Knowledge Hub · Updated 13 October 2026
Trademark Knowledge Hub
Free, plain-English help with UK trademarks, from the team that has been registering and protecting brands for UK businesses since 2008.
Everything we publish is here in one place: step-by-step guides, answers to the questions business owners ask us most, trademark news, real client stories, scam warnings and short videos. Search for your question, filter by topic, or start with what other readers are looking at this week. If you can’t find what you need, ask us and a specialist will reply within one working day.
Article30 Jun 2021Bass, the UK’s oldest trademark
The story behind the UK's oldest trademark, Bass beer.
Article27 Aug 2026What Happens to a Trademark in Administration?
What happens to a trademark in administration? Who owns it, how administrators sell brands, what buyers really get and why recording the transfer matters.
Article28 Sep 2026Are Trademarks a Metaphor for Life?
Can a trademark stop someone using your brand? Not physically, any more than a speed limit stops speeding. Why registration still deters, and how it fits in.
Article6 Aug 2026What Is a TM7A Notice of Threatened Opposition?
A TM7A notice of threatened opposition gives someone an extra month to oppose your UK trademark. What it means and the opposition timeline, stage by stage.
Article3 Jul 2026Does Your Trademark Cover AI Now Your Business Uses It?
Does your trademark cover AI now your business uses it? Using AI vs selling AI, which classes cover AI software and services, and a simple check to run.
Article29 May 2026What Can You Do If the IPO Objects to Your Trademark?
Had a trademark objection from the IPO? What it means, your two-month deadline, the options for responding and what happens at an ex parte hearing.
Article28 Oct 2025How to Spot Trademark Scams Before They Cost You
Update — August 2026: Companies House and the IPO have issued a joint warning, and the scam has widened Since this article was published,…
Article24 Aug 2026Why Do Some Brands Have Different Names in Different Countries?
Why do some brands have different names in different countries? Hungry Jack's, Lynx and Walkers explained, and how to check your name before you expand.
Article27 Jan 2026UK Trademark vs EU and International Trademarks: Understanding the Differences and Avoiding Costly Mistakes
Understand the differences between UK, EU and international trademarks, and learn how to avoid costly filing mistakes that leave your brand unprotected.
Article28 Aug 2024What is Trademark Trolling?
Trademark trolling refers to the practice where individuals or entities exploit the trademark system by registering trademarks, often on common or generic terms, with…
Article28 Aug 2024Paul Dell vs Dell Inc: A Trademark Dispute
The trademark dispute between Dell Inc., the global technology giant, and Paul Dell, a British entrepreneur, centres around the use of the "Dell" name.…
Article23 May 2024Urgent Notice for Clients of IPOA Ltd
This matter first came to our attention after we were contacted by a former client of IPOA Limited whose trademark had missed its renewal deadline.
Article23 Sep 2026Can You Protect Your Brand Abroad Later? How the Trademark Priority Period Works
How the trademark priority period works: file in the UK first, then take six months to file abroad and keep your original date. Apple's iPhone Duo shows how.
Article17 Sep 2026Who Should Own a Trademark: You or Your Company?
Should you or your company own the trademark? Learn how personal, company, holding company and joint ownership affect control, licensing and sale.
Article17 Sep 2026Trademarks When Selling or Buying a Business
A buyer isn’t just buying your sales and customer list, they’re buying the right to keep trading under your brand. What to check before a sale, on either side.
Article15 Sep 2026Airbnb v bnb-side: How Far Can Trademark Rights Extend Over Descriptive Words?
Airbnb has opposed the UK trademark applications for bnb-side. We look at the dispute, descriptive terms, famous trademarks and how far brand rights can extend.
Article2 Sep 2026If Your Business Partner Walked Tomorrow, Who Owns the Brand Name?
Whoever is named on the register owns the trademark, not whoever built the brand. What happens when a co-founder leaves, and how to fix ownership before it matters.
Article28 Aug 2026The Name Was Free at Companies House. Does That Mean I Can Use It?
A Companies House check only confirms no other company holds that exact name. It does not check the trademark register. How to find out if a name is really free.
Article26 Aug 2026Someone in Another Country Is Using My Brand. Can I Stop Them?
A UK trademark is a territorial right and stops at the border. What you can do when a business overseas uses your name, and where you should be registered.
Article20 Aug 2026Can a Trademark Be Split in Two? What a Dead GUINNESS Registration Shows About Brand Ownership
One GUINNESS registration became two, owned by different Diageo companies, with the 2001 filing date intact. How partial assignment works and when it matters.
Article18 Aug 2026Can You Lose a Trademark If You Don’t Use It? Yes, and 2026 Has Made the Risk More Real
Can you lose a trademark if you don't use it? Yes. After five years of non-use a UK trademark can be revoked, and EU use no longer saves a comparable UK mark.
Article17 Aug 2026Can Someone Steal My Business Name?
Yes, someone can register your business name as a trademark even if you have traded for years. Here is how first-to-file works in the UK and how to protect your name.
Article14 Aug 2026Can a Sponsor or Licensee Damage Your Brand?
Can a sponsor or licensee damage your brand? What Burnley's shirt deal shows, what UK law lets you control and what a trademark licensing agreement needs.
Article11 Aug 2026Do You Need a Trademark Before You Franchise Your Business?
Do you need a trademark before you franchise? Why the franchisor needs to own the brand, how franchisee licences work, and five checks to run before you sell.
Article5 Aug 2026What Happens After Your Trademark Is Registered?
What happens after trademark registration? Renewal every ten years, the five-year use rule, monitoring, the ® symbol, record changes and fake renewal letters.
Article30 Jul 2026Can You Update a Trademark When Your Business Changes?
Can you update a trademark? You cannot add goods or services to a UK registration. When a business change needs a new filing, and why an annual review helps.
Article28 Jul 2026Should You Trademark a Product Name as Well as Your Business Name?
Should you trademark a product name as well as your business name? What Coca-Cola's SPRICY filing shows, which names to protect and when to file in the UK.
Article23 Jul 2026Should You Check a Name Can Be Trademarked Before You Rebrand?
Why a trademark check before a rebrand saves money: how to test whether a new name or logo can be registered, and what to do before the designer starts.
Article21 Jul 2026Can You Trademark a Descriptive Name for Your Business?
Can you trademark a descriptive name? Why the IPO objects, how We Buy Any Car was registered, and three routes to protecting a name that says what you sell.
Article16 Jul 2026How Should You Word a Trademark Specification?
How to word a trademark specification: clear goods and services terms, the IPO's approved wording, overbroad claims after SkyKick, and the steps to file.
Article3 Jul 2026What Happens to Your Old Trademark After a Rebrand?
What happens to your trademark after a rebrand? Renewal, the five-year non-use rule and what Halifax retiring its brand shows about keeping an old name alive.
Article1 Jul 2026Do DIY Trademark Applications Fail More Often?
Do DIY trademark applications fail more often? What the IPO's own figures show, where self-filed marks come unstuck, and when doing it yourself can work.
Article29 Jun 2026Slogan Trademarks: Can You Trademark a Slogan or Tagline?
Can you trademark a slogan in the UK? Yes, if it is distinctive. How the IPO judges a slogan trademark, the Audi and Nestlé cases, and the steps and timings.
Article15 Jun 2026Proof of Use: What Is It, Why Does It Matter Where Trademarks Are Concerned and can ‘the blockchain’ help?
Unlike domain names, where many people over the years have made a living from buying attractive domain names and then reselling them at a…
Article15 Jun 2026The Most Expensive Trademark Application Is the One That Fails
People ask me all the time what it costs to register a trademark in the UK. It is a fair question, and I understand…
Article11 Jun 2026Is It Worth Registering Your Trademark in the UAE?
UAE trademark registration: what the official fees are, how the process and Madrid route work, and how to decide if the UAE is worth protecting now.
Article9 Jun 2026What Happens If You Register Your Trademark in the Wrong Class?
Registered your trademark in the wrong class? What it leaves unprotected, why you can't add classes later, and how to check and fix the gaps in the UK.
Article8 Jun 2026Should You Trademark a Brand That Started on Social Media?
Should you trademark a brand that started on social media? Why a handle is not a trademark, the marketing risk of an unowned name, and practical steps to take.
Article8 Jun 2026Can a Brand Name Become Too Generic to Protect?
A generic trademark can be revoked in the UK. How brands like Escalator and Aspirin became everyday words, and how to stop the same happening to your name.
Article8 Jun 2026Can a Bigger Brand Force You to Change Your Business Name?
Can a bigger brand force you to change your business name? What Patagonia and TickTickTrader v TikTok show about who wins, and what to do if a letter lands.
Article5 Jun 2026Can You Stop Somebody Bidding On Your Brand Name In Google Ads With A Trademark?
Can you stop a competitor bidding on your brand name in Google Ads? How trademark infringement, passing off in the UK & registering a trademark protect you.
Article4 Jun 2026Can a Big Brand Oppose Your Trademark in a Different Industry?
Can a big brand oppose your trademark in a different industry? How similar goods and the reputation ground work, and what Crazy Rich Flavours shows.
Article4 Jun 2026150 Years of UK Trademarks. What Actually Makes a Brand Last?
What do Rolls Royce, Cadbury, Marmite, Twinings and the BBC all have in common? Most people would probably say heritage. Reputation. Recognition. They would…
Article21 May 2026Can You Sell Upcycled Branded Goods Without Infringing a Trademark?
Can you sell upcycled branded goods without infringing a trademark? How UK exhaustion of rights works, the Chanel, Rolex and Hermès cases, and checks to make.
Article11 May 2026Care of Address for Trademarks: It Is Not Just Mail Forwarding
When you file a trademark, your application details will become publicly available on official trademark registers. Depending on who is applying, this will include…
Article9 Apr 2026It May Not be a Trademark that You Need!
When first meeting potential clients a common situation is whether what they need is a Trademark or a Patent. The two are similar in…
Article25 Mar 2026What is the Madrid Protocol, and does it work?
Thinking about international trademark registration? Learn the pros and cons of the Madrid Protocol and why local filing can offer better protection across global ma…
Article6 Mar 2026Why We’re Adding Business Finance, Corporate Restructuring and Tax Planning to Our Annual Reviews
At The Trademark Helpline, one of the hardest parts of working closely with businesses over many years is seeing good businesses run into difficulty.…
Article23 Feb 2026Business Finance. Is It All a Scam?
After more than 18 years in the Trademark business, I have seen one brutal truth play out again and again. Most businesses do not…
Article6 Feb 2026Who Manages Trademarks Within an Organisation?
Discover who manages trademarks in your organization. Expert trademark management services for businesses of all sizes. Free consultation available.
Article27 Jan 2026The Power of Niching Down: What Jet Washing Taught Me About Building a Brand
Discover how niching and value-added services can turn simple jobs like jet washing into profitable opportunities, and why the same thinking matters for trademarks.
Article14 Jan 2026How The Right Trademark Representation Saves Businesses Money at Every Stage of Trademark Protection
Learn how The Trademark Helpline reduces trademark costs at every stage, from searches and registration to monitoring and enforcement, with fixed and transparent fees.
Article15 Dec 2025How The Trademark Helpline Saves Businesses Money at Every Stage of Trademark Protection
Protecting a brand usually involves a few key steps: searching, registering, monitoring and, if needed, dealing with oppositions and copycats. Traditionally, most of…
Article21 Oct 2025How to Remove Fake Social Media Accounts and Why Trademarks Make It Easier
Fake social media accounts are now one of the biggest online threats to businesses and influencers. From Instagram and TikTok to Facebook and LinkedIn,…
Article13 Aug 2025Trademarks, Designs & Patents: What’s the Right Solution for You?
Every day we receive dozens of enquiries, and they typically fall into two camps: People with a new concept who want guidance on how…
Article11 Jun 2025Acquired 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.…
Article5 Jun 2025Hints, 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…
Article9 May 2025International 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,…
Article7 May 2025Hints, 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…
Article7 May 2025Do 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.…
Article12 Mar 2025Are 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…
Article17 Dec 2024Financial 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,…
Article16 Dec 2024Milk, 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…
Article16 Dec 2024The 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…
Article6 Dec 2024Trademark 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…
Article6 Dec 2024Protecting Your Brand in the Virtual World of NFTs
As non-fungible tokens (NFTs) continue to revolutionise the digital landscape, protecting your brand in this virtual space has never been more critical. NFTs can…
Article6 Dec 2024Damien Hirst’s NFT Experiment: Digital Art vs. Physical Art
Damien Hirst who owns several trademarks worldwide including ‘his name’, ‘Spot Paintings’ and ‘Spin Paintings’, shook up the art world with his groundbreaking project,…
Article6 Dec 2024Navigating Trademark Issues in the NFT World
When we talk about Non-Fungible Tokens (NFT’s) we are essentially talking about the world of digital art and assets, 2021 marked a revolutionary change…
Article6 Dec 2024MetaBirkins: A Case Study in Trademark Disputes with NFTs
If you read our article Navigating Trademark Issues in the NFT World you’ll know that NFT’s and the rights and obligations to their creation,…
Article29 Nov 2024How Rachel Vigers and her Consultancy Rock.Partners are helping brands of all shapes and sizes realise their business goals
The brainchild of seasoned business & brand strategist, Rachel Vigers, Rock.Partners is a consultancy focused on core foundations - aka Direction, Connection, Impact &…
Article22 Oct 2024How can Partnerships and Collaborations support your brands growth?
Chapter 7 - The Power of Trademarks in Modern Marketing Partnerships and collaborations are done across all sectors, some more noticeable than others. In…
Article22 Oct 2024How can your Brand engage customers and build loyalty?
Chapter 6 - The Power of Trademarks in Modern Marketing It all comes down the Know, Like, Trust model or our preference: Visibility –…
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Trademark advice by topic
Check and plan
Search the register, choose the right classes and check a name before you file.
See all guides →Manage and protect
Monitoring, renewals and representation once your trademark is registered.
See all guides →Trademark disputes
Oppositions, cancellations, cease and desist letters and online takedowns.
See all guides →The people behind the answers
Our authors
Jonathan PatonFounder & CEOBrand protection strategy for UK businesses since 2008.
Matthew GriffithsCommercial DirectorClient work and our UK and international partnerships.
Alex PughBrand Protection ConsultantNew clients, international applications and hearings.
Laura SpencerParalegalDrafting, filing and progressing applications.
Saad AshrafMarketing ManagerMarketing and the trademark data behind our guides.
