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Trademarks have existed since ancient times. From engraving signatures on artistic creations to drawing symbols and words on pottery, people have always come up with a way to demonstrate ownership.

However, trademarks started to play an important role when industrialization began. Since then, they have become an important factor in the modern world of market-oriented economies and international trade.

With all this in mind, why have trademarks become so important?

The Beginning of Trademark History

Humans have been trademarking things since before there was even a word for it. Although it is nearly impossible to tell exactly when the first trademark came to be, thanks to Google (also trademarked), we have access to information that proves that one of the earliest known examples dates back to 5000 BC.

Trademarks go through a long registration process to obtain protection. Among other things, this process includes the examination and the publication of the trademark and its owner’s details. During the publication, anyone can see if your trademark application infringes their previous application or registration of trademark rights.

Doing business abroad opens up a lot of opportunities for your business. It can mean introducing your product to millions of new customers, but it also leaves you vulnerable to trademark infringement.

It can also be confusing when trying to navigate the trademark process alone.

Here's what you need to know about the trademark process for registering overseas to help keep your trademark safe.

Hashtag trademarks - What is a hashtag #?

You may already be familiarized with this term. A hashtag is a way to label content through social media platforms. It helps others who are interested in a certain topic quickly find content on that same topic through a social media platform.

The fashion industry is constantly evolving creating new styles and trends that are imposed worldwide. For this reason, it is important to protect the Intellectual Property (IP) rights that emanate from these creations. This includes from the protection of the industrial design of each of the garments created, to the protection of the name or trademark through which such garments are identified in the market, through a series of other Intellectual Property rights that can be protected.

To understand what is the main difference between trademark and brand we’re going to start defining both concepts. Only when you know what’s exactly each word then you can understand what are the differences.

What is a trademark?

A trademark is a recognizable insignia, phrase or symbol that denotes a specific product or service and legally differentiates it from all other products.

Practically every country in the word allows one to register trademarks in order to protect the name or design they use to promote their goods or services.

Why register a trademark?

The only way to thoroughly protect your trademark is to register it. If you don’t register your brand name as a trademark, then your business could be harmed by third parties who decide to use the same name or logo.

Many are already familiar with certain intellectual property assets, such as trademarks or patents. However, despite their relevance and potential attractiveness to businesses, little is said about industrial designs and the advantages that an entrepreneur gains from registering them.

When talking about corporate image, many quickly associate this term with logos. But do you think this concept only refers to the visual elements of a brand? Far from it...

In general terms, we can say that the image of a business is a matter of brand perception; that it is a matter of designing and defining the elements that represent the brand and its values. Therefore, it is an intangible concept.