Feasibility of Protecting Nonvisual Nonconventional Trademarks with Secondary Meaning in the US and EU Systems

Document Type : Scientific research

Authors

• zahra shakeri ¹
• Maryam Mehraban poorazar ²

¹ Assistant Professor of Intellectual Property Law at Faculty of Law & Political Science, University of Tehran

² Master of Intellectual Property Law at Faculty of Law & Political Science, University of Tehran

10.22067/economlaw.2024.84474.1313

Abstract

In today`s modern world, every manufacturer aims to dominate the market of their products as much as possible and to eliminate or diminish the presence of other competitors, seeking to distinguish itself from them, and one of these ways is to use a trademark that is more unique than others. Therefore, use of signs such as sound, aroma, taste, and touch from products as trademarks, which are referred to as non-visual non-conventional signs. The mentioned signs which are referred to as unconventional non-visual signs, face the challenge of whether they have a distinguishing element and can introduce their source well. The fact is that such signs are classified as general or descriptive signs and it is not possible or difficult to express them in the form of classic declarations.

This research, with analytical-descriptive method and library approach finally concludes that, in general, non-visual signs in both systems can be registered by insisting on the existence of secondary meaning and proving it based on the evidence provided. However, there are differences in their registration system. Among these differences are the registration requirements of the European Union, which prevent the registration of aroma, taste and touch signs. Currently, despite the absence of this barrier in the United States, there is no successful registered example of taste and touch marks.

Keywords

• acquired distinctiveness
• secondary meaning
• non-visual marks
• invisible marks
• non-conventional marks

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