With over 5 million new businesses opening each year, it’s harder than ever to build a unique brand identity. Each business needs a distinct and recognizable name, logo and tagline as the building blocks of a memorable identity, and yet the USPTO rejects over 48% of all trademark applications. This rejection is often because someone already owns similar intellectual property.
A thorough trademark knockout search spots potential conflicts early and is an essential step in validating your brand assets. Let’s take a closer look at how a trademark knockout search works and how it can help you hone in on the perfect brand name.
What is a Trademark Knockout Search?
A trademark knockout search scans trademark databases to catch potential conflicts before you invest in a full application. It’s like running a background check on your brand name or logo.
The search looks for similar names, logos, and marks across active trademarks, pending applications, and even abandoned ones that could impact your filing. It digs much deeper than a basic Google search or state business name lookup.
What is the difference between a knockout search and a comprehensive search?
A knockout search checks for obvious trademark conflicts by scanning public records and the USPTO database. You’ll get results quickly — usually within a few hours or days — and it’s an affordable way to flag potential issues. Most businesses start here to spot significant problems before investing more time and money.
Comprehensive searches cast a wider net. They examine state and federal registers, business directories, and domain names. The process takes longer and costs more, but it reveals potential conflicts that a basic search might miss.
Neither method catches everything. A knockout search could overlook state-level conflicts, while even thorough, comprehensive searches occasionally miss relevant marks. Still, both help protect your brand investment. Your budget and timeline usually determine which path makes sense — quick insights from a knockout search or the detailed analysis of a comprehensive review.
Why is a Trademark Knockout Search Important?
A trademark knockout search helps you spot problems early before you spend money on applications or invest in branding. You’ll know immediately if someone else already owns similar marks, saving you from wasting time on names that won’t get approved.
This quick check shows whether you should keep brainstorming or move forward confidently when picking a business name. If the search turns up conflicts, you can adjust your mark or create something new while you’re still in the planning stages.
Many businesses skip this step and end up facing registration refusals. Then, they’re stuck with expensive rebranding costs, legal fees, and lost time. Running a knockout search first tells you whether you need the extra protection of a comprehensive search — it’s a smart first step that often prevents bigger headaches later.
How to Conduct a Trademark Knockout Search
You can run a trademark knockout search through the United States Patent and Trademark Office’s (USPTO) Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS).
Here are the key steps:
- Visit the USPTO website
- Navigate to the TESS search portal (or use this quick link)
- Enter your proposed trademark
When the search portal returns results, carefully search for similar marks, including:
- Spelling variations
- Phonetic similarities
- Comparable designs
- Related product/service categories
For international coverage, check the WIPO Global Brand Database. This shows trademarks registered in other countries that could affect your plans for global expansion.
While these tools are available to everyone, interpreting search results for potential conflicts requires experience. Our Trademark Research service provides a packaged trademark search and returns a detailed analysis of trademark availability and potential. We’ve designed a ‘safety score’ for your trademarks to make it easy to understand the risk of conflicts and the chance of approval.
Wrapping Up
Running a knockout search helps you spot major trademark issues early. It’s a quick way to check if your planned mark might run into trouble during a trademark application or once you’re using it in commerce, and it allows you to adapt your key brand assets before you’ve committed serious resources.
Want a trademark expert to handle your search? Get started today.
FAQ
How long does a knockout search take?
A basic knockout search typically takes 15-30 minutes to complete, before you begin interpreting results. This quick screening process can be done in one sitting, though you may want to try different search variations to be thorough.
Can I do a trademark knockout search myself?
Yes, you can perform a knockout search using the USPTO’s free TESS database. While the tools are publicly available, understanding search results and evaluating trademark similarities requires familiarity with trademark law principles.
