Do I have to use my business name as a trademark? That’s a question that I get a lot, and I want to answer it here, just to dispel any confusion. People seem to be under the impression that if you have a business name, you necessarily need to use that business name as your trademark.
That is absolutely not true. I don’t know why people are getting this idea, but let’s talk about it. There are many, many examples of companies using trademarks that are vastly different from their business name or their trade name. Let’s talk about some famous examples like Procter& Gamble. Procter& Gamble is a company that manufactures and distributes a whole host of consumer cleaning products, none of which contain the name Procter or Gamble. For example, they manufacture Pampers diapers, they manufacture Gain laundry detergent. They manufacture Bounce fabric softener. None of those brands — which are all registered trademarks — have anything to do with their corporate name, which is Procter and Gamble.
Let’s take another consumer producer, very famous Colgate-Palmolive. Now, it’s true that Colgate-Palmolive — which again manufactures a wide range of consumer personal care and cleaning products — it’s true that they manufacture Colgate toothpaste and they also manufacture Palmolive dish detergent, but they also have a whole host of other brands that do not carry the Palmolive or the Colgate name — brands like Ajax, that powdered abrasive cleanser; and Speed Stick deodorant and Lady Speed Stick deodorant. None of those brands contain the Colgate-Palmolive name, but they are nonetheless brands manufactured by Colgate-Palmolive and widely recognized as trademarks.
So listen, what I want you to take away from this is that you can use any term, any logo, any other we call it a “device” or any other thing that distinguishes your goods and services from other companies’ goods and services can serve as a trademark. It doesn’t need to be your company name or you’re doing business as name. You can pick a trademark that is completely different from your business name or your actual corporate name, and you can use that as a trademark.
The only caveat is that it needs to distinguish your goods and services from other people’s goods and services. If it does that, then you can use it as a trademark. I invite you to ask me your trademark questions. Just drop any trademark questions in the comments below and I will answer them in a future live video and tag you so that, you know, I answered you. You can find me online at trademarkdoctor.net. I’ve also got a huge channel on YouTube.
Just go to YouTube and search Trademark Doctor, or you can also find me on Facebook at Facebook.Com/trademarkdoctor, if you’d like to know, every time I go live with new material, which happens pretty regularly, almost daily, then go ahead and like and subscribe and you’ll be notified every time I put out new videos.
I’m on Facebook! “Like” my facebook page, to be notified every time I go LIVE. Do you have trademark questions? Message me on the Trademark Doctor Facebook page, and I’ll answer your questions on a future Live video.
Contact Dallas, Texas trademark attorney Angela Langlotz today to get started on a trademark application for your valuable brand.