Types of Trademarks: All Classifications

Trademark - one of the most important concepts in marketing, which has a large set of functions. Classifications of trademarks are somewhat: in the form of expression, in right of possession, in form. Do not forget that the trademark is part of a more voluminous notion - corporate style.

The concept and types of trademarks

Commodity, brand name (other name - trademark) - registered designation, symbol, combination of letters or numbers, product image, designed to distinguish it, bring information about the manufacturer.

This way of individualization of the manufacturer is registered in the relevant government agencies of the Russian Federation and other countries. It implies exclusive rights to use the chosen sign and their legal protection. The latter is provided in more than 160 states, of which 90 are at the level of legislative acts.

In our country all uses of the trademark are protected by the legislative act "On trademarks, service marks and appellations of origin" (1992).

In addition, trademarks are protected by the following acts:

• The Paris Convention of 1883
• Madrid Convention on the International Registration of a Trademark (1981).
• Agreement on the registration of a trademark (1973).

Trademark - functions

Types of trademark functions can be reduced to the following:

1. This is evidence of a high level of product quality.
2. The presence of such a sign forms the buyer's confidence in the goods due to the good reputation of the manufacturer.
3. This is the basis on which promotion and advertising are based (before all kinds of trademarks, of course, they themselves must be good propiarenes).

It is believed that the goods produced under the brand name, is bought at 15-25% more often than non-immovable. In addition, the trademark itself often becomes a valuable object of ownership - the cost of the sign of Coca-Cola exceeds, according to the owner's company, $ 3 billion.

Brand identification types

Another side that characterizes a trademark is the type of its designation. In total, there are four:

1. Company logo. It includes a symbol, a designation, distinctive colors or a combination thereof, a drawing.
2. Brand name. It consists of an abbreviation, a word, a phrase, a letter - everything that can be said.
3. The trade image is an individualized brand of the corporation.
4. Trademark - all of the above, protected by law and law. The latter is denoted by the letter R in the circle.

Classification of varieties of company symbols

All types of trademarks and service marks can be broken down into the following classifications:

1. About the competence of possession: individual, joint.
2. On the object: commodity, assortment.
3. In the form of expression: volumetric, sound, combined, verbal, graphic.

The most interesting for consideration will be the latter.

Classification by species of expression

Types of trademarks in the form of expression are divided into several categories:

1. Verbal - pronounced names and slogans. The most common category, which includes both common words and neologisms. For example, "VKontakte", "Every day", "Twix", iPhone, Windows. Or: "Gilett: Better for a man is not", "There is an idea - there is an IKEA", etc.
2. Fine - unique and memorable images of people, animals, abstract symbols, lines, shapes - emblems and logos. This includes icons "Adidas", "Apple", "Lacoste", "Facebook", RZhD, etc.
3. Volumetric. A rare species. It shows either the product itself or its packaging. Such a drawing or photo should not be schematic, emphasize the specific purpose or property of the product. For example, an image of a book, a mobile phone, a plate, a vacuum cleaner, etc. The volume sign should be distinguished by some inherent features only: the McDonald's clown, the Wimm-Bill-Dann Brands animal, and so on.
4. Sound. This is part of the musical composition or other sound that characterizes this company. It is very popular both in sound advertising, and in the media - such a melody is called a jingle. Often the name of the brand or slogan of the company is sung in it, for example: "Galina Blanka, Bul-Bul, Bul-Bul", "Mmm, Danone". This includes radio callsigns and specific radio programs, melodies on welcome or farewell TV program screensavers.
5. Combined combine several names of this classification: slogan and image, logo and sound.
6. Olfactory. These are the most rare and unusual types of trademarks. They are a fragrance, usually not related to the products. Register such a corporate symbol is very difficult - you need a detailed description of the aroma, its chemical formula, the enumeration of the "bouquet" of its individual smells. In our country, such curious trademarks are almost not represented.

Separately, you can give examples of olfactory signs of the goods:

• Vanilla and lavender - stationery;
• The smell of freshly cut grass - tennis balls;
• Pink fragrance - automobile tires;
• Tangible smell of strong beer - darts for darts;
• Lemon grass - SPA-salons, etc.

The concept of company style

Types of trademark are the most important part of a more global concept - the style of the company. Corporate style - a set of different methods and ways of presenting products that portray the latter in a single and complete manner. This concept combines under itself:

• trademark;
• Branded fonts ;
• Individual combination of colors;
• Logo;
• The corporate block - a combination of the name, logo, slogan, any explanatory text;
• Uniform constants of the firm - making text and images, format, etc.

Trademark, in fact, is the "face" of the company, unique, protected from copying and plagiarism. There are a lot of options for choosing it.