When you have the perfect idea for a business, it may seem like a far-away reality. However, after years of investing, planning, and working, your dreams have become a reality. As an established company, you may want to create additional protections by copyrighting your name and logo. However, it’s essential to understand when this is possible. When looking to protect your brand’s identity, logo copyright infringement lawyers can help. The following blog explores what you must know about copyright laws and how they apply to names, logos, and symbols.
What Should I Know if I Want to Copyright a Name, Logo, or Symbol?
Unfortunately, you cannot copyright a name, title, slogan, or short phrase. This means if you open a cafe under the name “Jane’s Java,” you cannot copyright these words.
In most instances, you can copyright a logo because it is generally artistic and creative. As a result, the United States Copyright Office does offer protections for logos and designs unique to your company. So long as the logo is creative, you can register it with the Copyright Office.
How Can I Protect My Ideas?
If you want to copyright the name of your business, you may be disappointed to learn that this is not possible. However, this does not mean you are vulnerable, as you may be eligible to trademark the name of your business. Trademarks protect a brand’s identity to help ensure no one can steal its ideas and creations. However, the name of your business must be distinctive to receive trademark protection.
Unlike copyright, which expires seventy years after the creator of the work has passed away, a trademark will only expire when the business does. The owner of a trademark must provide proof that the product or company is still in business for the trademark to continue its protection.
In terms of logos, as soon as you create one, you should register your design with the Copyright Office to give it additional protections. In instances where your logo is stolen, copyright protection makes it easier to calculate damages. Without this additional measure, you can still pursue compensation, but it may be trickier to get the correct compensation.
Unfortunately, copyright law can be tricky to navigate if you’re unfamiliar with the law and the correct steps you must take. This makes it all the more important to retain the assistance of an experienced attorney as soon as possible when it comes to protecting your ideas.
Whether you want to register a work or someone has infringed upon your established copyright, CopyCat Legal is here to help. Our dedicated legal team will work tirelessly to review your circumstances to help fight for your intellectual property. Contact us today to learn more about how we can help you through this period.