Difference between the symbols “®” and “™”

by True Startup Business service provider

Pick your favorite company and check whether it has an intellectual property. It does, right? You would in fact find that most of the major companies have a field for intellectual property rights. It is very important for an organization to have its own intellectual property rights because it costs lots of resources, time and money to build a name and if someone copies it without paying you the required amount then it would prove be the biggest loss for the organization. No organization can ever afford it and still survive.

It is very important that you have the right kind of intellectual property right, as per your firm’s profile because most of the times people get confused with the symbols “®” and “™”. Sometimes people use them as a substitute for each other but there is a really big difference. That is why the organizations need trademark consultants in Ahmedabad or whichever city your firm’s headquarter is in. Following you may find the exact difference between the symbols “®” and “™” which would answer your questions in this scenario.

Trademark “TM”:

The symbol TM represents the exclusive right of a person but that does not mean that the name is registered. It does not have legal significance but there are chances that one has applied for the registration. It works like a warning for those who want to copy the name. One can put this mark on any phrase, logo, word or design, if it isn’t already registered by anyone else. When it comes to service related work, one should use “SM” instead of “TM”. It can provide temporary protection to the logo, phrase, design or word one applies it to. After using this, there are high chances that no other person would use it without requesting for permission because it gives the perception that the organization has applied for the trademark. The main feature of this is- it can be used without even being registered.

Registered “R” trademark:

It represents that your trademark is registered. Now it is time to put this on logo, phrase, word or design without any worries. After having this, no one would even think to copy your intellectual property because it showcases that it is protected under infringement act, which is under the trademark law. If one does copy, then he/she would face many consequences as well as would be required to pay a big fine or put into jail for many years. A registered trademark provides a brand with protection which is considered as a priority for a growing business as people recognize you because of the brand, sales start taking place because of the recognized brand name and the organization charges premium value. No one can use this without applying for registration, otherwise it will face some serious legal actions.

Having a trademark means having a name which others cannot use. It is more important than providing products and services because it is the identity of the said brand, and without identity you don’t exist in the market at all. Applying for a trademark is not even that costly. One can easily afford this. Having a trademark also helps in different areas such as getting registered as a legal identity, applying for a GST number and so on. One can confirm with GST consultants in Ahmedabad or in your city for the same. Before registration, one should inquire about trademark registration consultants so that the trademark registration process becomes easier for the organization and any possible issues are handled well in advance.