Q: What route to take, copyright or trademark? Ive recently be selling shirts, hoodies and tanks under a brand I created.
I want to know if I need to get this brand copyrighted or trademark and if so what would be the first step. I have a business which in a few weeks I plan to put in a name change request to make it the brands name. Will that be suitable or should I do more. Really would like some insight.
Thanks
A:
Both copyright registration and trademark registration are important to prevent others from copying your designs or selling counterfeit versions of your products. Copyright protects creative works. Trademark protects words, symbols, and other ways of designating a goods or services in commerce. The first step is to settle on a specific name or design and the products you intent to use it on. Then contact an intellectual property attorney.
It is not necessary to change the name of the business to match the brand. Doing so does not provide any greater intellectual property rights.
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