What is a trademark in China?

A trademark is essentially a characteristic of your brand. It could be your brand name, your brand’s logo, or even your brand’s slogan. For example, 'Nike', the ‘Swoosh’, or the slogan ‘Just Do It’. In some cases, the brand’s name and logo are combined into one, as in the case of BMW, or Coca-Cola. That is called a Logo Composite Mark.

Who owns a trademark?

A trademark grants you commercial rights to sell a particular brand name in a certain sector of the economy. There are 45 sectors and each sector is called a class. For instance, Class 28 refers to Toys, Games, and Sports. So if you want to protect your toy brand, you need to make an application under Class 28 and get exclusive commercial rights, to sell your brand of toys under that class.

Is my trademark available?

If you have a certain brand name, or a logo, or a slogan in mind, we can do a trademark search for you. A simple way to do this yourself, is to just go online to the internet and check if there is a similar company with a similar name to yours, on the internet. You should also check if the domain name of your brand is available or not.

What if the trademark is taken?

No need to worry. If your trademark brand name is taken, you can prepare a Logo Composite Mark by combining your logo and your name, and apply as one. This is a common strategy used to apply for a trademark, even if the trade name itself has been taken.

What do I need to provide?

You need to give us a signed letter, allowing us to apply for your trademark registration in China. This is called an Authorisation Letter. Once an Authorisation Letter has been received, we prepare your documents, make the application for you online, and pay the necessary fees. Almost instantly, you get a confirmation of the application and you can start using the ™ symbol next to your name.

How long does it take?

The trademark registration in China application process is done almost instantly. It can be done within a few hours of you giving us your Authorization Letter. The Government, after we make the application, takes 18 to 24 months, to confirm the registration and give you the confirmed Registration Certificate for your trademark. You can then use the ® symbol next to your name.

Source from VAKIL Search