Registering Your Logo in Black and White

Pro Trademark Tip: Register your logo in black and white. 

Are you considering filing a trademark application for your logo with the United States Patent & Trademark Office? 

Let’s talk about why you might want to consider filing for coverage of the logo in black and white rather than in color – or at least in addition to filing in color.

We know you love your brand colors. We do too. And there are certainly times when filing in color makes sense.

But filing for your logo in black and white has benefits. 

Broader Protection and Flexibility: If you file in black and white, your trademark will cover your logo in any color combination, not just the specific colors used in your application. If you want to update your brand colors at a later time or use a variation of your logo for a special occasion, you’ll be covered without having to update your trademark registration.

Cost-Efficiency: One black-and-white logo registration covers multiple color variations of that logo whether now or in the future. By filing in black-and-white, you can avoid the need for multiple application filings to cover those variations or trying to amend the colors in your logo registration down the line. The latter can be costly and may fail if the trademark office decides that the color changes materially alter the originally registered mark.

Avoiding Limitations: Registering in color may limit your protection to those specific colors or make it harder to enforce your rights. If a competitor uses a similar design in different colors, it might not infringe on your trademark rights because there will be more dissimilarities for your competitor to point to.

Have questions about what you should register and why? Contact us. We’re here to help you with all of your intellectual property-related needs.