Trademark search: examine the uniqueness of your brand

Entrepreneurs form the heart and engine of our economy, building and expanding markets through their dedication and enthusiasm. And, with more and more new businesses launching every year, entrepreneurship is obviously part of our DNA. But, for entrepreneurs to realise their potential, they need to be able do business with as few obstacles as possible; particularly when it comes to launching new products, services and brands. For this reason, it’s important to consider a trademark search.

Avoid financial setbacks

It’s important to register and protect your brand and product names as trademarks. However, before you can do so, you will first need to see whether your brand is as ‘unique’ as you believe it to be; in other words, has the name already been used or registered by another business in your market or industry? An online search, such as Google, will of course be helpful in this respect, but it will not be able to give you the information that you need about any rights involved. For example, it is possible for another company to have registered that brand name, but not to have launched it into the marketplace yet. If you go on to use that same or a similar brand name, the risks for your business could be enormous. In fact, if it emerges later that another organisation has already registered the same or a similar trademark, the future of your company may be at stake. If the courts decide that your trademark registration is invalid, you will have to change your name, evaporating all the accumulated goodwill that you built up for your company so far. You’ll have to throw away your stationery, change your website, print new business cards and take down your building signs. And, that’s not all: the legal costs involved in trademark disputes can be substantial. But, this doomsday scenario can easily be avoided with a Novagraaf trademark search. Please get in touch with Novagraaf to find out more. We will be happy to help you to develop your trademarks and protect your business.

More insight with a trademark search

A Novagraaf trademark or even a multiple trademark search will provide you with greater insight into your desired trademark or the trademarks of competitors, giving you the means and confidence to make informed decisions about the future of your brand names. By conducting a trademark search in advance, you can avoid financial losses and create an environment that facilitates unimpeded trademark growth.

There are different types of trademark search, and it’s important that any search is tailored to your exact needs. For example, if your business is only active in your own country, then the search should be confined to that territory alone. However, if you also intend to trade abroad, then the search should cover all the countries that you are looking to operate in. And, if you are active abroad, a linguistic search into a trademark may also be very relevant. Brand names that work well in one country often have to be reconsidered in other territories due to negative or even offensive connotations in other languages. Whatever search you choose, Novagraaf will provide you with a tailor-made solution. Our trademark searches will help you on your way.

Would you like to know more about trademark searches?

Before proceeding with the use or registration of any trademark, it is wise to perform a search into the brand name you’ve selected to ensure that it is available for unimpeded use. If it has already been used and your attempted use or registration conflicts with an earlier trademark right, then trademark registration has little point. If you would like to know more trademark searching or about registering or watching trade names once registered, please get in touch with Novagraaf. Together with you, we will create a sound base on which you can continue to develop your trademarks. You can contact us using the contact form at the top right of this page.

If your organisation has international ambitions and you would like to know more about this topic, please click here.