ABSTRACT
In addition to the copyright issues advertising and public relations professionals routinely encounter, patents (which relate to inventions) and trademarks (which identify goods) can play an important day-to-day role as well. This chapter provides an essential overview of these types of intellectual property. After an overview of the basic types of patents and the process for acquiring protection for novel inventions via the patent registration process, particular attention is devoted to trademarks and service marks, which are crucial elements of organizations’ marketing communications and reputation management activities. Included is a discussion of the origins of federal trademark law in the commerce clause of the Constitution, the nature and purpose of trademarks, and practical measures organizations should take to cultivate and protect their valuable marks.
