International

How Can a US Trademark Help You Protect Your Brand Overseas?

map of the world on wood with thumbtacks in it

Maybe you already have a US registered trademark. Or perhaps, you’re considering filing a trademark, but also wondering whether a US trademark can help you protect your brand overseas, especially if you plan to expand your business internationally or sell your products or services online. The answer is yes, but not automatically. A US trademark registration only grants you exclusive rights to use your trademark within the US territory and does not extend to other countries. If you want to protect your trademark in other countries, you need to register your trademark in each country where you want to have protection.

How to file a trademark in Canada as a US business

If you’re a US business that sells or plans to sell your goods or services in Canada, you might want to consider filing a trademark in Canada. A trademark is a word, phrase, symbol, design, or a combination of these things that identifies your goods or services and distinguishes them from others in the market1. A trademark can help you protect your brand, prevent confusion, and build goodwill with your customers in Canada.

But how do you file a trademark in Canada as a US business? What are the steps and requirements? And what are the benefits and challenges of doing so? In this blog post, we’ll answer these questions and more. We’ll also explore an alternative process that might be easier and cheaper for some US businesses: the Madrid Protocol.