Marking: Symbol ®

A notice advises the public and the trade of the claim to exclusive use of a mark on goods or services specified in the registration.

A notice advises the public that the word or symbol is being used to designate the goods or services of the registration owner, and not merely as an ordinary adjective or product name. The notice also serves as a helpful warning to newspaper or magazine writers to avoid using the mark as a generic term.

The ® symbol on its own is the symbol prescribed in the U.S. Trademarks Act to indicate that a trade mark is registered and in view of its wide use throughout the world by American manufacturers it has been universally accepted as an indication that a trademark is registered.

Form of registration notice

We recommend use of the ® symbol because it is short and easy to insert without upsetting the graphic balance of labels, brochures, and all other displays of the registered mark. Positioning of the notice is not critical, but the ® symbol is normally used as a superscript immediately after the mark. There is no required minimum size for the ® symbol, and a small, unobtrusive size is perfectly acceptable as long as it is legible.

Miscellaneous

It is improper to use a registration notice with a mark until registration of the mark has been achieved.