Properly protecting one’s assets is an important aspect for anyone with original ideas, artwork, or branding. While material possessions are relatively simple to insure, taking care of original works is a bit more complicated and often confusing. How does one know whether they need a copyright, trademark, or some combination of the two? Luckily, Hartman Global not only helps protect those assets, but can explain the “why” behind it all, as well.
Knowing the differences between trademarks and copyright may be a bit confusing, but with some guidance from Hartman Global, it’s easy to figure out the best course of action for a product or idea.
Trademark:
Trademarks typically protect words, slogans, designs, or a combination of the three that are used to identify or distinguish someone’s goods or services. Since a company logo, slogan, or design establishes a brand and identifies it, a trademark serves to protect the consumer by allowing them to easily identify goods, services, and the reputation surrounding that brand. The trademark can also protect the reputation of the owner or brand, insuring that knockoffs or copycats are not passing themselves off as the original.
Essentially, a trademark owner prevents others from using the words, slogan, design, or logo, or a confusingly similar one for comparable goods or services. This protects both the brand and the consumer in the end.
Copyright:
A copyright, on the other hand, protects original works of authorship that are in a tangible form. This includes literary works, music, dramatic works, pictorial or graphic works, sculptures, audiovisual elements, and architectural works. The copyright provides the creator the ability to reproduce the work and forbids others to do so.
Copyrights can often be filed by the creator of the work, but legal council is usually advised to be sure legal determinations required are done properly. Having a copyright protects the creator of an original work by ensuring they are the only ones able to reproduce and distribute that work.
While one or the other may be sufficient for someone to protect their original work, oftentimes the work can fall into both categories and require both a copyright and a trademark. Hartman Global has the means to figure out the best combination for applicants to be sure they’re covered but don’t apply for more than necessary. Plus, who doesn’t need the research help when filing?
To learn more about Hartman Global and their services, visit them at Hartmanglobal-ip.com!