English 
Italiano We often receive this question: whether there are different proceedings for the registration of a logo or of a trademark.
The reply is no, there is not any difference, and now we explain why.
Logo and brand: what is the difference?
The distinction between logo (abbreviation of logotype) and brand is in the field of graphics: with these two words we identify two graphic signs able to distinguish a company of a product/service.
Logotype
The logotype is a trademark consisting only of a name (real name or fanciful name) and it is not characterized by further iconographic elements. In the case of the logotype the protagonist is the lettering because this latter will give graphic characterization to the word and it will help public to memorize it.
Examples of famous logotype are Coca Cola, Google, Ebay, FedEx, Facebook, ll of them characterized by a particular and certainly distinctive lettering.
Brand
The word brand generally means the set of graphic design (a pictogram, and abstract sign or an illustration) with a name. Examples of trademarks are: Apple with bitten apple, MacDonald and its M, Ferrari with its Prancing Horse, Mulino Bianco with its mill, etc.
Logo and brand in the registration
With regard to the registration, the distinction between logotype and brand has not value because for the law they are both “figurative marks” or graphic signs provided that
“able to distinguish the products or services of a company from those of the other companies”.
Therefore registration proceedings, costs of registration and duration of registration are identical both for logotype and for brands.
In the field of law, the distinction is between denominative and figurative trademark, which is in the first case registering a word without any graphical characterization and in the second case registering a word, a word with an image, an image or every kind of graphical characterization.
Choosing one or the other will depend on the company’s strategic choices and on the distinctiveness o the sign.
As always, we remind you the importance to speak with an IP expert, who will be able to give you all the information you need and that will be able to assist you in the registration of your trademark, as well as in the event of objections and disputes concerning your trademark.
Did you find this article interesting? Share it!