How to Register a Trademark?

September 19, 2011
Trade Marks ™ ®

A Trademark is anything which is used in trade to distinguish your goods or services from the goods and services of others as long as it can be represented graphically.

Examples of possible Trademarks:

Trademark examples: words / names / company names / product names / logos / slogans / letters / container shapes / numerals / packaging / signatures

Requirements for a Trademark:

1. Distinctive – The mark must be distinctive and not only describe the goods or services to which it relates
2. Available – The mark may not be identical or confusingly similar to a trade mark which is already registered, applied for or used in South Africa in respect of the same or similar goods/services.

Feel free to contact us should you have any questions or require assistance with any trademark related matter.

Contact Details for Smit & Van Wyk:

Tel:
+27 (0) 12 349 7800

Fax:
+27 (0) 86 619 0493

E-mail:
enquiries@svw.co.za

Physical Address / Courier:
Block A Apex Corporate Park
Quintin Brand Street
Persequor Technopark
Meiring Naudé Avenue
Pretoria
0184
South Africa

Image source: www.freedigitalphotos.net

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How to Trademark a Logo?

September 12, 2011
Trade Marks ™ ®

Any company logo / product logo / service logo which is used in trade to distinguish your goods or services from the goods and services of others is eligible for trademark registration.

The logo must be distinctive and not only describe the goods or services to which it relates. The logo may not be identical or confusingly similar to a trade mark which is already registered, applied for or used in South Africa in respect of the same or similar goods or services.

The initial costs of preparing and filing a logo trademark application, inclusive of all fees, official expenses and VAT is:

1. First Application – R2813.00
2. Second onwards application – R2585.00 per application

Feel free to contact us should you have any questions or require assistance with any trade mark related matter.

Please visit the following page for the official 5 steps logo trade mark registration information:
HOW TO TRADEMARK A LOGO!

Contact Details for Smit & Van Wyk:

Tel:
+27 (0) 12 349 7800

Fax:
+27 (0) 86 619 0493

E-mail:
enquiries@svw.co.za

Physical Address / Courier

Block A Apex Corporate Park
Quintin Brand Street
Persequor Technopark
Meiring Naudé Avenue
Pretoria
0184
South Africa

Image source: www.freedigitalphotos.net

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Trademark Information

April 26, 2010
Trade Marks ™ ®

A trademark is any word, symbol, design or phrase which can stand alone or combined with any of the ones mentioned and which is used to represent the brand, product or company.

In South Africa it is not a requirement to register a trademark to use such a representation for a product, but it is highly recommended.

Once registered, the holder thereof obtains monopoly rights on its usage for the products or services the mark is registered for. It means that no-one else may use the representation on one of their products or services without an agreement to do so with you as the trademark holder.

If someone uses the representation without your permission or in a way contrary to the agreement with you, you will have the right to take legal steps against the person or entity.

It should thus be considered if you are serious about branding.

It should be noted that you will have to register the trademark in South Africa first, and can then proceed to register it in other countries.

In addition it will be important to register the mark for every category in which you want to use it. The registration process is fairly simple, provided you complete the forms correctly. For this you will need the assistance of an intellectual property attorney.

Our firm specialises in intellectual property law including patent, copyright, design, and trademark registration.

We will complete the forms for you, guide you through the process, conduct the registration, and handle any legal aspects regarding the intellectual property protection.

Contact us for assistance today.

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What will Trademark Attorneys Require?

January 13, 2010
Trade Marks ™ ®

If you have a mark, logo, name or shape that distinguishes your goods from the goods of competitors and want to register a trademark to protect against usage thereof without a prior written usage agreement, you will benefit from the services of trademark attorneys.

The trademark attorneys will require a copy of the intended trademark and will also need complete information about the products or services for which the trademark must be registered. It is essential since a separate application must be filed by the trademark attorneys for each of the international classes relating to your product or service.

It is also possible to obtain international trademark registration through the local trademark attorneys.

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Gauteng Trademark Attorneys

January 12, 2010
Attorneys

A trademark distinguishes your brand from its competitors, and communicates the brand values that are specific to your product or service.

Gauteng trademark attorneys Smit & Van Wyk Incorporated can assist you to register your trademark, preventing from competitors taking advantage of its recognisability and perhaps even damaging your reputation in the process.

There is no point in protecting a trademark that is not unique, so Gauteng trademark attorneys Smit & Van Wyk Incorporated can also conduct searches through the records at the South African Trademarks Office.

This will provide an indication of whether there are existing trademarks which are identical or similar to yours.

Foreign trademark searches may also be conducted – please contact us, should you wish to have a search conducted through the trademark offices of foreign countries.

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