Waterford, MI asked in Business Law and Trademark for Michigan

Q: So I wanna start a business And i wanna make a logo with the outline of a gtr (a car) will I get copyrighted or sued

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1 Lawyer Answer
Evan Ficaj
Evan Ficaj
Answered
  • Trademarks Lawyer
  • Livonia, MI
  • Licensed in Michigan

A: A logo for a business is an issue of trademark law rather than copyright law because your logo is how a potential customer would recognize you in the marketplace and distinguish you from your competitors.

To properly answer this question, you should meet with an attorney to discuss details about the business. It is critical to define the goods and/or services you currently offer, goods and/or services you intend to offer, competitors, and how your logo would be used. It is also important to search for designs with vehicles or other symbols that look similar to a GT-R. The standard is likelihood of confusion – an exact match is not required for trademark infringement.

Generally, you will have stronger trademark protection if you were to create a unique design rather than trying to use a GT-R, which could result in a trademark infringement action. A unique design would also have a greater chance of successfully registering the logo as a trademark.

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