The short answer
A short melody may qualify as a sound trademark. It must be capable of identifying the business and meet Swiss representation requirements. Current IPI practice requires musical notation. An audio file alone is insufficient; trademark protection remains separate from rights in the composition and recording.
Choose the sound you will use consistently
Identify the sequence customers should recognise. Long background music, different campaign versions and a short recurring sign-off serve different purposes. An application needs a clearly defined sound that will be associated with particular goods or services rather than an unspecified collection of recordings.
Consider its use in your app, advertising and telephone greeting together. Simply using music does not automatically make it an indication of commercial origin. Record whether the melody is already used regularly and whether different producers have supplied different versions.
Sources: IPI: Trademark types and colour claims · IPI: Trade Mark Guidelines 2026
Prepare musical notation rather than just an upload
The IPI guidelines require notation containing the essential musical information, including the clef and note and rest values. Oscillograms and spectrograms are not accepted for this purpose. Under this practice, a noise that cannot be represented in musical notation cannot simply be filed as audio.
Have the final melody checked against its written representation. Resolve any different pause or sequence before filing. Other offices' rules for multimedia formats cannot be assumed to apply to a Swiss application. The intended trademark type must also be correctly identified.
Sources: IPI: Trade Mark Guidelines 2026
Clarify composition, recording and permitted uses
Commissioning a recording studio does not automatically settle all usage rights. Establish which rights the composer, producers and any other contributors grant. Discuss the intended trademark application as well as advertising, editing and use across several platforms with the relevant parties.
Keep the agreement, approval, score and corresponding final recording together. Do not simply turn library music into an exclusive brand sound without examining its conditions. Registration replaces no missing permission and does not promise blanket protection against every piece of similar music.
Sources: IPI: Rights assignment and licensing
What you can do now
- Identify the final melody and specific offerings.
- Check the notation against the recording.
- Clearly document composition and recording rights.
Frequently asked questions
Can I submit only an MP3 file?
That is not sufficient under current Swiss practice. Sound marks are represented in musical notation, and the requirements for a clear and complete representation must still be met.
Sources: IPI: Trade Mark Guidelines 2026
Does the trademark also protect my music as a work?
Trademark law and copyright serve different functions. The application concerns the sound as an identifier of particular offerings. Copyright and permissions in the composition and recording need separate clarification.
Sources: IPI: Trademark types and colour claims · IPI: Rights assignment and licensing