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?

Photo of Jan Buza

Written by Jan Buza

Co-founder of Trama

The protection of a figurative trademark applies to the exact version of the mark included in the original application. Therefore, if you change your logo in the future, it won't be covered by the trademark any more. To protect that new version, you will have to file a new application.

You can choose to register a wordmark instead, which would offer you broader protection. If another company were to use a logo with the text of your registered wordmark, it would constitute infringement.

However, a wordmark wouldn't protect you in case of visual similarities between your and your competitor's logo. Imagine McDonald's only trademarking their name, but not their famous M-arch, which would be available for exploitation.

Many businesses choose the wordmark-only option, as customers usually identify a brand by its name first and visual elements second. However, for the broadest protection possible, we recommend registering both the name and the logo.

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