Glossary · Intellectual Property
Trademark
A distinctive mark, logo, word, phrase, symbol, or design that identifies and distinguishes the source of goods or services of one party from those of others.
Trademarks in India are governed by the Trade Marks Act, 1999 and registered with the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trade Marks (CGPDTM). Registration is valid for 10 years and renewable indefinitely. ™ can be used for unregistered marks; ® is reserved for registered marks. The trademark must be distinctive, not deceptive, and not similar to existing marks in the same class. The Nice Classification has 45 classes (34 for goods, 11 for services).
Examples
Coca-Cola is a registered trademark in Class 32 for soft drinks, while its distinctive Spencerian script logo is also protected as a trademark.
Related terms
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