Trademark examples

Almost anything can be a trademark if it indicates the source of your goods and services. It could be a word, slogan, design, or combination of these. It could even be a sound, a scent, or a color.

Some registered trademarks you may recognize include: 

dark blue horizontal oval with white text inside that reads Ford to represent the Ford Motor Company brand

 

 

for "automobiles."

 

 

red and blue domino game piece next to the word Domino’s in blue bold text representing the Domino’s Pizza brand

 

for "hot pizza pies."

 

red circle with solid red dot in the middle making a target symbol to represent the Target stores brand

 

 

for Target's "retail department store services."

 

Trademark formats

You can apply to register your trademark in standard character format or special form format. The format you choose will affect the scope of protection for your trademark registration. For example, The Coca-Cola Company has registered its Coca-Cola trademark in both standard character format and special form formats, such as: 

Coca-Cola

Here the trademark is registered in standard character format. This format provides the broadest protection because it protects the words themselves and is not limited to a particular font style, size, or color. 

logo black text in script font representing the Coca-Cola brand

Here the trademark is registered in special form format, where the stylized lettering is a significant part of what’s protected.

black square with white Coca-Cola text in script font with the signature brand wave in white beneath the text

Coca-Cola also registered this trademark in special form format. It includes both the stylized wording and wavy lines underneath.  

black illustrated drawing of the Coca-Cola bottle shape with the logo text in the middle of the bottle

This registered trademark in special form format shows the same stylized wording, but it appears on their distinctively shaped contour bottle. The design of the bottle is part of what’s protected. 

Because color wasn’t claimed as a feature of any of the above trademarks, Coca-Cola can use their trademarks in any color. 

Standard character format 

Most trademarks are registered in  standard character  format. This format protects words, letters, numbers, or a combination of those without any limitation to a specific font style, size, color, or design. Basically, you’re getting protection for the words themselves, regardless of how they’re displayed, like with the registered word Coca-Cola. 

Some other standard character format examples include: 

  • Under Armour 
  • Twitter 
  • It’s finger lickin’ good! 
  • Just do it 
  • America runs on Dunkin’ 

Special form format 

Trademarks registered in special form format protect trademarks that are  stylized , have designs or logos, or are in color. Trademark owners typically register in special form format when the stylization and design is an important part of the trademark. With this format, you’re getting protection specifically for the way the trademark looks. 
 

McDonald’s logo with gold M symbol

The McDonald’s golden arches design is an example of a registered trademark in special form format. 

 

Nike logo with text in bold black font above swish symbol

 

The company Nike registered this trademark in special form format, combining the stylized word Nike with their swoosh logo. 

The format of the trademark you apply to register affects your application filing requirements. Learn more about the two different formats of trademarks and their filing requirements

Trademarks with their specific goods or services

As shown above, trademark owners can register their trademarks in different formats. Here are some additional examples highlighting how a company might register a single trademark in both standard character format and special form format. 

Head & Shoulders 

The Head & Shoulders trademark is owned by the Proctor & Gamble Company. 

Head & Shoulders 

The trademark is registered in standard character format for “hair shampoo.”  
 

Head and shoulders logo in italic font with circle symbol in blue

 

 

 

 

The trademark is registered in special form format for “medicated hair care preparations.” 

Google 

The Google trademark is owned by Google LLC. 

Google 

The trademark is registered in standard character format for many goods and services including “software for accessing and searching online databases and websites,” “technical consulting services in the field of archiving of data for others in the nature of historical records and documents,” and “computer services, namely, creating cloud-based indexes of information.” 

 

Google logo with each letter of the word google in a different color

 

 

 

The trademark is registered in special form format for goods and services like “computer hardware” and “bill payment services.” 

Facebook 

The Facebook trademark is owned by Facebook Inc. 

Facebook 

The trademark is registered in standard character format for many goods and services including “social introduction, networking and dating services” and “application programming interface (API) for computer software which facilitates online services for social networking, building social networking applications and for allowing data retrieval, upload, download, access and management.” 

Facebook logo with white font on blue background

 

 

 

The trademark is registered in special form format for many goods and services including “computer search engine software” and “application service provider (ASP) services, namely, hosting computer software applications of others.” 

DISCLAIMER: References to particular trademarks, service marks, certification marks, products, services, companies, or organizations appearing on this page are for illustrative and educational purposes only and do not constitute or imply endorsement by the U.S. government, the U.S. Department of Commerce, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, or any other federal agency.