Non-Traditional Trademark Registration

A trademark does not consist only of a name and a logo. The packaging shape of a product, a jingle, a corporate color or a sequence of movements can also be registered as a trademark, provided that it is distinctive and can be shown in the registry clearly and precisely. These types are called non-traditional trademarks.

Which types can be registered?

• Sound mark: A jingle or a distinctive sound; represented by notation or a sound recording.
• Color mark: A single color or a combination of colors; applied for with a color code and description.
• Shape (three-dimensional) trademark: The shape of a product or its packaging; shown with images from different angles.
• Motion, hologram and multimedia marks: Moving images or audiovisual compositions.

Points to note in the application

In non-traditional trademarks, the most critical issue is that the trademark has a distinctive character. Shapes arising solely from the function of the product or descriptive colors cannot be registered. In the application, the representation of the trademark, its description and the relevant list of goods/services are assessed together; the form of representation and the description text must therefore be prepared professionally.

At Teescil, we determine under which trademark type your application will receive the strongest protection, prepare the representation and description text, and respond to comments received during the Office's examination. The Office's official information on trademark types is available in our Knowledge Base .