Blog 4: How to trademark your brand?

A summary of what we did to trademark our brand name:

1. Select a brand name (i.e., name for a customer facing tech product)

2. Select an IP (Intellectual Property) legal firm, that undertakes such a service

3. The IP legal firm needed the following information:

   1. Name, nationality, and address of the applicant

   2. Full address of principal place of business in India

   3. The period (with date, month, and year) of use of the mark (if already started using), OR the date of proposed use

   4. List of ‘word marks /logo’ for the registration of the trademarks (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wordmark)

   5. Business description

   6. Copy of the logo (JPEG)

   7. Description of the logo

   8. Name and designation of the person authorised to sign Power of Attorney

4. The IP legal firm conducted a search within the trademarks database to check the availability of each mark within a class

   1. Note: a trademark can belong to multiple classes

   2. A separate application form must be filled for each class

   3. For example, a software mobile app can belong to Class 9 (covers the downloadable software as a product) and Class 42 (covers access to the software as a service) etc.

5. Once the availability was confirmed, I submited the following documents to the IP legal firm

   1. DPIIT certificate: For DPIIT recognized startups the application fee (per class) is reduced by 50%

   2. Power of Attorney document, in favor of IP firm, with regards to trademark application

   3. User affidavit (notarized and attested)

6. Once the application was filed, by the IP legal firm, with the Indian Trademark Registry, I received a confirmation with a trademark application number

   1. Normally, it takes several months in getting an application registered

   2. However, one can use the symbol ‘TM’ on top right of the name while the application is pending. After registration, symbol R can be used

7. Approximate charges based on my experience (May 2022)

   1. Conducting initial search of each mark in each class: fees may vary at every IP firm

   2. Filing a trademark application for the mark in one class: INR 9000 (50% reduced fee for DPIIT recognized startups)

   3. Filing a trademark application for the same mark in additional class(es): INR 9000 (50% reduced fee for DPIIT recognized startups)

   4. Follow up with the Registry, updating with the status and receiving the Registration Certificate or Examination Report (ER), if any: fees may vary at every IP firm

   5. Actual Expenses including procuring Power of Attorney, notary, postages, bank charges etc. and other disbursements, if any: fees may vary at every IP firm

Jump to blog 100 to refer to the overall product management mind map.

All the best! 😊