July 16, 2026 Hello Reader, Many founders think trademark classes are mostly about cost. That is understandable. Each additional class can increase the government filing fee, so the class decision feels like a pricing decision. But it is also a protection decision. A trademark registration does not protect a name in the abstract. It protects a mark in connection with specific goods or services. That means the way the application describes the business matters. A clothing company, software...
11 days ago • 2 min read
July 9, 2026 Hello Reader, One of the most important trademark filing questions is also one of the easiest to answer incorrectly: Are you already using the trademark? That question sounds casual. It is not. In a trademark application, “use” has a legal meaning. It is not just having an idea. It is not just reserving a domain name. It is not just designing a logo. It is not just posting a teaser on social media. For many goods, use generally means the mark is placed on the goods, packaging,...
18 days ago • 2 min read
July 2, 2026 Hello Reader, One of the first trademark filing questions sounds simple: Should I file the name, the logo, or both? The answer matters more than many founders realize. A business name and a logo do different jobs. The name is usually the more flexible asset. If you protect the word mark, you are usually trying to protect the wording itself, regardless of font, color, layout, or design style. That can be powerful because businesses change their visual identity over time. Logos get...
25 days ago • 2 min read
June 25, 2026 Hello Reader, One of the most common trademark misunderstandings is this: “I used the name first, so I should win.” That statement may be true in theory. But in a trademark dispute, theory is not enough. You need proof. A recent Trademark Trial and Appeal Board decision is a strong reminder. An opposer challenged an application for NEAU COFFEE, arguing that it had prior common law rights in NEAUX and NEAUX COFFEE COMPANY for coffee. On the surface, this sounds like the kind of...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
June 11, 2026 Hello Reader, Most business owners know to watch out for fake trademark invoices. You file a trademark application, your business information becomes public, and then letters start arriving that look official. They may say you owe money. They may include a deadline. They may use words that sound like a government agency. Those scams are frustrating, but they are not the only risk. Sometimes the bigger risk happens earlier. It happens when the trademark application itself is...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
June 4, 2026 Hello Reader, Sometimes the biggest trademark problem is not that the name is too strange. It is that the name explains the business too clearly. That may sound backwards. Founders are told to make their branding clear. They want customers to understand what they do. They want the name to communicate the service without a long explanation. That is good marketing. But it can be dangerous trademark strategy. A recent Trademark Trial and Appeal Board decision shows the problem. An...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
May 28, 2026 Hello Reader, There was a recent analysis of some of the largest companies in the world. Companies like Apple Inc., NVIDIA Corporation, Costco Wholesale Corporation, Eli Lilly and Company, and Mastercard Incorporated. The conclusion was straightforward. A large majority of their value comes from intangible assets. Not physical assets. Not equipment. Not inventory. Intangible assets. That includes: brand recognition trademarks goodwill intellectual property At that scale, it makes...
about 2 months ago • 1 min read
May 21, 2026 Hello Reader, Most businesses focus on how to promote their product. Very few think about how that messaging affects their trademark. There was a recent case involving a product design. The company applied to protect the configuration of the product itself. At first glance, it seemed distinctive. But the issue was not the design. It was how the company described it. In their own materials, they highlighted: ease of use convenience efficiency practical benefits That makes sense...
2 months ago • 1 min read
May 14, 2026 Hello Reader, A lot of businesses believe they are using a trademark when they are not. And it usually happens in a very simple way. They put their name on: packaging labels their website marketing materials And assume that counts as trademark use. Sometimes it does. Sometimes it does not. There was a recent case involving a cheese company that used its name across its business and products. The issue was not whether the name existed. The issue was how it was being used. The...
2 months ago • 1 min read