Are logos intellectual property?

Unsure how to best protect your company logo? An essential part of business branding, creating an easily-recognisable and eye-catching logo is often crucial to the success of a business.

It’s therefore no wonder that business owners are keen to protect both how their logo is used and who can use it, but are logos intellectual property (IP), and if so, what’s the best way to protect them in the UK?

Below, the experienced IP legal team at Trademark Eagle explain the various components a logo must include for it to be classified as intellectual property and what kind of legal protection they can be afforded.

What is a logo?

A logo is simply an image, text, or shape (or combination of any of these components) that results in a mark or emblem used to represent a business.

Commonly, logos are used to help aid public identification and recognition of a business, thereby boosting their brand awareness.

Can logos be classified as intellectual property?

So, are logos intellectual property? In short, yes, logos can be classified as intellectual property as they are a type of artistic creation and are therefore also covered by copyright laws.

Furthermore, almost anything that is distinctive can be used to identify your business from other competitors within the same industry can also be trademarked.

As a result, logos can be protected by both copyright and trademark laws in the UK.

What does a logo need to include to be classified as intellectual property?

Fortunately, your logo needn’t meet a long list of extensive requirements to be considered intellectual property.

Instead, as long as your logo is distinctive (not generic) and features some kind of artistic and design elements, then it can be classed as intellectual property and protected under copyright law.

Under the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988, logos are automatically protected from unauthorised use by others and entities copying or adapting it without express permission from the owner can be asked to stop and action can be taken to prevent this.

Alongside the automatic protection afforded to logos under copyright law, you can also protect a logo in the UK through trade mark registration.

While copyright can be used to protect a wide range of creative pieces of work (including music, literary works, and even computer software), trademarks are used more specifically to protect brand names, phrases, and logos.

By registering your logo as a trade mark, you can establish more credibility and authority, encouraging your customers to trust you as a bona fide business.

Protect your logo with Trademark Eagle

Now you know more about the various legal protections available to help you to look after your logo, why not get in touch with the intellectual property professionals at Trademark Eagle?

Our expert in-house legal counsel has years of experience with trade mark registration, renewal, and dispute resolution, leading to the protection of more than 5,500 trademarks in the UK, EU, and more, internationally.

Regardless of whether you’re concerned about intellectual property infringement, monitoring competing trademarks, or taking action against someone that’s benefitting from your hard-earned reputation, we can help.

To find out more about the intellectual property protection services available at Trademark Eagle or to discuss your specific trade mark application requirements, please don’t hesitate to contact our experienced legal team today.

Alongside filling out and submitting our online contact form, you can also get in touch by simply giving us a call on 0122 3208 624, emailing your enquiry to enquiries@trademark-eagle.com, or reaching out using our convenient live chat feature.

At Trademark Eagle, initial consultations are free, so why not arrange your first appointment today to see how we can help?