Use of trademark on social media

The Alliance With Social Media

In the current era, social media is a growing field of business, contacts, and revenue. Therefore the content we see on everyone’s find is getting better every day with new applications and developments. For brand owners, social media is a valuable tool to communicate with their existing customers and to reach out to their potential customers.

 

Social media is becoming a prime factor today, whether it is Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or blogs that are critical to the very type of business. Every brand has to have a policy on how they are going to use social media as it is a new way of brands interacting with a customer base which is providing challenges for their owners and attorneys as these rules get rewritten each passing day.

 

Traits Of Trademark

Trademark symbols are used for various legal reasons on social media posts. Primarily it prevents others from using the brand’s esteemed trademark as theirs, online. Therefore the use of trademark symbols on social media is a great idea for building a brand online.

 

Use of the trademark is to alert the public that it is your registered mark and no one is allowed to use it in any other way. The big names usually use the R mark to display their registered trademarks on social media and other platforms.

 

Untold Strategies Of Business Giants

If we take a look at the strategies of branding giants like Google, Xerox, Starbucks, and others following are what we see as a result. The Facebook and Twitter pages of Xerox show no symbols of trademark on corporate posts. Even Google, considered as a brand which is against the use of its name as a brand verbification is not using trademark symbols on blogs, tweets or Facebook posts. Starbucks, a coffee giant is also not into using trademark symbols on social media. The social media strategists for the Facebook page of Johnson & Johnson brand Band-Aid is somehow similar to Google. The Band-Aid brand is trying to prevent itself from Genericide.

 

 It is not essential to display “TM” or “R” next to your brand name every single time. If you take a look at Starbuck’s website, the trademark symbol is displayed next to the corporate mermaid logo whereas the registered symbol stands next to its VIA, instant coffee brand. Despite this, the coffee giant does not use trademarks on its social media posts.

 

It is pretty visible that a lot of brands are not using trademark symbols next to their name in every instance on social media channels. It can be displayed somewhere in the bio or company description on social media platforms but putting it next to the name on every post is not recommended. Google, a widely used internet related product and service provider have the luxury to only use the registered mark when it wants as everyone is aware of the fact that it is someone else's trademark

 

Gospel For Business Initiators

It is an excellent tool for smaller businesses owners as they have a favorable opportunity to take advantage and it further levels the playing field. Any brand can have a sophisticated facebook page, twitter handle or YouTube channel with minimal investment of time, graphics and money. The smaller brand should firmly consider the use of a trademark on social media followed by some consultation by attorney specialized in trademark law for a further legal opinion. 

 

It is basically up to the organization to observe the use of trademark symbols in their social media posts. Finding a consistent solution of using trademarks on blog posts, video, audio or graphics online is highly recommended. An ultimate question arises, is the use of a trademark symbol in social media post necessary or unessential?

 

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