Learn About Trademarks

Patents are expensive, hard to get, difficult to understand and can cost a fortune to enforce. Trademarks are simple and cheap in comparison. While a patent lasts just 20 years, a trademark can last forever. A round of applause for trademarks!

However, creating value in a trademark is incredibly hard. The words and/or logo do not have value until they are imprinted in the minds of consumers. That takes years of great marketing and publicity in conjunction with a great product or service and more often than not, millions of dollars in advertising.

As part of a commercialization strategy, along with a patent, it's great to have a trademark with a corresponding url (web domain). When licensing the invention it may be possible to separate the trademark component and have an ongoing royalty paid on the trademark after the patent expires.

Here is a great video from the USPTO that explains trademarks in more detail:

Mike Marks