Trademark protections apply to images or symbols that represent your brand. Whether it is a logo or a graphic design, trademarked images have protection under intellectual property laws because they are both your original creations and because they have a direct connection with your brand and its reputation.
Defending your trademark is synonymous with defending your brand. If another company starts using your trademark logo and they’re packaging or in their advertisements, it could have a very damaging effect on your company.
What happens when another company tries to use your good image?
There are two negative consequences that will directly result from another company using your trademarked images or logos on their packaging. The first and most obvious is that customers that should be yours and who think they have purchased your product are really supporting another company with unknown business practices and questionable ethics given their willingness to violate your intellectual property rights.
Basically, the company using your trademark logo benefits off of your brand recognition, and it takes purchases away from your company. As if that weren’t bad enough, a company that will knowingly steal trademarked logos from others will also likely not care about cutting corners in production. They may use mediocre materials or some downright dangerous products that only look like what you have for sale. These fraudulent products could end up hurting your reputation.
You have the right to push back against anyone who infringes on your intellectual property rights, including the unauthorized use of trademarks. You can potentially hold them accountable for the negative financial impact of their actions on your company and even seek a portion of the profit they have made through the inappropriate use of your trademark.
