The short answer
For a Swiss figurative or combined trademark, claiming colour is a deliberate choice. Without a colour claim, the graphic is generally protected in all colour versions. With a claim, protection is limited to the colours claimed. This does not create a general monopoly over those colours.
Separate the graphic from the colour claim
The representation determines which sign you apply for. A colour claim additionally states whether particular colours form part of the protection requested. Submitting a coloured image and legally claiming its colours are therefore not simply the same decision. Check the application form together with the image file you upload.
If you use the same graphic on light packaging, dark backgrounds and single-colour invoices, an application without a colour claim may fit its practical use. If recognition depends particularly on a fixed colour combination, an application claiming colour deserves separate consideration. Base the decision on the applications you actually plan.
Sources: IPI: Trademark types and colour claims · IPI: Trade Mark Guidelines 2026
All colour versions does not mean every similar logo
Protection without a colour claim concerns the registered graphic in different colours. It grants neither ownership of a colour nor protection for arbitrary other symbols. A conflict depends particularly on comparison of the signs and the goods or services concerned. Changing colour does not reliably resolve an existing trademark conflict.
Conversely, claiming particular colours can narrow the subject matter requested. It does not replace assessment of the sign’s distinctiveness. Earlier rights remain relevant too: the IPI does not independently investigate whether a similar trademark already exists during examination. A clearance search must therefore look beyond your preferred brand colour.
Sources: IPI: Trade Mark Guidelines 2026 · IPI: Conflicts with earlier rights
Check the actual file before applying
Compare the final graphic with several real applications. Check whether outlines, wording and arrangement remain the same or actually create different logos. Differences in the graphic may raise a different question from a mere colour change. A clean reference file helps identify precisely what will remain consistent across your materials.
Record which colours you intend to claim, if any, and why. Agree this decision with your agency before producing packaging or templates. Registering a colour alone is a separate trademark form with particular requirements; it must not be confused with choosing whether to claim colours within a logo application.
Sources: IPI: Trademark types and colour claims · IPI: Trade Mark Guidelines 2026
What you can do now
- Collect the final graphic and real colour variants.
- Align the colour claim with the application file.
- Search similar signs for the relevant products and services.
Frequently asked questions
Must my logo always appear in black and white afterwards?
No. Without a colour claim, protection of the registered graphic generally extends to its colour versions. That does not permit unrestricted changes to the graphic itself.
Sources: IPI: Trade Mark Guidelines 2026
Does a different colour prevent infringement?
Not automatically. Similarity of the signs and proximity of the goods or services remain important. A new colour alone is therefore not reliable clearance for using a logo.
Sources: IPI: Conflicts with earlier rights