Can I slightly change the trademark when renewing it?

Kickresume is an example of a successful startup business created by Tomáš Ondrejka and Peter Ďuriš. This online tool for the creation of CVs has already helped more than 1,000,000 users get their dream job. It is the easy-to-remember name of Kickresume that has fostered the growth of this project. At the same time, it was the fear of the possible need to rebrand a successful business name that highlights the importance of brand protection efforts in the early stages of startup companies.

Numerous entrepreneurs could start their story with the words “inspired by life” and Tom Revill, the founder of Plank hardware, is certainly one of them. “Plank Hardware all started with a few planks of wood and a new flat. We found that finding the right hardware at a reasonable price wasn’t so easy. We were so happy with the final pieces that we started making and selling them to friends, family and online. As a start-up, we’ve invested everything into our products and building our brand, so protecting that is really important to us.”

One of the most common reasons for trademark disputes has to do with the perceived similarity between existing trademarks. The two trademarks are considered “similar” if they share common characteristics connected to their appearance, sound, meaning and commercial impression, and if they are used for related goods or services. This is seen as a problem from brand perspective because the consumers might believe that the owners of the two trademarks are related, affiliated, connected, or that the goods or services originate from the same source.