Make your own mark: Coined Trademark

Jun 21, 2018 | Trademark Blog, Trademark Knowledge

Coined trademarks (or fanciful marks) are the strongest type of marks. It is a made-up term, an invention that has no dictionary meaning. Because it doesn’t have any previous meaning, it is also considered to have no connection with the characteristics of the related product.

A coined trademark may be more difficult for consumers to remember at first. It requires efforts in advertising and communication. But it also means that the trademark owner has a great opportunity to create a positive association between the mark and their company, products or services.

There are many ways to coin a new trademark.

Perhaps you can think of a word that lends itself to being spelled in a different way? Or, pick some words that perhaps express some qualities you like and combine them to make a new word. Or write some letters on post-it notes and just start rearranging them until something sounds good.

Some well-known examples:

 

Coined Trademark Spotify
Coined Trademark Exxon
Coined Trademark Verizon
Coined Trademark Xerox
Coined Trademark Aveeno
Coined Trademark Sony
Coined Trademark Pepsi
Coined Trademark Haribo
Coined Trademark Haagen Dazs
Coined Trademark Kodak

Creating a memorable coined trademark take a lot of creativity and putting yourself in the shoes of your target audience. The more opportunity the consumer has to make of your brand, the stronger your trademark gets. Because you have the exclusive right to such term, you are in the position for stronger trademark protection, and not easily liable for cybersquatting. One such downside of using a coined trademark is that you have to educate your consumers heavily about your brand. This might not be feasible for a small business. 

 

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