Trademark Registration: Symbol Types, How to Type Trademark and More

Many times we see that next to the name of a brand appears the thumbnail of an "R" or "TM". This is what is called a registered trademark symbol . But what exactly are they for? When can they be used?

What is the registered trademark symbol?

The registered trademark symbol is an abbreviation that is placed in the upper right part of a brand name to indicate that it is registered in the Industrial Property Office or, failing that, that said brand is already in use.

There are different types of symbols, for example R®, the abbreviation MR or TM™. As we will see later, they all serve the same purpose, but some of them should not be used in the same circumstances.

When and what is it used for?

As we have already mentioned, trademark symbols serve to inform third parties that a trademark is registered or already in use (in those countries where the right to a trademark is obtained through its commercial exploitation).

The inclusion of these symbols in the brand name is not mandatory, since in Spain the rights of a brand are acquired by registering it with the Industrial Property Office. Therefore, it is usually used for informational purposes or to provide a greater corporate image.

Types of trademark symbols

There are different trademark symbols . Below we see what they are and in what cases they can be used.

R®

The R® (Registered) symbol can be used to indicate the registration of both product and service marks. It can only be used if the brand is officially registered, otherwise it could lead to sanctions. There is also the abbreviation for MR (Registered Trademark) which is basically the same thing. Can be used in a registered logo .

TM™

The TM™ (Trademark) symbol is used to inform consumers or other businesses that a particular trademark is already in use.

The difference between TM™ and R® is that to use TM it is not necessary for the trademark to be registered with the Intellectual Property Office.

Therefore, it is recommended to use the TM registered trademark in those countries where the rights to a trademark are acquired by use, and not as a result of its registration, for example in the United States.

C©

The symbol C© (Copyright) is used to indicate that a particular work is protected by copyright. Its use is not mandatory either, but it is recommended to indicate to third parties that the work is protected by intellectual property rights. It must be taken into account that these rights have a specific duration, which in Spain is for the life of the author, and up to 70 years after his death.

P?

For its part, the symbol ? (Phonogram) is basically the same as Copyright, but is used to indicate copyright in sound works.

Is the trademark the same as the copyright?

No. In the first place, because the registered trademark symbol refers to trademarks, therefore, it is protected by industrial property rights . By contrast, the Copyright symbol is used on copyrighted works, which are protected by intellectual property rights .

On the other hand, the registered trademark symbol R can only be used when said trademark has been registered in the Industrial Property Office. That is, the rights are acquired by registration. However, in the case of the symbol C for Copyright , these rights are acquired through the use and dissemination of the work.

As we can see, both symbols are used to protect different types of property, and they also differ in the ways of acquiring rights over them.

Where should these symbols be placed?

The truth is that there is no specific rule on when and where trademark symbols should be used. The most common is to place them at the end of the brand name, usually in a slightly smaller size and at the top right.

How to type trademark symbols on the keyboard?

How to make the registered trademark symbol on the keyboard ? Below we tell you the shortcuts to place these abbreviations in Windows, Mac, iOS and Android.

Windows

The keyboard shortcuts to type the registered trademark symbol in Windows are the following:

• Alt + 0153 if you want to type the Trademark ™ symbol
• Alt + 0174 to insert registered trademark symbol ®
• Alt + 0169 for the copyright symbol ©

And how to insert these symbols in Microsoft Word? Very simple, you just have to write the symbols in parentheses (for example, (R) in the Word document and the autocorrect will change them automatically.

Mac

To insert a trademark symbol on Mac , you need to follow the steps below:

• Type Option + R to write the registered trademark symbol ®
• Type Option + 2 to insert the Trademark ™ symbol
• Type Option + C for copyright ©

iPhone

If you want to know how to put the R of registered on iPhone , you will be happy to know that it is extremely simple.

You simply have to click on the text bar of the application where you want to write and type the abbreviations (R, TM or C). Automatically the Quicktype keyboard will offer the options to replace the abbreviations with symbols.

Android

Putting the trademark symbol on Android is just as easy:

• Tap in the text box where you want to insert the symbol, to open the keyboard.
• Click on “ ?!23 ” at the bottom left of the keyboard.
• Now press “ = \ < ” also at the bottom left of the keyboard to open the menu of symbols, and there they will be.

With this we come to the end of the article. Remember that if you want to use the registered trademark symbol R, you will have to have the trademark registered with the Industrial Property Office, but to use the TM symbol it will suffice that you are using said brand name. On our website you can find information about the requirements to register a trademark .

The above content published at Collaborative Research Group is for informational purposes only and has been developed by referring to reliable sources and recommendations from experts. We do not have any contact with official entities nor do we intend to replace the information that they emit.