Old-school cartoon stick figure wearing a top hat and pointing at a chalkboard with “Word Marks” written in large chalk letters — representing a blog post about work marks and traditional trademarks.

Traditional trademarks are conventional and well-recognized forms of trademarks, including word marks and design marks. Traditional trademarks are the most common and easily recognizable type of trademarks used by businesses to establish their brand identities (especially in comparison to non-traditional trademarks).

Word marks are text-only trademarks consisting solely of words, letters, or numbers without any specific design element. Word mark trademark registrations protect the wording itself, granting exclusive rights to use the word mark in connection with specific goods or services, regardless of how the word mark is styled or displayed.

To register a word mark, the text must be distinctive and not confusingly similar to existing marks used by others. Generic text (words that are generic for the associated goods or services) cannot be registered. The strongest word marks are those that are arbitrary or fanciful, meaning they are either made-up words or common words used in an unrelated context.

Some of the oldest word mark traditional trademark registrations in the US are still alive and in use today! WASHBURN’S GOLD MEDAL® [1], first registered in April 1886 in connection with flour, is the oldest word mark still registered and in use.

Other long-registered word marks also include LYPSEL® [2], first registered in May 1892 in connection with cosmetics, salves, and ointments; TIFFANY & CO.® [3], first registered in September 1893 in connection with jewelry and watches; LIFEBUOY® [4], first registered in January 1895 in connection with common soap; SALAMANDER® [5], first registered in February 1896 in connection with crucibles; LAVA® [6], first registered in December 1896 in connection with soap; and John Deere® [7], first registered in September 1897 in connection with wagons.

Want to search for old word marks yourself? Head over to https://tmsearch.uspto.gov/, select “Field tag and Search Builder” from the drop down box on the left, and enter the following search string: (MD:2 MD3) AND DC:(2902*) AND LR:true AND RG:*principal*

This will give you all active trademark registrations on the principal register! Over on the left click on “Sort” and select “Serial (0-9)” to see registrations sorted oldest to newest. Scroll through and have a look at some of the oldest, still active word mark and design marks. Have fun!

Want to learn more about trademarks? Check out our posts on “Intellectual” Property? Sounds Made Up., I Think I Understand IP, But Can You Give Me An Example?, and Why Should I Care About Trademarks?.