Legally, a trademark is a protected sign which is used to distinguish the products or services of one business from another.
Basically, any graphic representations can be used as trademarks under the law: For example, words (e.g., Victorinox), combinations of letters (e.g., ABB), numericals (e.g., 501), graphic images (e.g., the SBB logo), three-dimensional forms (e.g., the Mercedes star), slogans (e.g., “Cats would buy Whiskas”), any combination of these elements, and a series of tones (acoustic trademarks, e.g., the Ricola jingle).
Information on other protective rights such as patents and designs can be found underintellectual property.

Registering a trademark gives you the exclusive right to use a certain sign for specific goods and services or to grant someone else the right to use it. As a trademark owner you can prevent others from using an identical or similar sign for the same or similar goods and services.

Our Trademark department offers legal advice and assistance:

• to help you choose, amongst proposed trademarks, the most suitable one from a legal point of view, by conducting availability searches in all countries;
• to file trademark applications world-wide;
• to reply to official notices issued by the registrar;
• to renew your trademark registrations in due time;
• to assure the protection of your rights through our trademark watch services and thus be in a position to take the appropriate steps against any detrimental trademark;
• to preserve your rights by filing oppositions and appeals against counterfeiters;
• to negotiate the sale and acquisition of trademarks;
• To draft and review contracts and agreements, e.g. assignment, license, distribution agreements.