Logo vs name trademark

Choosing between a logo and a wordmark is one of the most important decisions before filing your trademark application. Though sometimes combined, these two types of trademarks serve different purposes and protect different things.

To help you choose the best option, we've compiled the answers to the most frequently asked questions regarding these two trademark types below.

Frequently asked questions

What is a word mark?
What is a figurative trademark?
What is a combined trademark?
Does a combined mark offer the strongest protection?
Should I register the name or the logo?
What is the difference between a word and a figurative mark?
Is there a way to protect both the name and the logo?
Should I register both the name and the logo as a trademark?
Does the choice of font impact the registration of a word mark?
After my wordmark is registered, can I apply different fonts to it?
Do capital letters matter when trademarking a word?
Does spacing between words matter registering a trademark?
Would adding the plural, "s" to the end of the brand name, make any difference in terms of trademarkability?
Would misspelling/leaving characters out of the brand name improve my chances of successful trademark registration?
The brand is written using some decorations. Should I register the brand as a word trademark or a logo trademark?
Do I need a trademark for my logo?
Do I need to be using my logo in business before filing a trademark application?
Does a logo trademark protect all versions of the logo?
I have several variations of my logo. Which one should I register?
What colour version of the logo should I choose when registering a trademark?
Will I be able to use different colour versions of my trademark?
Can I add a logo to an existing trademark?
After I file a trademark application, would adding a logo have any additional charges?
Would adding a logo to a trademark application increase the chances of a successful registration?
If my logo includes text, is the text also protected by the trademark?
Can a figurative trademark include text?
Is there a way to update our trademark registration if we decide to alter our logo?
Can I trademark a logo containing generic shapes?
What are the requirements for registering a logo trademark?
Does having the slogan in the logo make it more tricky to get trademark approval? Should I remove it or make it separate?
Would changing the colour of the rectangle on my logo make any difference in terms of registrability?
How can I trademark a slogan/tagline?
I have a brand logo and name, do I need two trademark applications to protect my brand?
Can I use the word and image trademarks separately if I register them together?
Can I avoid additional costs by registering both word and image trademarks in one application?
If I register a combined mark, will both the logo mark and the name be protected or just the combination of the two?
Can I register the word mark now and the logo later?
We have several product lines - XX-homme, XX-femme, XX-sport. Shall we trademark all these names or just XX?
We would like the broadest protection possible so that if changes in the logo are made later, those changes will not negatively impact the trademark protection for our brand. Shall we register the logo, the text, or both?
Our logo is merely a company name with the addition of a visual element. Is it wise to register it? Or shall we register the name instead?
I still have to create the logo and I would rather have the business name secured before I begin doing so. Can you advise in terms of trademark strategy?
I'm about to rebrand and I'd like figurative trademarks to cover both my old logo (which is well established) and my new logo which I will move forward with in the coming years. Is there any way to handle this in one application?
My business name and logo look quite unique, very distinctive from everything out there. Can there still be an issue with my trademark application?
Is logo one class and the name another class when it comes to trademark registration?
Do word marks and logo trademarks cost differently?

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“A lot of businesses focus on the product: what's good about the product, what makes the product so different, the unique selling proposition. You hear these phrases all the time. Take On Goliath looks at things a little differently. We go far enough back to see what's needed to support the consumer, the retailer, the wholesaler, and then the brand itself.” Read the full story of Dave Christie, the founder of Take on Goliath, another inspiring brand protected by Trama that helps SME businesses be seen and heard more.