The hashtag has become an instantly recognisable symbol for organising, categorising and discovering digital content that relates to a specific topic. First introduced in 2007, hashtags are now an integral part of the internet lexicon and are widely used on a variety of platforms including Twitter, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest, Google+ and Tumblr.    When a user […]

While it is unusual for a trade mark owner to receive a request for their trade mark to be used by someone else, it does happen.  This article offers some advice on what you should and shouldn’t do if you’re approached by a third party. Let’s first take a step back and examine what it […]

A distinctive logo is often a pivotal element of any successful brand strategy and savvy business operators will guard and protect this valuable asset by registering it as a trade mark. However, holding onto market share and competing for customers’ attention in the crowded and competitive business space means marketers have to be on their […]

Millions of businesses all over the world use Google Ads as a successful way of finding new customers via keywords.  But online advertising is also a highly competitive space and multiple businesses are often targeting the same customers.  Google Ads uses keywords to attract ‘clicks’ to websites, which means getting the keywords right is pivotal […]

The field of trade mark law is complex and wide-ranging and many different cases covering a variety of industries, disciplines and contexts have ended up being settled by a court ruling.  But despite all these precedents – and despite the explosive growth in online communications – very few cases involving the use of a competitor’s […]