Are you a serious trademark owner? 27 easy questions.

DuetsBlog is a consistently well-written, highly-informative blog that is quickly becoming one of my favorites.  It features articles that are interesting and helpful, not just rarefied academic discussions on case law.  And it is approachable for the attorney and the everyman.

A recent addition to their site discussed the benefits of foresight when selecting a trademark, the life of a well-used trademark, and other musings on what serious trademark owners do.  It is, of course, written by Steve Baird, a great writer and attorney whose law review article I keep promising myself I will finish (an article I want to read- that’s how good it is!).  An excerpt of the 27 actions he notes serious trademark owners take:

Clear new marks before using them even if “only” for brand extensions;

Understand the pros and cons of different name styles;

Adopt suggestive marks over merely descriptive ones;

Self-police marketing materials to keep marks suggestive and non-functional;

Steer clear from the D-word;

Appreciate the pros and cons of non-verbal wordless logos;

Strive to own logos that can truly stand alone without words;

Spend time developing an acceptable generic name too when launching new brand;

Develop non-traditional trademarks;

Read on at DuetsBlog.