Trademark Trail

At America’s Branding Agency, fellow Americans protect the trademarks powering ingenuity, enterprise, and everyday life. Explore these iconic trademarks that appear on the sidewalk in front of USPTO headquarters in Alexandria, Virginia. Learn more on how to protect your brand. 

The Averill Chemical Paint Company logo in a red, white, and blue decorative circular border. The logo consists of an orange circle with a gray paint can in the center. “AVERILL CHEMICAL PAINT” appears in large, black letters arched at the top of the circle. Other phrases, such as “open with a knife,” are appear in concentric circles around the paint can.

Averill Chemical Paint Company

U.S. Trademark Registration No. 1

After passage of the Trademark Act of 1870, Averill Chemical Paint Company received the first United States federal trademark registration on October 25, 1870. As interstate commerce became more common in the late 1800s, brands used federal trademark protection to increase consumer confidence and set themselves apart from their competitors.

The Ford logo inside a red, white, and blue decorative circular border. The logo consists of the word “Ford” in a bold, cursive font.

Ford Motor Company

U.S. Trademark Registration No. 74530

Founded in 1903, the Ford Motor Company transformed the automotive industry with its innovative mass production techniques. One of Ford’s most notable early innovations is the moving assembly line. This breakthrough dramatically increased manufacturing efficiency, leading to lower manufacturing costs that made cars affordable for the public. Today, Ford® holds more than 850 active trademark registrations.

The Campbell’s logo inside a decorative circular border. The logo consists of the word “Campbell’s” in white cursive font on a red rectangle, with a white rectangle below it. The word “SOUP” appears on the white rectangle in capitalized gold font between two fleur de lis. A gold medallion appears in the center where the rectangles meet.

The Campbell’s Company

U.S. Trademark Registration No. 2066673

Campbell’s® was founded more than 150 years ago by two men from New Jersey: wholesale fruit and vegetable vendor Joseph Campbell and Abraham Anderson, a commercial canner and packer. The company produced its first jar of ready-to-eat soup—Beefsteak Tomato—in 1895. Three years later, a company executive was so inspired by the Cornell University football team’s red and white uniforms that the color scheme was chosen for the Campbell’s Company’s logo.

The General Electric logo inside a red, white, and blue decorative circular border. The logo consists of the letters “G” and “E” in cursive font surrounded by decorative swirls. It is illustrated to appear three-dimensional.

General Electric (GE)

U.S. Trademark Registration No. 35089

With a history spanning more than 130 years, General Electric (GE)® has played a significant role in the healthcare, energy, and aerospace industries. The company, which was initially built on Thomas Edison’s electrical inventions, achieved another early milestone in 1906, when GE engineer Ernest F. W. Alexanderson’s high-frequency alternator enabled the first voice radio broadcast.

An illustrated Hershey’s Kiss inside a red, white, and blue decorative circular border. The illustration shows a foil-wrapped teardrop shape with a flat bottom, and a short, ribbon-like flag extending from the tip on top.

Hershey’s Kisses

U.S. Trademark Registration No. 186828

When Hershey’s® first produced chocolate Kisses in 1907, assembly line workers would wrap each kiss in silver foil by hand. Hershey’s registered its Hershey’s Kisses® trademark in 1921, and in that year began using a mechanical wrapping machine to package the Kisses. Since 1962, Hershey’s has added an array of new foil colors to celebrate various holidays.

An illustrated Tiffany’s box inside a red, white, and blue decorative circular border. The illustration shows a square box with a lid, all in robin’s egg blue, with a ribbon around the box tied into a bow on the top.

Tiffany and Co.

U.S. Trademark Registration No. 2184128

Tiffany & Co.’s® (Tiffany’s) distinctive robin’s-egg blue color came to represent the storied brand in 1845, when founder Charles Lewis Tiffany selected it for the cover of the company’s Blue Book catalogue. Since then, the shade has become synonymous with Tiffany’s, gracing the gift boxes of its coveted jewelry. In 1998—more than 100 years after the color was first introduced in commerce—the company received its trademark registration for Tiffany Blue.

The Cracker Jack logo in a red, white, and blue decorative circular border. The logo consists of a drawing of a boy in a sailor outfit and hat, holding a dog and a bag in one hand, and throwing a piece of popcorn in the other. The words “Cracker Jack” appear below the image at an angle, with a diamond shape surrounding the words.

Cracker Jack

U.S. Trademark Registration No. 5068845

Cracker Jack® has been a brand for game-day snacks since 1896. The logo features popcorn-loving Sailor Jack and his dog Bingo. When consumers open Cracker Jacks, they not only enjoy the combination of caramel-coated popcorn and peanuts, but also discover a small prize inside.

The Morton Salt logo inside a red, white, and blue decorative circular border. The logo consists of a drawing of a girl walking and carrying an open umbrella over one shoulder and a cylindrical salt container under her opposite arm. The container is open and the salt spills out behind her.

Morton Salt

U.S. Trademark Registration No. 511639

The Morton® logo featuring what would become known as “the Morton salt girl” launched in the early twentieth century with the slogan, "When It Rains It Pours." The logo showed the girl holding an umbrella in one hand, and a package with salt spilling from the open spout in the other hand. This conveyed the message that Morton Salt would always pour freely from the company’s patented spout—even in damp weather. In the years since the logo was first introduced, Morton refreshes the girl’s aesthetic periodically to keep up with the times. The logo was last updated in 2014 to celebrate its 100th year of representing the brand.

The Kraft logo inside a red, white, and blue decorative circular border. The logo consists of the work “KRAFT” in large, capital letters, inside an elongated hexagonal shape with a thick border and rounded corners.

Kraft

U.S. Trademark Registration No. 1052526

Kraft Cheese Company, established in the early 1900s, created the first commercially packed cheese slices in 1950. After several name changes throughout the 20th century, the brand became Kraft Foods Group when it became part of Kraft Heinz in 2012. Today, Kraft Heinz owns several dairy, beverage, and snack food brands.

The NASA logo inside a red, white, and blue decorative circular border. The logo consists of the word “NASA” in white, capital letters over a dark circular background with white stars, a white circle at an angle around the letters, and a diagonal swoosh.

NASA

U.S. Trademark Registration No. 8064963

Known as the "meatball,” NASA's® logo dates back to 1959, when the National Advisory Committee on Aeronautics (NACA) changed its focus to both space and aeronautics and was renamed the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). A NASA employee's design was selected as the agency's official seal, and James Modarelli, head of Lewis's Research Reports Division, was asked to create a logo that could be used informally. His design simplified the seal, leaving only the white stars and orbital path on a round field of blue with a red airfoil, and adding white lettering. In the “meatball” design, the sphere represents a planet, the stars represent space, the red chevron is a wing representing aeronautics, with an orbiting spacecraft circling the wing.

The Pan Am logo inside a red, white, and blue decorative circular border. The logo consists of a circle with the words “PAN AM” in capital letters across the center. There is a vertical line from the top to the bottom of the circle, and multiple curved horizontal lines above and below the text that arch away from it.

PAN AM

U.S. Trademark Registration No. 3171135

The PAN AM® name and logo date back to 1927, when Juan T. Trippe founded Pan American Airways. In the company’s heyday, the public closely associated the PAN AM trademark with images of glamorous international travel, a reputation bolstered by Hollywood movie stars, glitzy advertising campaigns, and the fact that prior to World War II, it was the nation’s sole international airline. The company flourished in the 1960s and 70s, but ultimately filed for bankruptcy and ceased operations in 1991. Today, Pan Am World Airways runs a successful licensing program, with many partners, aiming to position it as a travel brand.

The International Business Machines Corporation logo inside a red, white, and blue decorative circular border. The logo consists of the letters “I,” “B,” “M” in bold capitalized letters. White horizontal lines span the logo and are spaced evenly from top to bottom, appearing as negative space on a white background.

IBM

U.S. Trademark Registration No. 1205090

After president Thomas J. Watson Sr. changed the name of the Computing-Tabulating-Recording Company to International Business Machines in 1924, he again simplified the company name to IBM® in 1947. His goal was to align the name with the company’s computer-focused product line and the modernism movement. In 1956, Thomas J. Watson Jr. took over IBM and hired graphic designer Paul Rand to create a logo to herald a new, design-focused era for the company. Fourteen years later, Watson commissioned Rand again to streamline the design, which is the iteration IBM still uses today. Along with its employees, called “IBMers,” the company considers its logo among its most valuable assets.

The Atari logo in a red, white, and blue decorative circular border. The logo consists of three thick, vertical lines. The line in the center is straight. The lines on the right and left are straight at the top, but curve outward at the bottom.

Atari

U.S. Trademark Registration No. 1049118

Founded in 1972 by Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney following their success with the video game Pong, Atari® was an early pioneer in the video game industry. George Opperman created the brand’s visual identity the year the company was founded. The logo was officially registered four years later. The design, referred to as “the Fuji logo,” has remained the same, enduring several ownership changes and continuous innovation in the video game industry.

The Ralph Lauren logo inside a red, white, and blue decorative circular border. The logo consists of the words “Ralph Lauren.” Between the words, a polo player rides a horse and swings a mallet.

Ralph Lauren

U.S. Trademark Registration No. 984005

Ralph Lauren launched his quintessential American fashion brand in 1967, and as company lore boasts, “It all started with a tie.” The iconic Polo® pony debuted in 1971 on the cuff of a new line of women’s shirts. Ralph Lauren® registered the stylized wording of its name along with the pony design for shirts in 1974.

The Star Wars logo in a red, white, and blue decorative circular border. The logo consists of the word “Star” above the word “Wars” in outlined capital block letters. A few letters connect to each other.

Star Wars

U.S. Trademark Registration No. 3421906

There are few things more American than our country’s fascination with space and all of its possibilities. Lucasfilm® debuted the original Star Wars® movie trilogy in 1977 with Star Wars: A New Hope. And while American consumers certainly associate Star Wars with movies, Lucasfilm also revolutionized how licensed toys and memorabilia are marketed, using the stylized Star Wars trademark on a plethora of toys and games.

The Nike logo in a red, white, and blue decorative circular border. The logo consists of the word “NIKE” in slanted capital letters above a curved stylized checkmark.

Nike

U.S. Trademark Registration No. 1325938

In 1971, Phil Knight paid a Portland State University® student $35 to design what became the Nike® Swoosh® trademark, which first appeared on Nike footwear in the same year. Since then, it has become what the company touts as “one of the most recognized symbols in the world” and “a global shorthand for speed, innovation, and possibility.” The design has gone through multiple iterations over the years; however, the original design endures.

The Kleenex logo inside a red, white, and blue decorative circular border. The logo consists of the word “Kleenex” in a bold, cursive font, and slightly arched.

Kleenex

U.S. Trademark Registration No. 3772055

The story of the Kleenex® brand began ten years before it was paired with disposable tissues. During World War I, Kimberly-Clark® used the Kleenex brand with its newly developed crepe paper gas mask filter. It wasn’t until the 1930s that Kleenex-brand tissue paper was introduced into commerce. Kleenex’s current, scripted trademark was created in the 1990s and registered in 2010.

The Old Spice logo inside a red, white, and blue decorative circular border. The logo consists of a side profile of a large ship with many sails.

Old Spice

U.S. Trademark Registration No. 5068856

The Shulton Company introduced Old Spice® and its ship logo in 1937 for women’s fragrances inspired by the scent of potpourri. The company chose the ship design to “capture the essence of colonial times.” A year later, it launched Old Spice for Men, which caught on quickly and solidified Old Spice as a grooming brand for men. The company registered an updated version of its classic ship design in 2016.

The Starbucks inside a red, white, and blue decorative circular border. The logo consists of the words "STARBUCKS COFFEE" in a green circle around black and white design of a siren wearing a crown.

Starbucks Coffee

U.S. Trademark Registration No. 3428128

The Starbucks® logo, featuring the Starbucks siren, didn’t start out quite so modestly. The original logo from 1971 depicted a bare-breasted figure surrounded by the wording, “Starbucks Coffee, Tea and Spices.” Eventually, the company settled on the siren, which it has tweaked over the years. In 2008, the company registered the nearly ubiquitous design with its name surrounding the siren to identify its coffee houses and other coffee services.

The Fruit of the Loom logo inside a red, white, and blue decorative circular border. The logo consists of a red apple surrounded by bunches of grapes and currents in various colors, with green leaves on the right and left side.

Fruit of the Loom

U.S. Trademark Registration No. 4572395

Fruit of the Loom® was born in 1851 when brothers Benjamin and Robert Knight bought their first mill and started producing cotton cloth and textiles in Warwick, Rhode Island. The iconic “fruit” trademark has been registered since 1971. Today, Fruit of the Loom provides colorful t-shirts, fleece, underwear and apparel to consumers of all ages.

The Blockbuster logo inside a red, white, and blue decorative circular border. The logo consists of the word “BLOCKBUSTER” printed in yellow on a blue, torn ticket, with a yellow border around the word.

Blockbuster

U.S. Trademark Registration No. 4923152

Blockbuster® was founded in Texas in 1985 and its ticket stub trademark was registered the next year. The company quickly became a national leader in the home entertainment market, eventually operating thousands of stores. Although the chain didn’t survive changes to the market—most notably the proliferation of online streaming—a franchise store in Bend, Oregon, still remains.

The Gatorade logo inside a red, white, and blue decorative circular border. The logo consists of an orange lightning bolt, with the word “Gatorade” overlayed at an angle in bold, green text and outlined in orange.

Gatorade

U.S. Trademark Registration No. 6847776

Gatorade® was created in 1965 by a team of physicians at the University of Florida who sought to rehydrate their athletes during vigorous workouts without affecting the body’s chemical balance. The formula has remained mostly the same since its creation, which, according to legend, was nearly unpalatable at first. Thankfully the wife of researcher Dr. Cade suggested adding lemon juice, which transformed the beverage. The creation of Gatorade launched the sports beverage industry. The company has owned a registered trademark for its brand name since 1967, and for its lightning bolt logo design since 1975.

The Post-it logo inside a red, white, and blue decorative circular border. The logo consists of two yellow squares, overlapping at an angle, with the words “Post-it” overlayed in black, bold text.

Post-it

U.S. Trademark Registration No. 7507968

Post-it® notes were launched in the late 1970s by two scientists, one of whom had been searching for a bookmark that would stick to the pages in his books. Post-it has maintained its oldest trademark registration since 1976. These notes have had a massive cultural impact as well, which is why the protagonists in the film Romy & Michelle’s High School Reunion pretend to have invented Post-it notes for clout. According to the company's website, there are more than 1,000 Post-it products.

The Apple logo inside a red, white, and blue decorative circular border. The logo consists of a black silhouette of an apple with a bite removed.

Apple

U.S. Trademark Registration No. 1114431

Steve Jobs and Steve Wozniak founded Apple Computer, Inc. in 1976 with a focus on user-friendly computing devices. In the late 1990s, Apple® gained a strong foothold in the industry when it introduced two new innovative products: a personal laptop it named iBook and a small MP3 player it dubbed iPod®. Then in 2007, the company released its iPhone®, further strengthening Apple’s dominance in the marketplace. The Apple logo has been registered since 1979. What began as a desktop computer company has evolved into one of the most famous brands on the planet, with many more recognizable trademarks, including iMac® and App Store®.

The Facebook logo inside a red, white, and blue decorative circular border. The logo consists of a white lowercase letter “f” inside a blue square, which has rounded

Facebook

U.S. Trademark Registration No. 4978379

Facebook® launched in 2004 as a way for students in Cambridge, Massachusetts, to connect with one another. Although the site started as a regional offering, by 2008, it became the most-visited social media website, ousting Myspace® from its top spot. The company registered its logo as a trademark in 2011. Today, Facebook boasts more than two billion monthly active users.

The Q-tips logo inside a red, white, and blue decorative circular border. The Q-tips logo, which consists of white uppercase letter “Q” a hyphen and lowercase letters “tips” inside a blue oval shape with silver border.

Q-tips

U.S. Trademark Registration No. 4947158

Marketer Leo Gerstenzang conceived the idea of manufacturing a ready-to-use cotton swab in 1923. Although the product, named Baby Gays, was originally sold as a baby care accessory, consumers found many other uses for it, including makeup application, cleaning, and crafting. In 1926, Gerstenzang renamed his creation Q-Tips® to highlight the brand’s commitment to quality. Over the years, Q-Tips cotton swabs have evolved to meet consumer needs, transitioning to 100% cotton in the 1980s, adding antimicrobial cotton swabs in 1998, and incorporating an environmentally friendly plastic material in 2008.

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