According to the United States Patent Office (USPO), “a trademark can be any word, phrase, symbol, design, or a combination of these things that identifies your goods or services. It’s how customers recognize you in the marketplace and distinguish you from your competitors.”
“Trademark” & “Servicemark”
While often used interchangeably, the term “trademark” refers to marks used for goods, and the term “servicemark” is used for services. The most common and recognizable trademarks are often logos, a symbol or image associated with a specific brand. Think of the Nike “swoosh” or Apple’s bitten apple.
