One of the first things a startup does when creating a service is to come up with a name.

Create a brand identity, buy a domain, design a logo, and open social media accounts.

However, trademark searches are done later.

What if the service has already been launched and the customer response is fairly good, but that name is already registered by someone else?
Rebranding is not just a simple naming issue.
It erases customer memories and burns marketing budgets.

Trademarks operate on a first-to-file basis.
It’s not the first to use it, but the first to file that has the rights.
Even if the other party is not doing business, if they just register the trademark, they are recognized as the rightful owner.

To avoid such situations, you should conduct a trademark search right from the stage of deciding the service name.
In Korea, you can search for free on the KIPRIS website of the Patent Office,
and for foreign trademarks, you can review through WIPO TMview and local databases of each country.

When first contemplating a name,
consider the "possibility of trademark registration" along with your "brand story".

In the next article, I will write about what I feel is a "good trademark" in practice.