If you are a logo designer, a brand strategist, or an intellectual property attorney, you know that word marks are just the tip of the iceberg. The real legal and commercial power lies in and Figurative trademarks.
When filing an application, you must describe your mark. Calling it "a squiggly line" gets you rejected. Using the precise terminology from this guide—such as "a figurative mark consisting of a curved band with gradient shading"—passes the examining attorney’s desk with flying colors. If you are a logo designer, a brand
When most people think of trademarks, they think of a name. They think of the word Nike, the word Apple, or the word Coca-Cola in its iconic script. Calling it "a squiggly line" gets you rejected
However, without this guide, you are navigating a dark room blindfolded. With it, you turn on the lights. In a crowded marketplace, your name is easy to forget. Your logo—the abstract shape or figurative character—is what sticks in the memory. To protect that memory, you need to speak the language of the Trademark Office. They think of the word Nike, the word
The guide acts as a visual dictionary for the Vienna Agreement. If you have a logo featuring a star inside a circle, you cannot just search "star." You need the specific code for a "star with rays" versus a "four-pointed star." This PDF provides those codes at a glance.
[Click here to download the PDF guide.] Disclaimer: This blog post is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific trademark registration questions, please consult a licensed trademark attorney.
But how do you classify a squiggle? How do you protect a shape? And crucially, how do you search for prior art when the mark isn’t made of letters?
