Wordmark

<h2 id="comparison-with-logos">Comparison with logos</h2>
<p>Wordmarks and logos are the two most common types of brand marks.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:1" href="#fn:1"><sup>1</sup></a> Either may be trademarked. Wordmarks, by definition, always contain the name of the product or company, such as Disney, Simoniz, and FedEx, whereas a logo, such as Coca-Cola's, may be both, or, as in Nike, Shell Oil, and Starbucks, a textless image.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:2" href="#fn:2"><sup>2</sup></a>
</p><p>A wordmark logo (also called a lettermark or a lettermark logo) is a type of logo, not a type of wordmark, which consists of just text set in a particular style, such as a typeface or color, without other graphical features.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:3" href="#fn:3"><sup>3</sup></a> For example, the SONY logo contains only the name in uppercase, set in a particular typeface.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:4" href="#fn:4"><sup>4</sup></a> In some cases, such as Disney's logo, a custom or proprietary typeface is used.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:5" href="#fn:5"><sup>5</sup></a>
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<h2 id="trademarking">Trademarking</h2>

<p>In many <a href="/facts/Jurisdiction/0Kb8hao4">jurisdictions</a>, such as the <a href="/facts/United_States/P0sCdLe5">United States</a> and <a href="/facts/European_Union/6GYcR8qM">European Union</a>,<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:6" href="#fn:6"><sup>6</sup></a> a qualifying wordmark may be registered as a <a href="/facts/Trademark/B23H8IS0">trademark</a>, making it a protected <a href="/facts/Intellectual_property/PqHW9mVP">intellectual property</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:7" href="#fn:7"><sup>7</sup></a>
</p><p>Unlike names and <a href="/facts/Logo/nUlH9REj">logos</a>, trademarked wordmarks are generally not case-sensitive and are listed in uppercase by trademark registrars such as the <a href="/facts/United_States_Patent_and_Trademark_Office/97KdJB6h">United States Patent and Trademark Office</a>, even if they are always cased in a certain way by the owner; this gives the trademark holder rights no matter how the wordmark is presented. Some examples are shown in the sidebar.
</p><p>In the United States, the legal term "word mark"[<i>clarify</i>] refers only to the text, not to any graphical representation.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:8" href="#fn:8"><sup>8</sup></a>
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<h2 id="copyrighting">Copyrighting</h2>
<p>In most cases, wordmarks cannot be copyrighted, as they do not reach the <a href="/facts/Threshold_of_originality/12fQI06T">threshold of originality</a>.<a class="footnote-ref" id="fnref:9" href="#fn:9"><sup>9</sup></a>
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<h2 id="notes">Notes</h2>

<h2 id="further-reading">Further reading</h2>
<ul><li>Wheeler, Alina. <i><a href="https://books.google.com/books?id=HMSotQEACAAJ">Designing Brand Identity: A Complete Guide to Creating, Building, and Maintaining Strong Brands.</a></i> Wiley: 2006. <a href="/facts/ISBN_(identifier)/15AdSPa9">ISBN</a> 978-0-471-74684-3.</li></ul>

<p>Cite error: There are <ref group=n> tags on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=n}} template (see the help page).
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<h2 id="references">References</h2>

<ol>
<li id="fn:1"><p>"Types of logos: famous lettermarks, wordmarks and pictorial marks". Jessica Jones Design. Retrieved 8 February 2025. <a href="https://www.jessicajonesdesign.com/types-of-logos/" target="_blank">https://www.jessicajonesdesign.com/types-of-logos/</a> <a href="#fnref:1" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:2"><p>"Wordmark Logo Design: A Beginners Guide (With Examples)". Looka. Retrieved 8 February 2025. <a href="https://looka.com/blog/wordmark-logo-design/" target="_blank">https://looka.com/blog/wordmark-logo-design/</a> <a href="#fnref:2" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:3"><p>"Understanding Text-based Logos (Wordmarks): Definition, Uses, Pros, and Cons". Designofly. Retrieved 8 February 2025. <a href="https://designofly.com/2024/08/30/understanding-text-based-logos-wordmarks-definition-uses-pros-and-cons/" target="_blank">https://designofly.com/2024/08/30/understanding-text-based-logos-wordmarks-definition-uses-pros-and-cons/</a> <a href="#fnref:3" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:4"><p>"Wordmark logos 101: Why and when to use them". Dribbble. Retrieved 8 February 2025. <a href="https://dribbble.com/stories/2019/10/01/wordmark-logos-101-why-and-when-to-use-them" target="_blank">https://dribbble.com/stories/2019/10/01/wordmark-logos-101-why-and-when-to-use-them</a> <a href="#fnref:4" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:5"><p>"Wordmark Logo Design: Top Tips & Examples". Rabbit. Retrieved 8 February 2025. <a href="https://rabbitlogo.com/wordmark-logo-design-top-tips-examples/" target="_blank">https://rabbitlogo.com/wordmark-logo-design-top-tips-examples/</a> <a href="#fnref:5" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:6"><p>"Trade mark definition". Office for Harmonization in the Internal Market. Archived from the original on 29 March 2015. Retrieved 10 March 2015. <a href="https://web.archive.org/web/20150329062320/https://oami.europa.eu/ohimportal/en/trade-mark-definition" target="_blank">https://web.archive.org/web/20150329062320/https://oami.europa.eu/ohimportal/en/trade-mark-definition</a> <a href="#fnref:6" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:7"><p>Harris, Daren (26 May 2023). "Word Mark vs. Design Mark". Northwest Registered Agent. <a href="https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/trademark-service/word-mark-vs-design-mark" target="_blank">https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/trademark-service/word-mark-vs-design-mark</a> <a href="#fnref:7" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:8"><p>Harris, Daren (26 May 2023). "Word Mark vs. Design Mark". Northwest Registered Agent. <a href="https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/trademark-service/word-mark-vs-design-mark" target="_blank">https://www.northwestregisteredagent.com/trademark-service/word-mark-vs-design-mark</a> <a href="#fnref:8" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
<li id="fn:9"><p>Wolfe, Zach (12 April 2021). "The originality requirement in copyright law". Five Minute Law. <a href="https://fiveminutelaw.com/2021/04/12/the-originality-requirement-in-copyright-law" target="_blank">https://fiveminutelaw.com/2021/04/12/the-originality-requirement-in-copyright-law</a> <a href="#fnref:9" class="footnote-back-ref">↩</a></p></li>
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Wordmark open-in-new

Wordmark