we spent about a year trade marking our logo and name spent a good amount of $$$ with a professional trademark attorney. It is not something to fool around with if you plan on expanding. spend the money and do it right.

Copywrite means nothing for a logo. A copywrite is for a body of work, like a song, story or poem. You want to use a Trademark or a Salesmark. You can do it yourself directly through the federal government's website. A cheaper way to do it is through your state government, if your state does that. I'm in Ohio and it does. It's a fully enforceable TM within the state, and does give you some rights on the Federal level as well, but not as much as a full fledged federal TM

I trademark my company name for a couple reasons. It cost me about $1000 and took about a year. I did it because it is unique and I don't want others using it. It also gives me access to the domain name on the internet. Squaters can no longer sit on the url if you have a registered trademark to it. I was told it doesn't make much since to trademark a common name because it is already in use by many others no doubt.

How do you know when to use a trademark and when to use a copywrite? All big guys use trademarks but it takes almost a year to get it through all the government channels. I don't see either mark on any of the logos on the featured coffee houses on hear.
Have any of you trademarked your logo and name?

It costs less then $200 to do it on line. It is easy to get the copyright within a day or two. Good luck.

go to legalzoom.com for info. on a cheaper way to do copywrite/registration of logo

The dirty way is to take all the art work, seal it in a mailer and send it to yourself registered with return receipt. Than put to whole unopened envelope in a safe place.
On your logo at the bottom corner put a c in a circle and repeat it every time as part of your logo.
If anybody later wants to copy your logo you have proof of first fair use.

Of course the Washington way is the better.

BillO
Swimming Mermaid Coffee Shop