We recommend you protect your brands against potential misuse by third parties. One way to establish this protection is to register a trade mark in the countries that are important to you. Trade mark registration is a cornerstone of brand protection and marketing strategies because a mark often becomes a receptacle of the brand’s values and qualities.
A registered trade mark would give you the exclusive right to use its mark in respect of the goods or services covered by it. It would also allow you to prevent third parties from using or seeking to register an identical or confusingly similar trade mark in respect of identical or similar goods and services.
Overview of services in relation to brand protection
Trade mark register search
A search can be carried out prior to filing a trade mark application. This will identify any potentially problematic trade marks on the trade mark register, which may prevent use and registration of you marks. However, a search is optional and you may wish to proceed without one if it has been using a mark for some time.
Trade mark application
Considering your brands, you may wish to apply to register the words contained in its trade marks as well as the logos in their entirety. Word marks will give you the widest scope of protection, but registration of the logos will give you rights in the combination of images and words.
Assuming that your primary markets are the UK and the EU, you could file either UK or EU trade mark applications.
A UK application could be registered within 3-4 months if there are no objections from the trade mark office or owners of earlier marks. Whereas an EU application covering all EU member states, will generally take 4-6 months from filing to registration, assuming no objections.
If you wish to file trade mark applications, Elkington+Fife, Trade Mark Direct or another provider could manage the process from filing to registration for fixed fees, assuming there are no trade mark office or third-party objections.
Do note you can submit applications yourself via the gov platform see: https://www.gov.uk/how-to-register-a-trade-mark