Can You Trademark a Voice?
No, you cannot trademark a voice as it does not fall under the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s criteria for material that can be trademarked.
Trademarks specifically cover the name, logo, or slogan that you use to identify your goods and services to a consumer. A voice is considered to be a distinct feature of an individual, which they have no control over; as such, it would be impossible to place restrictions on the voices of competitors.
If you wish to integrate a specific voice in your advertising campaign, you could use it in conjunction with a trademarked slogan or jingle. A trademark will protect your slogan, but not the slogan's implementation; this would include the voice that speaks the slogan.
If you have any questions regarding securing a trademark for a slogan or jingle, contact our associates today.
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 Process of Trademarking
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.