilla trademark dispute">Debian–Mozilla</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Stolichnaya_trademark_dispute" class="mw-redirect" title="Stolichnaya trademark dispute">Stolichnaya</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Ugg_boots_trademark_dispute" title="Ugg boots trademark dispute">Ugg boots</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Washington_Redskins_trademark_dispute" title="Washington Redskins trademark dispute">Washington Redskins</a></li></ul> </div></td></tr><tr><th scope="row" class="navbox-group" style="width:1%">Related</th><td class="navbox-list-with-group navbox-list navbox-odd" style="width:100%;padding:0"><div style="padding:0 0.25em"> <ul><li><a href="/wiki/Trademark_attorney" title="Trademark attorney">Trademark attorney</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Trademark_examiner" title="Trademark examiner">Trademark examiner</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Trademark_infringement" title="Trademark infringement">Trademark infringement</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Trademark_share" title="Trademark share">Trademark share</a></li> <li><a href="/wiki/Trademark_troll" title="Trademark troll">Trademark troll</a></li> <li><a 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