Trademark Tips to Prevent Rejection of your mark
The Miami Herald reports preventative measures to avoid trademark rejection by the United States Patent & Trademark Office. Many businesses assume that a trademark that conveys basic information about a specific product or service is ideal. However, such trademarks can be deemed merely descriptive of the goods and services and rejected.
Trademark names like Cereality, Kodak, or Exxon have no specific meaning, but are very strong and enforceble, as opposed to names that merely describe, such as Cereal Bowl, Juice Bar, Speedy Courier, etc.
This reality can often be the source of contention between business marketers who want easily identifiable names and trademark attorneys who must make sure the marks pass the trademark examiner’s scrutiny.
It is also important for small businesses to consider state protection, as companies that sell products locally, without crossing state lines, might not qualify for federal trademark protection.