Can I Trademark a Sound?
Yes, you can trademark sound so long as you use the sound to identify your products and services to the general public.
The NBC chimes are the most famous example of a sound trademark. Many companies utilize jingles and brand music to identify their products on television, and these trademarks are becoming more commonplace despite the difficult road to securing them. In early 2000, Harley Davidson gave up on a costly trademark application that aimed to register the rumble of their engine; they were attempting to demonstrate that the noise was distinct enough when their legal team decided to retract the application.
Securing a trademark for a sound requires that you have a sound that is unique and distinct enough to be easily recognisable by a plethora of people who possess a variety of hearing levels. The United States Patent and Trademark Office is much more likely to approve an audio trademark that can be represented in musical annotation.
If you wish to trademark a sound then we highly recommend that you contact us today so that our associates can evaluate the strength of your sound.
Common Trademark Topics for Musicians
- Trademarks for musicians - 5 things to know
- Trademarking sheet music
- Trademarks and t-shirts
- Trademarking a song
- Trademarking a stage name
- Trademarks for YouTube channels
- Trademarking social media usernames
- Trademarking a hashtag
The Trademarking Process
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About the Author
Xavier Morales, Esq.
Mr. Morales founded his trademark law practice in January 2007 with the goal of providing intellectual property expertise to entrepreneurs and businesses around the country. Since then, he has filed more than 6,000 trademarks with the USPTO. You can learn more about Xavier here.