What is a trade mark?
A trade mark is a sign that you can use to distinguish your business’ goods or services from those of other traders.
A trade mark can be represented graphically in the form of your company’s logo or a signature.
Through a registered
trade mark, you can protect your brand (or “mark”) by restricting other people from using its name or logo.
Once acquired, a trade mark can last indefinitely as long as you renew it every 10 years. Because a registered trade mark is a form of IP, you can license or assign it to others. The benefits of registering a trade mark
It is not compulsory to register a trade mark in Singapore.
For a mark that is not registered, you may rely on your rights under the common law action of "passing off" to protect your mark against imitation or infringement.
However, if you register a trade mark in relation to your goods and/or services, you are effectively gaining a statutory monopoly of your mark. A trade mark can add value to your business because it can be used to protect your market share, you can license it to third parties such as a franchisee, or you can sell it outright for a specified value. You can also use a trade mark to help you to raise equity for the development of your business. Trade Mark Classification
Singapore uses the International Classification of Goods and Services, under the Nice Agreement, to classify trade mark registrations. This classification sets out 34 different classes of goods and 11 classes of services that a trader can register in relation to a mark. The full list of classes can be found here.
The following can be registered as a trade mark but a mark must be distinctive and capable of distinguishing your goods or services from similar ones of other traders:
letters
words
names
signatures
labels
devices
tickets
shapes
colours
or any combination of these elements.
The following are some common examples of marks that cannot be registered as a trade mark:
Marks that are descriptive (e.g. super, best, cheap, one dozen)
Marks that are common to your trade (ones that have become well accepted in relation to your trade and do not distinguish the goods or service you are offering)
Marks that could offend or promote immoral behaviour
Deceptive marks (ones that could misrepresent the nature, quality or geographical origin of the goods or services)
Marks that are identical to earlier marks
Marks that could cause confusion (similar or identical to an earlier mark and in relation to similar or identical goods or services provided by the owners of the earlier mark)
Marks that are identical or similar to Well Known Marks
You can check whether the mark you wish to register is similar or identical to an earlier mark via eFiling. Trade mark symbols
If you successfully register a trade mark, you are permitted to use the ® symbol next to your mark. Another common symbol associated with trade mark is ™ − this denotes that the mark is being used by the company as their trade mark but it does not mean that the mark is registered or protected under the trade mark law. Other marks
There are a number of other types of marks that you might find are appropriate for your business.
Certification marks This mark is granted to people who wish to certify the characteristics of a particular goods or service. The certification can relate to the origin, material or mode of manufacture of the goods, or the performance, quality or accuracy of a service. By applying for a certification mark, goods and services are easily distinguishable from other non-certified goods or services on the market. For example, if your product is organic, you may be in a position to use a certified organic mark on your packaging.
Collective marks This is a sign that is used to distinguish the goods and services offered by an association or group of traders from those being offered by non-members of the association. Once registered, all members of the group can use the collective mark; it is an effective way to indicate that your business is a member of a wider group of traders.
Government agency marks (Rule 13) IPOS has a separate database for all logos or devices that are used by government agencies. These may not be registered marks if the agency isn’t providing goods or services. However, if you are looking to register a logo that might be similar to one being used by a government agency, you will need to seek permission from that particular organisation before you utilise it.
