- To increase the pass rate of a direct trademark registration application, efforts should be made on the name itself. Brainstorm more potential names, as having a variety of options will better facilitate the approval process.
- There is no guarantee of “100% approval” for trademark registration applications. This is explicitly prohibited by relevant laws and regulations. Agencies that claim “100% approval” are acting illegally and will be fined.
- Trademark names should use positive or non-derogatory words. Trademark names composed of derogatory terms will be rejected on the grounds of “having a negative impact”.
- Never create arbitrary characters. Self-invented characters with an unusual number of strokes (either too few or too many) will be rejected as “non-standard characters”. For word trademarks, always use standardized fonts.
- Pay attention to the copyright of the font used in the trademark application. You may use free fonts or open-source fonts permitted for commercial use; however, prior authorization is required for commercial fonts. Many enterprises have been claimed for compensation due to infringing the copyright of commercial fonts, or even found that the registered trademark cannot be used.
- When applying for a trademark, avoid using trending words or adopting an “edge擦边” approach (i.e., imitating well-known trademarks to ride on their popularity). Such applications will basically be rejected. Even if approved by luck, they may still face opposition or invalidation claims from others.
- There are no paper versions of documents such as the Trademark Application Acceptance Notice, Trademark Preliminary Approval Announcement, and Trademark Registration Certificate anymore; all are now electronic. Reject any delivery that requires cash-on-delivery (COD) for these documents.
- For successfully registered trademarks, be sure to retain evidence of their daily use, such as pictures or videos of contracts, invoices, product packaging, and advertising materials.
- After changing the address or name on the business license, remember to make corresponding changes to the trademark. Failure to do so may result in not receiving subsequent registered mail regarding trademark opposition, cancellation, etc., which could lead to the loss of trademark rights.
- For a trademark name you are strongly interested in, if there are similar existing trademarks, you can still obtain it through strategies such as review or purchase (after analysis), rather than just submitting a direct registration application.
Lao Yang, a veteran in trademark affairs from Putui Intellectual Property, wishes everyone success in applying for their desired trademarks, building their own trademark brands, and achieving abundant financial returns.