Domain Names E-CommercePatentsLitigationIP Rights MaintenanceIP as PropertyNews & BulletinsBackground MaterialsTrademark LawDomain NamesWatch Services
Client AccessHomeAbout UsContact UsOur PeopleSearchQuick Search:

C. Non-verbal marks


In addition to verbal trademarks, devices or logo marks deserve mention. Perhaps the most well-known music device mark in recent memory is the mark of the artist formerly known as “Prince” ("TAFKAP"). Companies, groups and individual performers may adopt devices as trademarks or service marks, and may also combine them with word trademarks, known as composite marks, to strengthen their marks. A distinctive entertainment costume may even be registrable as a trademark, provided that the costume serves more than an ornamental function. As mentioned earlier, even musical compositions may be trademarks, although the signature performance of such compositions may not act as a trademark, notwithstanding any related issues under rights of personality and publicity. Naturally, the rules concerning suggestiveness, arbitrariness and descriptiveness apply so that a musical note adopted in the music field may be considered descriptive, a picture of a globe may be considered suggestive of music with a global appeal, a picture of a pumpkin would be considered arbitrary and TAFKAP's mark would be considered fanciful.

Previous Next Contents
Contact Us


[Home] [About Ladas & Parry LLP] [Contact Us] [Search]
[Trademarks] [Domain Names & E-Commerce] [Patents & Copyrights]
[Litigation] [IP Rights Maintenance] [IP as Property] [News & Bulletins]

© Copyright 2001 Dennis S. Prahl - Posted July 2002
Please read our disclaimer.