Frequently Asked Questions

Copyrights and trademarks are both forms of intellectual property but each fulfills a different purpose. For example, trademarks typically protect aspects of your business identity such as your business name, logo, or slogan. Whereas copyrights protect creative works such as books, songs, and films. 

Exploring the differences between copyrights and trademarks

Purpose: Copyrights grant creators exclusive rights to reproduce, display, and distribute their work. For example, an author retains copyright over their book, preventing others from copying or selling it without permission. Trademarks, on the other hand, protect brand identity and prevent consumer confusion—like Nike’s iconic swoosh logo or McDonald’s golden arches.

Duration: Copyright protection lasts for the creator's lifetime plus 70 years, ensuring a novelist’s or musician’s work is safeguarded for decades after their death. Trademarks can last indefinitely, as long as they’re actively used and renewed, such as Coca-Cola’s logo, which has been in continuous use for over a century.

Registration process: Trademark registration is completed through your country’s trademark office, offering nationwide protection and typically taking 12–18 months. For example, registering a brand name helps prevent competitors from using a similar mark. On the other hand, copyright registration is handled by your country’s copyright office and in the US, takes between three to nine months. It provides extra legal benefits, like the ability to sue for damages—such as a filmmaker taking legal action against unauthorized streaming of their movie.