How To Use Trademark To Build Your Toy Brand

Toy industry is a competitive and concentrated field of commerce because its primary customers are children. It is stated that the brand, The Lego Group, alone made nearly eight and a half billion U.S. dollars in revenue in 2021. Toy brands have to be extremely innovative in their products and services and they have to establish a renowned name for themselves to achieve their goals of success.

One of the ways in which they can do so is by making strategic use of trademarks. Trademarks play a vital role in cementing a brand’s reputation. They not only protect the brand’s identity but also pave the way for building customer’s trust and loyalty. This blog will help you in understanding the strategic way to leverage a trademark for your toy brand and strengthen its reputation in the respective industry. 

What Are Trademarks And How They Can Help You In Building Your Toy Brand?  

A trademark is a logo, symbol, word, or combination of all which represents a brand and distinguishes it from another one. When talking with respect to toy brands, trademarks may include symbols, certain slogans, brand names, and even product designs. 

Leveraging a trademark to your brand’s advantage has the potential to reap numerous benefits for you. Following pointers can act as your guiding stones in effectively achieving the said goal.

1. Conduct a Comprehensive Trademark Search

The first step in the trademark process is to conduct a trademark search on the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) Search Database before finalizing your mark. The reason for this is to ensure that your chosen mark does not have components that can potentially infringe on someone else’s mark. In this way, you will be able to avoid any legal issues in your trademark registration process.

2. Make Your Trademark Unique And Memorable

It is imperative that the trademark for your toy brand is unique and memorable. The target audience for your business is children who are greatly attracted to colourful and funky logos and catchy slogans. Your aim should be to have a memorable and eye-catching identity so that it easily catches the eyes of your target audience. Having generic words or lacklustre logos will serve you poorly in this market. 

3. Register Your Trademark

After selecting your trademark, the next step is to file your registration application with the USPTO. Registering a trademark grants you exclusive rights over that mark and you can uninterruptedly use it in association with your toys and, in the event of replication by a rival party,  you can easily sue for intellectual property infringement. 

Consider registering your trademark internationally as well as international registrations help in strengthening your domestic application. 

4. Use Your Trademark To Promote Your Toy Brand

Brand recognition is key to making your toy business successful in the market. Your trademark plays an essential role in brand promotion as your target audience i.e., children will be able to associate its auditory and visual cues with your brand. Make use of your trademark as much as you can in the form of packaging materials, marketing and promotional content so that your brand’s image is consistently reinforced across the market.

5.  Marketing And Advertising

As stated above, one of the ways to attain success for your company is to use your trademark for advertising and promotional purposes. This can be done through online platforms such as television commercials, or even print media. Such practices serve to expedite the journey of reputation building for your business in the market.

6. Protect Your Trademark

Alongside the promotional and marketing aspects, it is also necessary that you are constantly monitoring and protecting your trademark in the market. You will need to constantly be on the watch-out for potential infringers and take immediate legal action against any trademark which resembles even slightly to yours.

Such vigilance not only protects your business but also deters others from hijacking your intellectual property rights and causing confusion in the marketplace by using a name similar to yours.  

7. Expand Your Trademark Portfolio

You will need to be proactive in maintaining and expanding your trademark portfolio as your business expands with the passage of time. It is highly advised by experienced trademark attorneys to register in advance the additional trademarks for any potential new product line, variations of the existing products, or even if it is an entirely different category within the same industry. In this way, you can secure the exclusivity of your products well before any issue occurs.

8. Licensing Agreements And Collaborating With Other Businesses

Collaborating with other brands and acquiring licensing agreements are effective methods for increasing the reach of your business. Having collaborations such as permitting other businesses to use your trademark on their products will help you in generating revenue and even expand your reach to other markets. However, you must choose your licensing partners with care as this factor would be directly impactful on your brand’s market reputation. 

9. Keep Evolving Your Trademark

With time, your brand evolves as per the market requirements, therefore, the same should be reflected in your trademark also. This does not imply that you should do a total face-change of your identity, rather minor tweaks in your trademark are sufficient and in fact, go a long way in making your business stay relevant in the market. You would need to keep regular checks and updates on the trends of the market and whether your trademark is living up to those standards.

Conclusion

You can benefit considerably by using the power of your trademark to your brand’s advantage. This is also considered one of the factors for establishing your toy brand successfully in the market. From conducting trademark research and registering them to using them as promotional and marketing tools, every step is important in achieving your desired market reputation as well as cementing your strong identity.

You will be able to leave a lasting impact on the market by strategically using your trademark for advertising, and consistently expanding your trademark portfolio. You need to keep in mind that you need to put in continuous efforts to build a reputed brand.  

Book a free consultation today with Drishti Law to learn how our experienced principal attorney can help you in establishing your brand through your trademark registrations. We provide a variety of services which can meet the specific legal needs of your brand.