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Trade marks are standard brand identifiers for many goods and services businesses worldwide. You can use them in various ways to assist your business development. Further, they act as a vital tool to protect your brand. This article will discuss why you should trade mark your YouTube channel name and how this can assist your overall business strategy.
When to Consider a Trade Mark for Your YouTube Channel
Working with entertainment services is an increasingly popular career path and business prospect. The business you generate from your YouTube account usually has a specific brand identity, separate from various YouTube videos and content.
If you are currently the YouTube channel owner and are already generating an income from this, you should definitely consider applying for a registered trade mark. So, if you are considering starting a career on YouTube, applying to register a trade mark can be an essential step to consider.
Requirements to Meet to Register Your Trade Mark
Registering any form of a trade mark with the Intellectual Property Office (IPO) in England requires you to meet specific criteria. For instance, trade marks can take many forms, including:
- words;
- logos;
- sounds;
- colours; and
- slogans.
Regardless of your format, each trade mark must meet the same criteria. Moreover, to successfully register your trade mark, you must ensure your mark is distinctive within your industry. So, it cannot be too descriptive in what you do. The primary purpose of a trade mark is to distinguish your brand from others in your area of trade. Therefore, it needs to be unique to you and your brand. You can trade mark your YouTube channel name provided you can prove it is unique in your area of industry. Once you have done this, you can then seek to register other trade marks, such as a logo for your YouTube channel icon.
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A Registered Trade Mark Will Provide Exclusivity
When starting a YouTube channel, crafting a brand is crucial to building your following and reputation. Therefore, you will ideally want to guarantee your exclusive rights over your name so that other competitors or potential copycats cannot use your intellectual property. For example, if someone else attempted to register a similar or identical YouTube name before you registered your name, they could effectively steal your name. However, they cannot do this once you register your channel name with the IPO.
Further, this would be unauthorised if someone starts using your YouTube channel name without your consent. Therefore, you will have the grounds to challenge them legally. Additionally, once you register your YouTube channel name, you can use the ® symbol. This symbol informs other brands that you have registered your trade mark with the IPO.
Expand Your Reach Geographically
A registered trade mark can assist your YouTube account and overall business to expand its reach into other countries. This is because you can make an application to the IPO to protect your mark in England. Further, based on this application, you can also make an international application to protect your trade mark and specific brand identity across several jurisdictions. In addition, you can use instruments such as the Madrid Protocol, which allows you to make one application to protect your trade mark in a high quantity of countries if successful.
Branding and Marketing Benefits
A successful YouTube account and the channel will require strong branding to expand its video content and services. Trade mark registration equips your YouTube business with branding materials you hold exclusive rights over. You can therefore use your trade mark exclusively to promote your YouTube:
- images;
- channel description;
- channel trailer; or
- any other specific brand content that will assist your business.
Key Takeaways
If you have a YouTube business in England, you should consider the benefits of registering your channel name as a trade mark. Doing so will protect the exclusive rights over your intellectual property. Further, if you have a YouTube account and your business is thus focused on entertainment services, a registered trade mark can protect your specific brand identity and promote your content. Additionally, you will gain access to a formal legal process if you want to challenge another person or business for the unauthorised usage of your registered mark.
If you need help or advice around registering your YouTube channel name as a trade mark, our experienced intellectual property lawyers can assist as part of our LegalVision membership. For a low monthly fee, you will have unlimited access to lawyers to answer your questions and draft and review your documents. Call us today on 0808 196 8584 or visit our membership page.
Frequently Asked Questions
You must apply to the Intellectual Property Office and show that your trade mark is unique and distinctive within your area of industry. You will also need to pay a fee for registration, but if successful, you will gain trade mark protection for ten years.
You can seek legal assistance for your application. This is advisable if you feel you have limited experience in the trade mark registration process or if you feel your application is particularly complex.
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