What is a suggestive mark? A suggestive trademark has wording that suggests characteristics of the underlying goods or services without saying it outright. As stated in the USPTO trademark manual [TMEP § 1209.01], suggestive trademarks “require imagination, thought, or perception to reach a conclusion as to the nature of those goods or services.” What is […]
Articles Tagged: mere descriptiveness
What is a merely descriptive trademark?
What is a merely descriptive mark? Your trademark application might get rejected for a number of reasons. Near the top of the list of possible trademark rejections is mere descriptiveness. But, what exactly is a merely descriptive trademark? A merely descriptive mark “describes an ingredient, quality, characteristic, function, feature, purpose, or use of the goods […]
What is an inherently distinctive trademark?
What is an inherently distinctive trademark? An inherently distinctive trademark is a mark that lacks descriptive wording in relation to your goods or services. It’s tempting to choose a name or term that describes a quality or characteristic of your product. Resist that temptation and try to come up with a mark that is fanciful […]
What is a trademark rejection?
What is a trademark rejection? Not all trademark Office Actions are the same. Your application may receive a trademark rejection, or a registration refusal, which will require greater effort to overcome. On the other hand, an Office Action may be issued in your trademark application raising minor issues that can be resolved without arguments. Let’s […]