A good trademark starts with the right questions.
You have chosen your name and designed your logo. But what do you actually own? Find clear answers to help you take the next step with your brand.
Find your question
Before applying
Availability, scope of protection and the decisions to make before you launch.
No trademark search results: Is my name really available?
Why a search with no results does not clear your brand name, and which checks help before filing a Swiss trademark application.
2 min readShould I register my trademark personally or in my company's name?
Why trademark ownership should be decided before filing, and how assignment differs from licensing for a Swiss trademark.
2 min readCoffee brand, café and online shop: Which trademark classes do I need?
Why coffee, running a café and other offerings need separate consideration, and why the goods and services list matters more than class numbers.
3 min readMy company is in the commercial register. Do I still need a trademark?
A commercial-register entry does not automatically protect your product brand. Learn how company names and trademarks differ and how to prepare an application.
2 min readDoes a trademark protect my business idea too?
Names, product shapes, technology and content are different subjects of protection. Organise your business idea before filing a trademark application.
2 min readMy .ch domain is registered: Do I still need trademark protection?
Why an available .ch domain does not clear a trademark, when to secure your address, and why a trademark does not automatically transfer someone else's domain.
3 min readWill my address become public when I apply for a trademark?
Which owner details appear in the Swiss trademark register, why a representative does not provide anonymity, and how to assess unexpected registry invoices.
3 min readWhat is the total cost of registering a Swiss trademark?
Compare official fees, searches and professional charges separately to build a realistic budget before filing your Swiss trademark application.
2 min readHow long does registration take, and can I launch before it finishes?
Distinguish examination time, expedited processing and commercial launch so you can plan without treating a pending application as a registration.
2 min readCan I file my trademark myself, or do I need professional help?
When self-filing is possible in Switzerland, and who still needs to assess the name, prepare the goods list and manage official deadlines.
2 min readWhat documents do I need for a Swiss trademark application?
Prepare owner details, the sign and your goods list: the essential filing information and the supporting records that may also become relevant.
2 min readCan I file the trademark before incorporating my company?
Choose the applicant before incorporation, plan any later assignment and bring trademark records into the new company's documents.
2 min readShould co-founders apply for the trademark jointly?
Clarify joint ownership, representation and a founder's departure before filing so future decisions about the trademark remain manageable.
2 min readCan I add products or classes after filing my trademark?
Distinguish pending applications from registered marks: when an extension changes the filing date and when an additional application is needed.
2 min readShould I register my trademark in every class just in case?
Why more classes do not automatically mean better protection, and how real product plans, fees and trademark use should guide your choice.
2 min readThe IPI has objected to my application. What can I do?
Distinguish formal and substantive objections, assess response options and understand how amendments can affect protection and the filing date.
2 min readCan I withdraw my trademark application and get a refund?
Withdrawal ends the procedure permanently. First assess fees, alternatives and the difference between official charges and professional service costs.
2 min readWho should own my private-label trademark if a supplier makes the goods?
Before production, decide who files the private-label trademark, how the supplier may use it and which rights you need if you change manufacturers.
3 min readShould I file my trademark before a crowdfunding campaign?
Plan searches, domains and filing before your campaign. A trademark does not keep an idea secret or replace a timely assessment of patent protection.
3 min readWhich trademark classes does an app or SaaS need?
Separate downloadable software, hosted applications and additional business services when preparing a Swiss trademark application for your app.
2 min readRegistering a clothing label: is Class 25 enough?
Distinguish clothing goods, a product brand, your online shop and manufacturing for others before filing a Swiss fashion trademark.
2 min readCosmetics trademark: Class 3 or Class 5?
Distinguish non-medicated cosmetics from medicinal preparations and understand why trademark registration does not authorise a product for sale.
2 min readSupplement brands: which classes for powders, bars and vitamins?
Distinguish supplements from ordinary foods and assess trademark classes, product regulation and health claims as separate questions.
2 min readRestaurant trademarks: what should you protect beyond the venue?
Separate restaurant services, catering, branded sauces and delivery models before applying for your hospitality business’s trademark.
3 min readConsulting and coaching: which trademark classes fit?
Distinguish business consultancy, training and technical advice so a Swiss coaching trademark reflects the services customers actually buy.
3 min readOnline course trademarks: register the course, downloads or platform?
Distinguish educational services, downloadable learning materials and learning software before filing a Swiss trademark for your online courses.
3 min readWhich trademark classes does my handmade jewellery brand need?
Separate jewellery products, retail and custom manufacturing to prepare the right goods and services list for your handmade jewellery brand.
3 min readHow can I protect my name as a creator or influencer?
Separate advertising, entertainment and your own products when preparing a creator trademark and agreeing ownership with your management agency.
3 min readName, logo and product
What you own and what a trademark can protect.
Can I protect a descriptive name as a trademark?
When a product name is too descriptive for Swiss trademark protection, and why a logo or English translation does not automatically solve the problem.
3 min readOne letter different: Is my brand name safe?
Changing one letter does not automatically avoid a trademark conflict. Learn why sound, appearance and the goods or services concerned matter.
2 min readShould I protect my brand name, my logo or both?
Which signs to compare before a Swiss trademark application, and why a new logo or new products can raise further protection questions.
2 min readI paid for my logo. Do I also have the rights to register it as a trademark?
What Swiss founders should check for a commissioned logo: usage rights, changes, third-party material and a future trademark application.
2 min readCan I register a Canva or stock-image logo as a trademark?
A commercial image licence does not automatically cover a trademark logo. Check Canva assets, stock graphics and open licences before filing.
2 min readCan I protect an AI-generated logo as a trademark in Switzerland?
Check AI logos before applying for a trademark: human design input, terms of use, third-party rights and the distinctiveness of the sign.
2 min readShould I protect my distinctive product shape as a design or a trademark?
What product founders should know about design protection, three-dimensional trademarks and publishing a new product before seeking protection.
2 min readCan I register my own name as a trademark?
A personal name can be a trademark. Check earlier rights, the exact version of the name and what should happen if you later sell your business.
3 min readCan I trademark three letters or an acronym?
A short acronym can be a trademark. Assess its meaning in your sector, similar signs and the difference between protecting letters and a logo.
3 min readCan I register my advertising slogan as a trademark?
Advertising message or distinctive sign? Check the wording, translations and intended offering before a Swiss slogan trademark application.
2 min readCan I reserve a single colour for my brand?
A colour trademark needs different evidence from a coloured logo. Learn what to prepare before considering a Swiss colour application.
2 min readCan I protect my brand's jingle?
Swiss sound trademarks: check musical notation, distinctiveness and rights in your jingle before launching an advertising campaign.
2 min readShould you register a logo in black and white or colour?
Understand colour claims for Swiss logo trademarks and choose a representation that fits packaging, invoices and digital brand applications.
3 min readDoes a word trademark cover different fonts?
How fonts, capitalisation and graphic styling affect a Swiss word trademark, and when a separate logo application becomes relevant.
3 min readCan a city name form part of your trademark?
When geographical names become descriptive or misleading in Swiss trademarks, and why your registered office does not settle the origin question.
3 min readRegistering a Chinese or Arabic script trademark in Switzerland?
Prepare a non-Latin brand for Switzerland and distinguish the original script, transliteration and translation before choosing what to register.
3 min readSwitzerland and abroad
Borders, Swiss origin and the move into new markets.
Does my EU trademark also protect me in Switzerland?
An EU trademark does not include Switzerland. Explore routes to Swiss protection and what to check before entering the market.
2 min readSwiss trademark, production abroad: Can my product say 'Swiss made'?
A Swiss trademark and Swiss product origin are different. Learn what counts for industrial products, manufacturing costs and the required production steps.
2 min readCan my logo show the Swiss cross or a Swiss mountain?
The Swiss cross, coat of arms and mountain imagery have different legal implications. Check them before designing a logo, printing packaging or filing.
3 min readCan my food brand say 'Swiss' if some ingredients are imported?
Swissness for food: check raw-material weight, essential processing, exceptions and Swiss milk before launching your food brand.
3 min readCan my foreign company apply for a Swiss trademark?
Distinguish foreign ownership, a Swiss address for service and representation, then organise official correspondence before filing.
2 min readMy Swiss brand is expanding into the EU: which filing route fits?
Compare national applications, an EU trade mark and the Madrid System when planning protection for a Swiss business entering EU markets.
3 min readSix months after the first trademark filing: what does priority preserve?
Understand the six-month trademark priority period, matching signs and goods, and why an initial filing does not create automatic foreign protection.
3 min readWhy does my international registration depend on its basic mark for five years?
What losing a basic mark can mean for a Madrid registration, and which documents a business should monitor during the dependency period.
3 min readI am starting UK sales: is my EU trade mark still enough?
New UK sales, older comparable rights and fresh applications: how a Swiss business can check its trademark position after Brexit.
3 min readCan I protect my brand worldwide without planning each country?
Why there is no single worldwide trademark and how to prioritise countries, searches and ongoing costs for a practical international plan.
3 min readCan a descriptive meaning in just one EU language block my filing?
Why a descriptive meaning in part of the EU can affect a single EU filing, and how language checks and national alternatives inform your strategy.
3 min readCan my distributor register our brand abroad in its own name?
Clarify ownership, authority and possible remedies before a foreign distributor files your trademark in its own name.
3 min readMy online shop ships abroad: where do I need trademark protection?
Being accessible online does not mean worldwide protection. Connect delivery countries, advertising and customers with your trademark plan.
3 min readUse and defend your trademark
After registration: use, monitoring and imitation.
My trademark is registered: Who spots similar new marks?
Why the IPI does not automatically defend your trademark against later applications, and how to organise useful monitoring after registration.
2 min readWhen can I put ® next to my brand name?
When you may use ® in Switzerland, why TM does not prove registration, and what to check before printing your packaging.
2 min readCan I lose a trademark even if I renew it?
Renewal and trademark use are separate obligations. Find out why five years of non-use matter and which records you should keep.
2 min readAnother shop is copying my trademark. What should I do first?
Preserve evidence, check your own trademark rights and choose appropriate action: a practical starting point when another business copies your branding.
2 min readCan Swiss customs stop individual parcels containing counterfeit branded goods?
How customs assistance works for small parcels: applications, the three-item and five-kilogram limits, simplified procedures and rights holders' duties.
3 min readWhen do I need to renew my Swiss trademark?
Ten years from filing, renewal before expiry and a six-month late window: organise the next protection period for your Swiss trademark.
3 min readWhat should I check before buying an existing trademark?
Check ownership, goods, use and contracts before buying a Swiss trademark and recording the transfer in the register.
3 min readDoes a redesigned logo need a new trademark application?
What a redesign means for a registered or pending Swiss trademark, and when changing the sign can affect your original filing date.
3 min readCan a coexistence agreement allow two similar trademarks?
A coexistence agreement can organise use of similar brands. Clear products, territories, limitations and third-party rights remain essential.
3 min readSomeone opposed my Swiss trademark: what should I do?
An opposition differs from an IPI examination objection. Identify the procedure, preserve the notice and prepare the facts for professional review.
3 min readA competitor used the name first without registration: can I file?
A clear register search does not resolve earlier use. Article 14 permits continued use within its previous scope when the conditions are met.
3 min readMy company moves or changes its name: do I need a new trademark filing?
A new address, company name and legal owner are different changes. Identify the right way to update a Swiss trademark registration.
3 min readWhat evidence shows that my online shop actually uses the trademark?
Invoices, product pages and dated records should connect. Document the sign, offers, period and relevant market for your online business.
3 min readOur brand name is becoming the word for the product: is that a risk?
Popularity does not automatically mean losing rights. Separate the brand from the product category and maintain its distinctive use.
3 min readCan a competitor use my brand name in Google Ads?
Distinguish search keywords from visible advertisements. What evidence to keep and why Google's trademark policy does not replace legal assessment.
3 min readI received a trademark cease-and-desist letter before launch. What now?
Review the letter, deadlines and claimed rights systematically. Why signing immediately or filing a new trademark does not automatically solve the dispute.
3 min readReady to register your trademark?
We assess your situation, search for similar trademarks and prepare your Swiss application. Tell us what you want to protect.
CHF 599for your first trademark in Switzerland
CHF 249 service fee including VAT + CHF 350 IPI fee. Up to 3 classes.
Non-binding enquiry. Submitting does not place an order.
View services and pricingThese guides explain Swiss law in general terms. Each article includes its sources and revision date. Your particular sign requires an individual assessment.