Trademarks are commercial symbols to which legally enforceable rights are attached, which are intended to protect businesses' brand value (known as “goodwill”) and protect consumers against confusion about the source of goods or services caused by deceptive branding practices.

Key Concepts

Trademarks are adopted by businesses and then recognized as private property through the operation of law. Trademarks are the legal side of branding. Whereas a brand operates like the personality attaching to goods and/or services for marketing purposes, a trademark is the legally recognized form of the brand that can be protected against unauthorized use by others. Whereas brand meaning resides in the minds of consumers, the law attributes the meaning and value of trademarks to their owners.

Trademark law governs many aspects of branding practice. ...

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