Acquired Distinctiveness, How Can It Help You Register a Trademark?
What do American Airlines, British Airways, Holiday Inn & Vision Express all have in common? They are all descriptive names and all have trademarks. The first rule of trademarks is that the have to be unique, I always say, you can’t trademark ‘London Butcher’ as it would in theory stop other butchers in London from […]
Hints, Tips and Tales #13: When a Design Trademark Is Just as Powerful as a Patent
My neighbour reminded me of something the other day that, if I’m honest, I’d completely forgotten. That moment when a design trademark can be almost as powerful as a patent. Now, patents, if you don’t already know, are incredibly powerful business assets. They protect inventions and technical innovations, but they come with a catch. They […]
International Branding 101: A Lake Como Lesson
Whilst I was in Lake Como this weekend for my cousin’s stunning wedding, I spotted this in a vending machine on the street. Yes, that’s a condom brand and yes, it’s called “Retard.” Now, linguistically, it makes sense. In Italian, French, and Spanish, it means “to delay” or “to slow down,” referencing the product’s numbing […]
Hints, Tips and Tales #12: We Dropped a Bollock with Our WhatsApp
It may be bold but as a founder who is committed to sharing his business journey, I think it’s important that The Trademark Helpline share not just our wins, but our mistakes too, because let’s be honest, you learn more from the bumps in the road than the smooth journeys. Today’s story is about one […]
Do You Need a Trademark to Sell on Amazon?
You can sell on Amazon without a registered trademark, but if you want full control of your brand and listings, a trademark is essential. Why? Because without a Trademark you open yourself up to other sellers listing under your brand, altering your product descriptions or even undercutting your pricing. Is there anything else in […]
Are You Spending Too Much Time on the Small Stuff?
The Golf Ball Theory – A Simple Way to Prioritise Your Time A well-known analogy explains how we choose to prioritise our time and energy. A man stood in front of a group with an empty jar. He filled it with golf balls and asked, “Is it full?” The group answered, “Yes.” Then, he added […]
Financial Services, where brands don’t matter but trademarks still do
Can you think of one financial services brand that you truly love? In the finance industry, branding often takes a backseat to reputation, trust, and expertise. With the exception of car insurance, unlike most consumer-facing industries where catchy slogans, logos, and memorable mascots can make a huge impact, financial institutions tend to rely more on their credibility andtrack record. […]
Milk, It’s Not a Trademark – And Would You Want It to Be?
If someone had trademarked the term “Milky Taste” 20 years ago, they’d be creaming it now (excuse the pun)! And this is why… A trademark like that, tied to the distinctive sensory experience of dairy, would have been incredibly valuable today, especially with the growing demand for plant-based alternatives. Oatly, the popular plant-based milk brand, recently faced a legal setback when […]
The Power of a Trademark as a Mark of Approval
See that pink stamp on our logo? One day soon, we hope that stamp will be the symbol of quality trademark advice. A trademark is more than just a logo or a name, with right implementation it can be a mark of quality, trust, and authenticity. A prime example of this is Human Nature Snacks, the first […]
Trademark Strategies for NFTs: Navigating a New Digital Economy
The rapid rise of non-fungible tokens (NFTs) has revolutionised how artists, creators, and brands interact with their audiences. By offering unique digital assets tied to blockchain technology, NFTs have unlocked unprecedented opportunities for engagement and monetisation. However, this explosion in popularity has also introduced complex trademark issues. High-profile cases, such as MetaBirkins and Damien Hirst’s […]