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Can you Trademark a Font? The simple answer is Yes, in certain circumstances. 

A font is considered a typeface design, which can be protected under trademark law if it serves as a source identifier for the specific brand or company for the products or services being provided. To obtain the trademark for your font, you would need to show that your font serves as a distinctive identifier for your brand and that consumers will associate that brand to your products or services.  You may need to provide evidence that you have extensive and consistent use of the font in connection to products and services being provided. 

However, not all fonts are eligible for trademark protection. For example a generic or widely used font that individuals use daily would not be eligible for trademark protection. Copyright law protects the actual design of the font, if it is your original work, but trademark law can help protect your font as a brand identifier. There have been several cases related to trademarking a font. 

  1. Microsoft Corporation v. Shah and Shah Computer Services, Inc. (1998). In this case, Microsoft sued Shah and Shah Computer Services for trademark infringement, claiming that the defendants were using a font that was confusingly similar to Microsoft’s “Arial” font. The court held that the “Arial” font was protectable as a trademark because it had acquired secondary meaning through extensive use and promotion by Microsoft. The court also found that the defendants’ use of a similar font was likely to cause confusion among consumers and therefore constituted trademark infringement. 
  2. Adobe Systems Inc. v. Southern Software Inc. (2006) In this case, Adobe sued Southern Software for trademark infringement, claiming that the defendants were using a font that was confusingly similar to Adobe’s “Futura” font. The court held that the “Futura” font was protectable as a trademark because it had acquired secondary meaning through extensive use and promotion by Adobe. The court also found that the defendants’ use of a similar font was likely to cause confusion among consumers and therefore constituted trademark infringement.
  3. Urban Outfitters Inc. v. Blue Marine Trading Inc. (2015) In this case, Urban Outfitters sued Blue Marine Trading for trademark infringement, claiming that the defendants were using a font that was confusingly similar to Urban Outfitters’ “Navajo” font. The court held that the “Navajo” font was protectable as a trademark because it had acquired secondary meaning through extensive use and promotion by Urban Outfitters. However, the court ultimately found that the defendants’ use of a similar font was not likely to cause confusion among consumers and therefore did not constitute trademark infringement.

In order to trademark a font, you would need to follow the process of trademarking any other brand. 

  1. Choose a font that you want to trademark. Make sure that the font is distinctive and not commonly used or generic.
  2. Conduct a trademark search to ensure that your font is not already trademarked by someone else. You can conduct a search through the USPTO’s trademark database or hire a trademark attorney to conduct a more comprehensive search.
  3. File a trademark application with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). You will need to provide the name of the font, a description of the font, and a specimen showing the font in use as a trademark.
  4. Wait for the USPTO to review your application. The USPTO will review your application to determine if your font is eligible for trademark protection. If the USPTO approves your application, your trademark will be published in the Official Gazette for opposition by third parties.
  5. Defend your trademark. Once your trademark is registered, you will need to monitor your font to ensure that no one else is using it without your permission. If you discover infringement, you may need to take legal action to defend your trademark.
Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank International

Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank International

Understanding patent law is crucial for innovators and inventors seeking to protect their groundbreaking ideas. One aspect that often comes into play is 35 USC 101, the statute governing patent-eligible subject matter. In recent years, the landmark case of Alice Corp. v. CLS Bank International has significantly influenced how this statute is interpreted.