Tweet

Filing a Trademark: Plain Text Vs Stylized/Logo

Written by: Shannon Moore

Article Overview: When filing a trademark, the USPTO gives you two options: Standard Characters or Specialized Form (Stylized and/or Design). Let's look at each one in detail and that should help you decide the best way to file for your mark.

Filing a Trademark: Plain Text Vs Stylized/Logo

When filing a trademark, the USPTO gives you two options: Standard Characters or Specialized Form (Stylized and/or Design). Let's look at each one in detail and that should help you decide the best way to file for your mark. As with any discussion about filing for a trademark, it is always assumed that you've done your due diligence and had comprehensive research conducted. That being said...

Standard Characters

This option is selected to register "word(s), letter(s), number(s), or any combination thereof, with no design element and when you are not claiming any particular font, style, size, or color, and absent any stylization or design element." In essence the USPTO is talking about plain text.

To qualify for this claim, the mark entered must fit within the standard character set. This includes letters and numbers but also some symbols, such as the ampersand (&), the dollar sign ($), the asterisk (*), etc.

Special Form (Stylized and/or Design)

This option is selected to register marks that are "comprised of stylized word(s), letter(s), and or number(s), and/or a design element." For example, if your business name is shown in a certain font and that font is an important element to your overall brand, it might be a good idea to file it as such. This is also the selection you'll make if filing a logo/design. A logo can be filed on its own or with your name.

Can you File for Both?

Technically, yes though not at the same time. Two separate applications (meaning double the fees) would have to be filed if you wanted to choose the standard characters and the special form.

Why Would I File for Both?

Most small business owners would not but as with anything in the trademark world it is going to depend on your overall plans for the brand. Let's say you have a name and a logo - easy enough, you use the special form. But let's assume that your name is going to be shown without the logo in a variety of fonts. Perhaps you have several product lines or your product line is geared towards different types of consumers and you have different font styles for each. Then it may be a good idea to also file the name as standard characters so as not to claim any one distinctive look to the mark but rather protect the name overall.

Related Articles
  Trademark a Name and Logo: Together or Separate?
  How to Register a Trademark
  Copyright a Logo
  Trademark vs. Service Mark
  ® vs. ™

Article Tags: amp, ampersand, business name, comprehensive research, design element, dollar sign, due diligence, font style, fonts, letters and numbers, logo design, small business owners, stylization, trademark world, uspto



Related Forum Posts
Voice SMS - Ashish, Is this a Voice message that will be converted to Text and then sent via sms so that the recipient is reading text?
Re: How to Promote Your Blog – The Definitive Guide to Promoting - Great Post! Dont forget to put your blog in Anchor Text For SEO purposes for the keywords you want when getting backlinks (for example with article marketing)...Very important. You can conquer quite a few small Niches and get your site on the number 1 spot in Google!
Re: Are you on Twitter? - i am karl louis Yes of-course that one of my favourite social media site..I also like it because of some awesome features of it like: Display meta data through hover tooltips Add a Built-in URL shortener Auto Complete in Tweets Text links in tweets
Re: About: product production! - [quote="FreshGoods":1yq3rfuo]Most importantly,with all that has been said...when is it absolutely appropriate to patent your idea? Why do people file for patents if it is not necessary? I would really like to know this please. I appreciate your helpful tips a lot! THANKS.[/quote:1yq3rfuo] Hi FreshGoods, Don't forget that you can always patent your product yourself (or even incorporate your company or apply for a trademark or copyright) and without the help of a lawyer. It would save you a lot of money. For instance, if I got my Trademark filed by my lawyer, it would've cost about $1200+. But going through the process myself by simply reading the official brochure only cost about $450 total.
Re: How to Promote Your Blog – The Definitive Guide to Promoting - [quote="T.J.":3s4z9eh8]Great Post! Dont forget to put your blog in Anchor Text For SEO purposes for the keywords you want when getting backlinks (for example with article marketing)...Very important. You can conquer quite a few small Niches and get your site on the number 1 spot in Google![/quote:3s4z9eh8] Using the anchor text for your chosen keywords is important for every link you create, internally and externally. Alan


Share this article with your friends. Fund someone's dream.

Leave a comment below or share on the left and you'll help support entrepreneurs in Africa through our partnership with Kiva. Over $50,000 raised and counting - Please keep sharing! Learn more.

Tweet

Newsletter

Get advice & tips from famous business
owners, new articles by entrepreneur
experts, my latest website updates, &
special sneak peaks at what's to come!

Name:
Email:

Popular Articles

BUILDING A HIGH PERFORMING TEAM

Coaching - An Effective Tool for Managers

Suggestions

Email us your ideas on how to make our
website more valuable! Thank you Sharon
from Toronto Salsa Lessons / Classes for
your suggestions to make the newsletter
look like the website and profile younger
entrepreneurs like Jennifer Lopez.