Back to Trademark basics

What is the purpose of a trademark?

Senior Trademark Attorney

A trademark serves two purposes: identifying the commercial source of goods or services to consumers, and protecting the distinctive elements of a brand from unauthorized use by competitors.

For consumers, a trademark's main purpose is to signal a single source of goods and services, i.e., to identify which business produces or offers specific goods and services.

For businesses, a trademark gives exclusive rights to a brand name or logo within specific goods and services. It also provides the legal grounds to act against infringers, copycats, and confusingly similar brands.

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