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7 trademark registration pitfalls to avoid

For businesses and brand owners, registering a trademark is a crucial step in safeguarding their brand identity and ensuring that their intellectual property remains safe and secure. However, the trademark registration process can be complex, and costly mistakes may happen, which may affect the brand’s legal protection, hinder its uniqueness, and confuse consumers, negatively impacting its reputation and success. To navigate this process successfully, here are some common errors to avoid when registering a trademark.

Not taking legal consultation

One of the most significant mistakes one can make is trying to register a trademark without legal counsel. The first thing one must do when registering trademarks is consult an experienced attorney who can guide them through this complex process, provide the necessary guidance, and prevent future pitfalls.

Not making a unique trademark

When registering a trademark, the first thing to do is to ensure that it is unique to the brand. Failing to do so might lead to rejection during the registration process. An expert trademark attorney can also help in creating a unique trademark.

Not doing complete research about similar trademarks

It is also important to conduct thorough research to ensure that a trademark does not conflict with existing, similar trademarks. If it does, they may face legal challenges in the application process.

Not choosing the accurate trademark class

Choosing the wrong trademark class for a product can also lead to legal troubles and even a rejection of the application. Hence, one must ensure that their trademark is properly classified to cover all the relevant aspects of their brand.

Not tracking the application

The trademark registration application is not a seamless one. Even after the application is submitted, one might receive updates and Office actions (responses from the trademark office pointing out issues regarding an application) from the USPTO. Therefore, one should keep track of the application and promptly respond to requests or actions.

Not using the trademark symbol correctly

One must know the difference between the commonly used trademark symbols to use them correctly. For instance, the TM (™) symbol indicates that the trademark application is still in process, while the R (®) symbol indicates that the application is approved and the trademark is registered.

Not maximizing the trademark benefits

Registering a trademark provides businesses numerous advantages, including legal protection and improved brand reputation and recognition. Hence, once a trademark has been registered, one must leverage its value in brand marketing.

4 printing mistakes and ways to avoid them

When it comes to printing, some mistakes can prove more costly than others. It is important to learn to recognize mistakes early and correct them so that you can get the best quality prints. From leaving the right margins to choosing the correct print quality, being aware of minor details can help. Here are four common printing mistakes and ways to avoid them, so you get a quality print each time. Not creating bleeding space Even though machines have become far more precise in cutting artwork to its intended size, you may still find 1-2 mm of inconsistency. Not adding bleeding space will result in a thin white border around your artwork. To rectify this, create a bleed or extra space of 5 mm around your image, so even if the paper moves, there wonât be any white space on the print. Printing in RGB If youâre wondering why your print doesn't match the colors on the screen, it may be because you are printing in RGB color mode. Artworks and documents set in RGB are meant for digital viewing, whereas those set in CMYK are meant for print. To avoid this error, ensure that the color mode of your design is set to CMYK. Typos and errors Grammar, spelling mistakes, missing fonts, and smaller font sizes can hurt your printâs appearance. Documents with these errors can appear unprofessional or even illegible. To avoid this, set the smallest font size of the document to at least 6 pt. You can rasterize or convert your text to a Smart Object, if you are using Photoshop, or to outlines, if you are using Illustrator. Proofread your document several times. You can even ask a friend to do it for you, or use an online spell check program to avoid any spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. High ink coverage Images that require too much ink to print can cause the paper to bruise or wrinkle since the paperâs ink absorption capacity is limited. Avoid this mistake by using a preflight tool to check the ink coverage of your artwork. This tool checks which images require too much ink to print, so they can be edited accordingly. You can also opt for preflight tools that are specially designed for lowering the ink coverage of an image. It's important to remember that there is always space to make edits while printing. Double check your work before printing or sending them to a printing shop to get the best quality prints each time.

5 common packaging mistakes to avoid

Product packaging is usually the first point of brand interaction with its customers. A product may look good and have high functionality, but customers may not like it unless the packaging is appealing. Apart from aesthetics of the packaging, how sturdy and secure it is in protecting the product from damage is also important. Understanding these factors and knowing some common packaging mistakes to avoid is crucial for a product's success and the brand's value. Adding features that are irrelevant to the product Customers are used to a certain kind of packaging for products they have been using for a long time. For instance, jams have always been packaged in glass jars or bottles. These are convenient and keep the product fresh for a long time. But if a brand starts putting jam in wholly different packaging, the customer will find it inconvenient to figure out how to use or open it. They will be put off by the entire product. So, never use packaging that has features that are not relevant to the product. Using the wrong kind of packaging material Many brands often make the mistake of choosing a packaging that is widely popular. However, it is possible that the material used in this packaging is not suitable for the brandâs product. The material may be too flimsy or too thick, which may end up leading to spoilage or damage. To avoid this situation, it is crucial to conduct extensive research about the different packaging materials available. Moreover, a brand must do a lot of testing and trial based on the contents of the product as well as the amount of protection needed to keep it secure. This will help figure out which kind of packaging material will work best. Not paying attention to the packaging quality Another common packaging mistake brands commit is using the most affordable option. The idea behind this is to keep the production margins as low as possible. It is assumed that this will increase the profits. However, using low-quality packaging material can turn out to be a highly costly mistake in the long run. The packaging may get damaged during transit, which will damage the product as well. This can result in financial losses as well as customer dissatisfaction. Overpacking or using too little packaging Customers will never hesitate to switch to another brand if they receive a damaged product repeatedly. This usually happens when a brand uses too much or too little packaging material. For example, there is a product made of glass. Here, if the brand uses multiple filler packaging materials such as bubble wrap, styrofoam, air bags, and paper, âall of these will put a lot of pressure on the product, causing the glass to crack. But if less packaging is used for cushioning the glass, it will definitely break in transit. So, always make sure to use the right amount of packaging that will cause no damage to the product inside. Putting incorrect labels Something as small as a typo on a packaging label can put customers off. While typos can sometimes occur, major labeling mistakes such as incorrect allergy warnings or wrong nutritional information can instantly harm the brand image. So, always ensure the labels are proofread before the products go on the shelves. Otherwise, the product might be recalled, or customersâ health may be at risk because of misleading or incorrect labeling.