When you first launched your business, you registered a trade mark over your logo because you read about all the benefits of registering a trade mark here. Well done!
Now, you are on a mission to take your business to new heights through social media, activations and events.
After doing some Googling, you realise that having multiple versions of your logo can help your brand stand out from the pack and look consistent across all platforms.
But there is one question that Google can’t seem to answer: will any variations to your logo be covered by the same trade mark you registered over your original logo?
In this blog, we explain what logo variations are, why your business requires some and whether you need to trade mark every version of your logo.
What are logo variations?
A logo variation is a different version of your business’ logo, produced in a modified format.
Modified versions of your logo could include:
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Why do I need to vary my business’ logo?
If you intend for your business to grow, your logo will start to appear in different places. These places will often have specific requirements for how they want your logo to appear.
Foundd Tip: Always have a folder of logo variations at your fingertips! It’ll save you time and energy designing them every time you need them!
Examples of situations where you might need a different logo from your original one are:
- You create a TikTok account for your business. TikTok requires your logo to be vertical or stacked and the dimensions to be 200 x 200 pixels.
- You want to invoice your clients. A horizontal logo might work best at the top of your invoice as a vertical logo may not fit.
- You want to package a new product. A one-colour logo may allow your packaging to be more readable in a supermarket, for example.
- You specialise in making caps. You want to hand out free caps at the next City to Surf to advertise your business. An icon-only logo might be more appropriate than your original logo.
Want to see the power of logo variations?
Here’s some companies who have used logo variations to their advantage:
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Woolworths |
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Adidas |
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Coca-Cola |
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I am varying my business’ logo. Do I need to register a trade mark over it?
Yes! We cannot emphasise this enough!
Here’s the deal. If you only trade mark the original design of your logo, this is the only one that will be protected. Any further variations to your logo that you make won’t be protected, unless they’re very (very) minor..
To protect any logo variations, you need to register a trade mark application over each one.
It sounds like a lot of work but it really isn’t. It will save you the stress of people misusing your logo in the long run.
Bonus: We’ve made trade mark registration as easy as 1, 2, 3 here. If you are ever in doubt, shout.
Key takeaway
If you have big plans for your business, it is imperative that you protect your logo as well as any variations you make to it by registering a trade mark.
If you don’t do this, you leave your logos vulnerable to sneaky copycats who don’t deserve to make money out of your hard work!
***Disclaimer. Please read!!***
This article is for general information purposes only and should be used solely as general guidance. It does not and is not intended to represent legal advice or other professional advice.
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