service mark Logos and Brands
Service marks, registered to protect a service brand in the same way as a trademark, define the legal context of the “Service Mark” section. Unlike a trademark, which protects a physical product, a service mark protects the identity of a service, from banking services to restaurant brands. Companies in this section use the ℠ or ® symbol next to their logo to indicate legal protection of their name and emblem in the territory of registration. Brands in this section represent the legal practice of intellectual property protection in the service sector, where a visual mark can be a legal asset worth billions and become the subject of litigation.