Logo copyright

[Fi Wilson]

I heard something on the radio a couple of weeks ago about how loads of companies don't copyright their logos so putting them at risk from scallywags who want to rip us honest businesses off! Just out of interest, have any of you copyrighted your logo? If so, where do you start? Who did you go to? How much is it? Blah, blah, blah.

Fi

[geti-titanium]

I tried last year and promptly had an objection from General Electric in the USA, who made me sign a form to say that I wouldn't use my logo again so forcing me to redesign it. £200 down the drain.

[Fi Wilson]

Oh no!!! That's such a shame. That's the thing that scares me about the whole copyright route as it's so expensive.

Fi

[daisychain]

The best way of protecting yourself legally, I think, is to trademark your business name. This is the only way (unless your business name is also your own given name) of protecting yourself against people using the same or similar name/word/words in that class of business.

You can either trademark your logo, or to give yourself better protection, trademark the actually wording. I've trademarked the word 'Daisychain' in classes for jewellery, tuition and design services. If I'd trademarked my logo I would have lost any protection if I updated my logo. It doesn't stop people from using my name, but it means I can legally tell them to stop if their business is anything to do with jewellery - and I have enforced this before and am in the process of enforcing this with a couple more businesses.

You trademark through the intellectual property office (IPO) who have a website here Intellectual Property Office - Welcome to the Intellectual Property Office. They are the same people who deal with copyrighting. The process is fairly straightforward, you can do everything online, and the trademark lasts for 10 years. When I did it it cost £300 plus £50 (I think) for each extra class (type of industry/business). It was money well spent as I have had someone try to tell me I had to change my name as they had just found me on the internet. A pity for them that they didn't think to check on the internet before choosing their name and that I'd been around for about 6 years longer than them! There are many solicitors who will give you a free half hour or so advice about the issues if you phone them.

Slightly off topic - a friend of mine runs a pilates studio, and she has named it after herself, Marie-Claire. A certain magazine tried very hard to make her change the business name but legally couldn't as it is her given name. So, if in doubt, and you don't want to have to pay for trademarking etc, use your own name! This still probably wouldn't protect you against someone using the same name in the same type of business themselves though.

[Fi Wilson]

Thanks Jo, that's really useful info. I'm off to have a read of the weblink over lunch.

Fi