At Greek Licensing, we are commonly asked: how can a trademark be enforceable when someone has put their own creative spin on it? The answer to this question generally falls under one of the following explanations:

1) Format of the Mark

Many of our clients' trademarks, like their organization names, are registered as "standard character marks". This format allows for content of the trademark to be registered and protected, without limiting the stylization of the mark. Therefore, any depiction of a character mark, regardless of font style, size, or color would be encompassed in the trademark and considered enforceable.

2) Likelihood of Confusion

Not all of our clients' marks are a set of words or letters; some, like their crests and symbols, are designs or composite marks (consisting of words and design). While the characteristics of these marks differ from those covered by standard character marks, their protection is equally as strong through the Likelihood of Confusion Standard.

Even when possessing multiple differences, if a reproduction is considered confusingly similar to a design mark, the trademark owner has a right to enforce protection of said mark. Often times this comes down to intent; if an individual intends to benefit commercially from the design's likeness, it is considered trademark infringement. More about the Likelihood of Confusion Factor can be read in our past blog post: What Makes a Trademark Protectable.

We hope to make Greek trademarks and the licensing process as simple to understand as possible. Any time you have questions about what makes a Greek trademark enforceable, we encourage you to reach out to our enforcement team: https://greeklicensing.com/contact