Using Your Trademark Properly

Using Your Trademark Properly

Getting your trademark registered is only half the battle. Using it properly is what keeps your rights strong over time. Misuse — including by your own employees and partners — can weaken or even cancel your registration.

Use the ® Symbol

Once registered, use the ® symbol next to your mark on packaging, websites, ads, and documents. It signals to the world that the mark is registered and warns off potential infringers. Use ™ only for unregistered marks (or while registration is pending).

Use the Mark Consistently

Always use your mark exactly as registered. Don't modify the spelling, colors, or proportions casually. Inconsistent use can weaken your rights and create grounds for cancellation.

Don't Let It Become Generic

If your brand becomes a generic term for the product (like "escalator" or "aspirin" once were), you can lose the registration. Always use your mark as an adjective followed by the product ("GOOGLE search engine," not "google something").

Brand Guidelines for Your Team

Document how your mark should be used: approved colors, fonts, spacing, and placement. Share these with employees, partners, distributors, and licensees. Inconsistent use by your own ecosystem is a leading cause of weakened rights.

Use It or Lose It

Thai law allows non-use cancellation if a registered mark is not used for 3 consecutive years. Make sure you can prove ongoing use — keep dated samples of packaging, ads, and sales records.