What is a trademark?

A trademark is a form of intellectual property that is used to identify the source of a product, service, or brand. In Washington, trademarks are governed by both state and federal laws. A trademark is a symbol, design, phrase, or word used to identify a particular product or service. It’s the legal right to control the use of your mark, and it helps to distinguish your goods and services from those of others. Trademarks protect a business’s brand reputation. With a trademark, competitors cannot use a similar mark or product that could confuse consumers. In Washington, trademark law covers service marks, collective marks, and certification marks as well. A service mark is a word, phrase, symbol, or design that is used to identify and distinguish the services of one provider from those of others. Collective marks are a type of mark owned by a group, such as a union, cooperative, or other nonprofit organization that are used to promote its collective interests. Certification marks are symbols that show that a product or service complies with a set of standards or that it was produced by a particular individual or group. All of these forms of trademark protection are regulated by both federal and state laws in Washington.

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