The importance of logos and graphic designs cannot be underestimated. More often than not, these are the first things that pop into our head when we think about our favorite brands: they are the assets that clearly define who they are and what sets them apart from the competition.
Of course, these visual assets are only of true value to brands if they are trademarked. Ideally, brands should be clearing their logos and designs with the same level of precision that they dedicate to word marks, but the very nature of visual designs means this is much easier said than done.
Up until now, brands have used several DIY image search and clearance solutions, but none have been particularly effective as it is difficult to clear marks on your own this way. In a bid to tackle this issue, some might choose to use design coding systems, such as the International Vienna Classification, but this is typically very time consuming.
Other potential solutions include using search engines to turn up relevant image results, but this only allows for images that are identical to the one you’re trying to clear — anything that’s only slightly similar or includes certain elements that could prove problematic will often be omitted entirely. Another issue is the amount of marks that aren’t registered at all, or have been registered in jurisdictions that have no design coding. The result is a vast universe of design marks that are not readily searchable using traditional methods in PTO databases.
CompuMark is fully aware of these issues, which is why we decided to offer a brand new approach to visual trademarking with our TM go365™ Image Search solution. Thanks to advanced image recognition technology, TM go365 is able to carry out a truly comprehensive search that identifies confusingly similar image marks without complex codes, keywords or queries. It’s the fast, easy, self-service way to get the insight you need to clear secondary, seasonal or promotional image marks, while also reducing the risk of costly conflicts.
More than this, no other offering combines this advanced image recognition technology with trusted, global content and powerful workflow tools to deliver relevant, actionable results. TM go365 zeroes in on the most similar results instantly, and even ranks each result to help speed up the review process, while all of the data behind our solution is reviewed and corrected by CompuMark trademark experts to ensure accuracy. Records are also indexed and cross-referenced to identify all relevant results that others might miss, which minimises risk and maximises confidence.
But perhaps most importantly, TM go365 Image Search offers a convenient solution that makes life easier for both brands and trademark professionals.
We’re extremely proud of TM go365 Image Search, and we’re confident this is a huge step forward in the advancement of image and design trademarking. If you’re interested in knowing even more about our new solution, visit the product page.
