Deck 21: Trademarks and Packaging

Question 1

What is a trademark?

Answer 1

A trademark, similar to a brand name, is a word or device that can be identified with an origin of a product to show who created and or sold it. Trademarks often include logos that are a design or picture to differentiate itself in the market among other symbolic pictures and designs. Trademarks can be protected by the law as well come in various formats such as letters, slogans, numbers, shapes, and even sound.

Question 2

What is a service mark?

Answer 2

A service mark is a name or word that is used in the selling of services so that it may identify the services of its company. Similar to a trademark, it is to distinguish itself amongst competitors. Service marks are also used within advertising but not on the actual product itself.

Question 3

How can you lose a trademark?

Answer 3

Companies can lose trademarks if they are not used properly. If a company uses a created trademark name that is not followed by a generic noun, the uniqueness of the product fades. As a result trademark loses its value and is considered to be a products name. To ensure that this does not happen, companies often place nouns after their products names to distinguish the trademark with products name.

Question 4

What are the steps to putting a lock on the ownership of a trademark?

Question 5

Name several marketing issues involved in packaging.