Tips from The Trademark Insider: Logo Design & Trademark Protection – Have a Policy Regarding Infringement.

You create it. But what happens if IT infringes on another’s pre-existing brand. Generally speaking, logo design and marketing firms have long looked past this issue. You create the greatest logo or slogan for your new client. The only problem – the folks at NIKE don’t like your client’s new campaign JUST DO IT ALL for use in connection with a line of clothing. NIKE sues. Your client could, in turn, sue you for helping to create the slogan or logo which has made NIKE mad (aka alleged infringement of their JUST DO IT slogan).

What to do?

There are ways to handle this issue from incorporating into your price structure a simple trademark clearance search of your logos, slogans, or branding or by simply adding into your contract for service with your client a small hold-harmless clause for issue such as trademark infringement.

But an ounce of prevention can go a long way in protecting you from an unwanted headache down the road so you can focus on what you do best - Branding and Design!

The Trademark Company