Types of trademarks: all classifications

2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16

Trademark - one of the most important concepts in marketing, with a wide range of functions. There are several classifications of trademarks: according to the form of expression, according to the right of ownership, according to the form. Do not forget that a trademark is part of a larger concept - corporate identity.

The concept and types of trademarks

Trademark, brand name (other name - trademark) - a registered designation, symbol, combination of letters or numbers, image of a product, designed to distinguish it, bring information about the manufacturer.

This method of individualization of the manufacturer is registered in the relevant state institutions of the Russian Federation and other countries. It implies exclusive rights to use the selected mark and their legal protection. The latter is provided in more than 160 states, 90 of them - at the level of legislative acts.

In our country, all uses of a trademark are protected by the Trademarks, Service Marks and Appellations of Origin Act (1992).

Exceptof this, trademarks are protected by the following acts:

• Paris Convention 1883
• Madrid Convention Concerning the International Registration of Trademarks (1981).
• Trademark Registration Agreements (1973).

Trademark - Functions

Types of trademark functions can be summarized as follows:

1. This is a testament to the high level of product quality.
2. The presence of such a sign forms the buyer's confidence in the product due to the good reputation of the manufacturer.
3. This is the basis on which promotion and advertising is based (before that, all kinds of trademarks, of course, must themselves be well promoted).

It is believed that branded goods are bought 15-25% more often than non-branded ones. In addition, the trademark itself often becomes a valuable object of ownership - the value of the Coca-Cola mark exceeds, according to the corporate owner, $ 3 billion.

Types of brand designation

Another side that characterizes a trademark is the type of its designation. There are four of them in total:

1. Brand name. It includes a symbol, designation, distinctive colors or their combinations, drawing.
2. Brand name. It consists of an abbreviation, a word, a phrase, a letter, anything that can be pronounced.
3. Trading image - the individualized brand of the corporation.
4. Trademark - all of the above, protected by law and law. The latter is indicated by the letter R in a circle.

Classifications of varieties of corporate symbols

All kinds of trademarks and service marks can be categorized as follows:

1. About ownership rights: individual, joint.
2. By object: commodity, assortment.
3. According to the form of expression: three-dimensional, sound, combined, verbal, visual.

The last one will be the most interesting to consider.

Classification by variety of expression

Types of trademarks are divided into several categories according to the form of expression:

1. Verbal - spoken names and slogans. The most common category, which includes both common words and neologisms. For example, VKontakte, Every Day, Twix, iPhone, Windows. Or: "Gillette. There is no better for a man", "If there is an idea - there is IKEA", etc.
2. Fine - unique and memorable images of people, animals, abstract symbols, lines, shapes - emblems and logos. These include the icons "Adidas", "Apple", "Lacoste", "Facebook", Russian Railways, etc.
3. Volumetric. Quite a rare variety. Either the product itself or its packaging is depicted. Such a drawing or photo should not be schematic, focus on a specific purpose or property of the product. For example, an image of a book, a mobile phone, a plate, a vacuum cleaner, etc.the sign should be distinguished by some features inherent only to the product it represents: McDonald's clown, Wimm-Bill-Dann Brands animal, etc.
4. Sonic. This is part of a musical composition or another sound that characterizes this company. It is very popular both in sound advertising and in the media - such a tune is called a jingle. Often the name of the brand or the slogan of the company is sung in it, for example: "Galina blanca, bul-bul, bul-bul", "Mmm, Danone." This also includes the call signs of radio stations and specific radio programs, melodies on the welcome or farewell screensavers of TV programs.
5. Combined combine several items of this classification: slogan and image, logo and sound.
6. Olfactory. These are the rarest and most unusual types of trademarks. They are a fragrance that usually has nothing to do with the product. It is very difficult to register such a corporate symbol - you need a detailed description of the fragrance, its chemical formula, a listing of the "bouquet" of its individual smells. In our country, such curious trademarks are almost non-existent.

Separate examples of olfactory signs of goods can be given:

• vanilla and lavender - stationery;
• the smell of freshly cut grass - tennis balls;
• pink fragrance - car tires;
• tangible smell of strong beer - darts for playing darts;
• lemon grass - spas, etc.

Company style concept

Viewstrademarks are an essential part of a more global concept - the style of the company. Corporate identity - a set of different methods and ways of presenting products that depict the latter in a single and complete way. This concept unites under itself:

• trademark;
• branded typeface;
• custom color combination;
• logo;
• company block - a combination of the name, logo, slogan, any explanatory text;
• common company constants - text and image layout, format, etc.

Trademark, in fact, is the "face" of the company, unique, protected from copying and plagiarism. There are a lot of options for choosing it.