Is Coca-Cola a trade mark?
Asked by: Prof. Nicolette Stokes | Last update: February 15, 2026Score: 4.6/5 (8 votes)
Yes, Coca-Cola is a very famous and heavily protected trademark, covering the name, script logo, bottle shape, and other branding elements, registered by The Coca-Cola Company to distinguish its products from competitors and prevent consumer confusion, with registrations dating back to the late 1800s.
Is Coca-Cola a trademark?
Yes, "Coke" and "Coca-Cola" are heavily trademarked by The Coca-Cola Company, covering the name, logos, script, bottle shape (trade dress), and advertising, all to distinguish their products from competitors and protect their brand identity. They own registrations for numerous variations like "Coke," "Coca-Cola," and "Diet Coke".
What are some 5 examples of trademarks?
Five examples of trademarks are the Nike Swoosh (logo), Coca-Cola (word/brand name), the McDonald's Golden Arches (logo), the Apple logo (symbol), and the Tiffany Blue Color used for its boxes (color/trade dress), protecting brand identity and distinguishing products in the marketplace.
Can I mention Coca-Cola in my book?
Editors are frequently asked whether it's permissible for writers to mention product or business names in books. The short answer is yes.
Is Coke a generic trademark?
The word “Coke” is a trademark, and it's a noun—so it doesn't fit the pattern of a wildly successful trademarked name that acquires a generic (lowercase) sense as a verb in common usage (e.g., Google > googled).
The Secret Behind Coca-Cola Marketing Strategy
Is Pepsi a trademark or copyright?
The company was initially established by Caleb Bradham in 1893 as Brad's Drink and later renamed Pepsi-Cola in 1898. Later, on June 16, 1903, “Pepsi-Cola” became an official registered trademark.
What if I invested $1000 in Coca-Cola 10 years ago?
Investing $1,000 in Coca-Cola (KO) stock about 10 years ago (mid-2015 to mid-2025) would have grown significantly, potentially doubling or more, depending on the exact date, with returns often cited around 100-130% or more, turning your $1,000 into roughly $2,000 to $2,300+, but often underperforming a broader S&P 500 investment over that specific decade, though KO offers strong dividends as a "Dividend King".
Can I mention McDonald's in my book?
Yes, you can mention McDonald's in a book, as using real brand names for flavor, setting, or character background (nominative use) is generally permissible, but avoid defamatory, false, or misleading portrayals, as this could lead to libel or trademark issues; for more control or to avoid dating your story, you can create a fictionalized version like "Big Burger" or "Mickey D's".
Do you need permission to use brand names?
You can use another owner's trademark without permission for comparative ads, news, parodies, and criticism under the fair use doctrine. "Descriptive" and "nominative" fair use let you reference trademarks to describe products or identify the trademark owner's goods or services.
What is the 3 book rule?
In his famous book the 4-Hour Work Week, Tim Ferris shares this theory that if you read 3 books on a topic from different authors, you'll become more knowledgeable about it than 99% of people you know. It's a bold claim but it makes sense.
Is it better to copyright or trademark?
Neither copyright nor trademark is inherently "better"; they protect different things: Copyright guards original creative works (books, music, art) for a long time, while a Trademark protects brand identifiers (names, logos, slogans) used in commerce and lasts indefinitely as long as used and renewed. For businesses, trademarks are often more critical for brand recognition, but many assets (like a logo) benefit from both, with copyright protecting the artistic design and trademark protecting its use in commerce.
How do I check if a trademark exists?
The best place to begin is with the USPTO Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS), the official database for searching U.S. trademarks. You can look up registered and pending marks by name, owner, or design element.
What is the most famous trademark?
Coca-Cola. Coca-Cola is one of the most famous trademarks in the world. The company was founded in 1886, and its distinctive red and white logo has been used since 1887. The company sells over 1 billion bottles of Coca-Cola a day, and the brand is worth an estimated $74 billion.
Can I use the Coca-Cola logo?
Coca Cola trademarks and Coca Cola logos may only be used in conjunction with goods produced by Coca Cola or with the express prior approval of Coca Cola. For the avoidance of doubt, the Coca Cola corporate logo may only be used by Coca Cola.
What cannot be trademarked?
The following things cannot be registered as trademarks: Deceptive Words, Names, Phrases, Slogans (they are misleading) Merely Descriptive Words (e.g., Best ice cream, Red car) Merely Decorative Features (they don't identify source)
Is Coca-Cola a suggestive trademark?
Sometimes descriptive trademarks can acquire a distinctive meaning over time through use by a company. The term Coca-Cola is an example of this. Coca-Cola is simply a cola made from coca leaves. The term is merely descriptive.
What is the 3 month rule for copyright?
The "copyright 3 month rule" refers to a key deadline for U.S. copyright registration: you must register your work within three months of its first publication (or before infringement begins) to be eligible to claim statutory damages and attorney's fees in a copyright infringement lawsuit, which can be crucial for remedies beyond just an injunction. Failing to meet this deadline means you generally can only sue for actual damages (harder to prove) if infringement occurs, but registration is still vital for other benefits and to sue at all, notes Donahue Fitzgerald LLP and Cotman IP.
Should you trademark or LLC first?
For most businesses, form your LLC first to establish a legal owner for your brand, then apply for a trademark under the LLC, but always conduct a trademark search before forming the LLC to avoid costly rebrands if the name is already taken. The LLC provides liability protection and a legal entity to own assets like trademarks; however, you need to know the name is clear before registering the LLC.
What happens if you use a trademark without permission?
A trademark owner who believes its mark is being infringed may file a civil action (i.e., lawsuit) in either state court or federal court for trademark infringement, depending on the circumstances. However, in most cases, trademark owners choose to sue for infringement in federal court.
Why do books have 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1?
The numbers 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 on a book's copyright page form a "printer's key," showing the print run; the lowest number indicates the printing (e.g., '1' means first printing), allowing publishers to track printings and make corrections without re-typesetting the entire page by simply removing the lowest number for each new run, a system dating from traditional printing presses.
Can you mention Coca-Cola in a book?
You're not violating trademarks because you aren't offering a similar product, depicting a logo, or similar and most IP laws do not extend to protect words and names (trade mark doesn't protect the soda brand Coca-Cola from being mentioned… it protects the logo that is thought of when you think of Coca-Cola from being ...
Can I mention Harry Potter in my book?
If all you want to do is make a brief reference to a famous book or character (perhaps your character is a Harry Potter fan), you're probably okay.
What if I invested $10,000 in Apple in 1990?
Investing $10,000 in Apple (AAPL) stock in 1990 would have yielded an astronomical return, making you a multimillionaire many times over by today, with calculations suggesting it would be worth tens of millions of dollars (or potentially over $100 million with dividends reinvested) due to incredible growth, stock splits, and the success of products like the iPhone, though exact figures vary slightly based on calculation dates and dividend reinvestment, Yahoo Finance.
Which stock is going to skyrocket in 2025?
Predicting a single "booming" stock for 2025 (which has already passed) is impossible, but strong performers and key sectors in 2025 included Nvidia (NVDA), AMD (AMD), and other tech giants like Microsoft (MSFT), Apple (AAPL), Amazon (AMZN), and Alphabet (GOOG), driven by AI, with specific growth opportunities also seen in healthcare (Eli Lilly, J&J), renewable energy (NextEra Energy, GE Vernova), and value tech (Yiren Digital). The overall trend favored growth stocks, though market volatility persisted.