Requirements for trade mark registration
To be accepted, your trade mark must be a distinctive word, logo, picture or other sign that will clearly identify your goods or service from those of other traders. Made up words, logos or pictures are normally distinctive, unless they have become customary in your line of trade.
Here are some examples of distinctive, non descrptive trade marks you might be familiar with:
The above logos have been reproduced with kind permission of the McDonald's Corporation, Watson Enterprises (Bahamas) Limited and The Boots Company PLC.
We will not accept marks which:
- describe your goods or services or any characteristics of them, for example, marks which show the quality, quantity, purpose, value or geographical origin of your goods or services;
- have become customary in your line of trade;
- are not distinctive;
- are three dimensional shapes, if the shape is typical of the goods you are interested in (or part of them), has a function or adds value to the goods;
- are specially protected emblems;
- are offensive;
- are against the law, for example, promoting illegal drugs; or;
- are deceptive. There should be nothing in the mark which would lead the public to think that your goods and services have a quality which they do not.