Summary for those who do not want to read the whole survey

The ® symbol indicates a legally registered trademark and can only be used if there is an official registration with a competent body (EUIPO, USPTO, etc.). Its use without a valid registration is misleading or even illegal in many countries.

Consumers, although not aware of the legal details, perceive the ® as a sign of institutionality, stability and trust. It belongs to the broader category of “trust cues” - alongside certifications, security marks and trust badges.

Its existence in the logo:

enhances perceived solvency, especially in high-risk markets or regulated sectors,
helps smaller brands to project seriousness and investment in copyright,
acts as a deterrent to counterfeiting, reinforcing distinctive identity.

On the contrary, the misuse or irregular use of ® (without registration or in the wrong context) poses risks to the image, credibility and legal security of the brand.

Conclusion:
The ® is not just a legal tool. It is a prestigious communication element that, when used moderately and strategically, adds real value to the brand. But it is not enough to “get it in the logo” - it must serve a broader strategy of credibility and differentiation.

At Synapsee, we turn legal registration into brand capital - with strategic positioning, visual consistency and analysis that links trust signals to real performance.

Research Summary

This study investigates the effect of adding the ® (Registered Trademark) symbol to a company's logo,. Drawing on 25+ contemporary sources from the fields of law, marketing, branding and consumer behaviour, the research maps the issue comprehensively. In particular, the reader will discover:

International legal significance: How do different jurisdictions (EU, US, UK, Asia) treat the ® symbol and what are the penalties for misusing it.
Psychological perception: How consumers perceive the ® - as a sign of trust, authority or legitimacy - and how this affects the brand image.
Trust signals & conversion: The role of ® among other “trust marks” (SSL seals, certifications, badges) and how it is linked to increasing sales and conversion, through analogies with trust seals and certification marks.
Differences by brand category: How the use and impact of ® differs across B2C vs B2B brands, luxury brands, tech startups and highly regulated industries.
Context & audience: When the use of ® in the logo has a positive, negative or neutral effect - depending on the aesthetic context, the culture of each country and the target group.
Examples of brands: Specific cases of well-known (or smaller) brands that have benefited from ® communication or on the contrary failed/damaged (e.g. due to genericide or misuse).
Guidelines & best practices: Practical advice for designers, marketers and brand strategists - from when/how to incorporate the ® symbol, to when to avoid it, to what legal requirements and what strategy to use to maximize benefits and avoid pitfalls.

In a professional but accessible style, the research provides informed answers to the above questions, helping the reader to make informed decisions about whether - and how - it is worth adding the ® to the corporate logo.

Main Conclusions

The ® symbol is legally powerful and protective, but its misuse is prohibited. In many countries it is forbidden by law to use ® next to an unregistered trademark - it is considered a deceptive practiceinta.org. In the USA only federally registered trademarks are allowed to bear ® (misuse can be considered a false statement/fraud)mewburn.com mewburn.com. In the United Kingdom, misrepresenting a trade mark as a registered trade mark is a criminal offence punishable by a finejonesday.com, while countries such as India, Japan or Korea even provide for prison sentencescll.com. In the European Union, ® marking is generally not required, but its untrue use may be considered unfair commercial practice/misleading advertising at national level.jonesday.com jonesday.com. Similarly in Asia, e.g. in China, it is forbidden to import goods with the ® symbol if the trademark is not registered there - it is considered an illegal act.jdsupra.com. In conclusion, the ® provides a legal “shield” but should only be used when the mark is actually registered in the relevant market, otherwise the company is exposed to legal risks (cancellations, fines, lawsuits).nachi.org.
Consumers perceive the ® as a sign of an official brand, which can increase trust. The presence of ® next to a name/logo creates the impression that the brand is “serious” and vested, which acts as a signal of credibilitytrademarkfactory.com. According to experts, the trademark (TM/®) gives prestige and professionalism - shows that the company protects its identity and discourages copyingwariplaw.com. This enhances confidence both consumers and partnerswariplaw.com. Research shows that consumers when they see a trademarked logo feel that they are buying from a reliable, established sourceblaksheepcreative.com. In other words, the ® acts as a legality mark (legitimacy signal) that can strengthen the brand trust and the perceived quality.
The ® is one of the “trust signals” that influence purchasing decisions, although it is not as powerful as an independent certification. In a digital environment where 98% of consumers recognise at least one type of symbol that increases the likelihood of purchasebusiness.trustpilot.com, every indication of credibility counts. So-called trust signals (e.g. SSL security seals, “guarantee” badges, customer ratings) have significant effect on behaviour: in a survey, 75% of respondents said that the trust logos increase the credibility of a brandinstapage.com, while the 82% is positively influenced by positive ratings and reviewsbusiness.trustpilot.com. The ® symbol, although not a “seal” of an independent body, is complementary in this context: indicates official status and brand ownership, enhancing the overall confidence profile. For example, on websites with many unknown sellers or products, the appearance of “®” next to a name may imply that it is genuine/authentic brand and not a fake, positively affecting the buyer's perception of security. Although the ® does not have the heavy “prestige” of a quality or safety mark, contributes to the image of credibility as part of a company's overall trust signals package.
Enhancing trust through ® can translate into more sales - although difficult to measure in isolation, the analogous data from trust seals is telling. Many studies in the field of e-commerce record improve conversion when confidence signals are added. For example, adding the Verisign/Norton security seal to a page increased sign-ups by 42% in A/B testcrazyegg.com, while on another site the restoration of a trust seal that had been removed led to 31% sales risecrazyegg.com. Also, the 94% of online consumers say they are more likely to complete a purchase if they see the Norton Secure badge at checkoutcrazyegg.com. These data underline how crucial trust signals are to buyer behaviour. The ® itself, as an indication “official brand”, can contribute positively to metrics such as click-through or purchase intent, especially in cases where the consumer is hesitant due to uncertainty about the brand's credibility. Although there is (so far) no quantitative study exclusively on the impact of the ® symbol on conversion rate, it is reasonable to assume that does not harm and probably benefits - especially when the target audience is not well aware of the brand and needs “signals” that it is a legitimate, trustworthy product.
The meaning and use of ® varies by brand category and audience: it is not “one-size-fits-all”. At B2C consumer brands, where purchases are often based on emotional trust and recognition, ® can be reinforcing - e.g. a new food or cosmetic with ® may seem more Trusted on a supermarket shelf. In contrast, in B2B brands (e.g. a business software company), customers value reputation, case studies and quality of service more - whether there is ® in the logo plays less of a role, although it still suggests that the company has invested in its IP and is therefore “institutionally” serious. In the area of luxury brands (luxury), there is often a tendency to avoidance of ® in visible communication: luxury brands rely on their own brand recognition and sense of exclusivity - adding ® to logos in advertisements or window displays is considered unnecessary or even aesthetically distracting. Indeed, many luxury brands (Louis Vuitton, Chanel, etc.) do not display ® in their logos in campaigns, although they are of course registered; the symbol is usually discreetly present on internal labels or on the packaging as part of the authenticity marksswapboutique.com. On the other hand, in sectors such as pharmaceutical products or regulated industries in general (food, finance), the ® has a special meaning: in pharmaceuticals, each original drug carries the ® in its brand name (e.g. Viagra®, Lipitor®) to distinguish it from generics and to the ownership/patent is highlighted. There the public (doctors, pharmacists, patients) has learned to see the ® next to the trade names as normal and an indication that we are talking about branded medicine. At tech brands and startups, the use differs depending on the stage: large technology companies usually have all their trademarks registered but rarely use ® in their marketing, probably for minimal aesthetic reasons (e.g. Apple does not put “Apple®” in its commercials, except in legal footnotes). In contrast, startups just starting out often put the ™ next to their new logo as a claim mark - and once they get the registration, they may start using the ® in select places. However, even among startups, many marketers find that the his premature “pride” ® (if the brand is not known or if it doesn't fit their casual style) can seem out of place.
The ® symbol can have a positive, negative or neutral effect depending on the context: Positively, performs when there is a question of trust or legitimacy that needs to be strengthened. For example, in an e-shop where many unfamiliar brands are sold, a product with the ® brand might get more clicks because it looks more “official”. Also, in markets with a counterfeiting problem (e.g. electronics, fashion), displaying a company's logo with the ® can help consumers distinguish the genuine product - many look at details such as the correct placement of the ® to judge whether something is authenticswapboutique.com. Neutral, there are cases where the public neither pays attention nor cares for such details: if it's an already established brand with huge brand awareness (e.g. Coca-Cola, Nike), the existence or not of ® doesn't change how people see it. That's why many such companies limit the use of the symbol to legal notices. Negative, the ® may damage the image when is not aesthetically or communicatively compatible with style: a minimal, youthful brand can seem more “corporate” and distant if it suddenly has a ® everywhere. As designers comment, the overuse of TM/® symbols creates visual noise and spoils the aesthetics unnecessarilybrandmarketingblog.com. Indeed, it is recommended to use the symbol only in the first or the more prominent appearance of the signal, and avoid repetition in each appearance - overkill can distract from the message/creative message itselfbrandmarketingblog.com. There is also a negative effect when the symbol is used incorrectly - in addition to the legal risks, informed consumers or competitors may perceive that a ® is used in an unregistered mark and accuse the company of deception (e.g. negative publicity)nachi.org. In general, in a “fun” context (e.g. social media posts, youth products) the ® may seem out of place, while in a “formal” context (corporate presentations, international packaging) it adds prestige.
Brands that correctly communicated the status of ® gained an advantage, while those that failed risked losing their trademark itself. A classic example of a successful strategy is Velcro: when she found that the public generally used her name for all types of “hook-and-loop” links, she launched a groundbreaking awareness campaign “Don't Say Velcro” to remind that Velcro is a brand, not a common namestites.com. With a humorous video that went viral, the company essentially educated consumers to use the term “hook-and-loop” for its non-branded products - thus protecting its trademark from the risk of genericide. Many other brands have fought similar battles: the Xerox for years channeling marketing messages “It's photocopy, not Xerox” to prevent its name becoming a common word for photocopiers. Η Johnson & Johnson was forced to promote the slogan “I'm stuck on Band-Aid brand cause Band-Aid's stuck on me” to remind us that Band-Aid is a patch brand - an attempt not to lose exclusivity. Conversely, where this communication failed, the results were painful: classic examples of trademarks that “their own success was ”destroyed" is the Aspirin and the Escalator - both originally registered trademarks but so widely used as generic terms that the US courts (for Aspirin in 1921, for Escalator in 1950) declared them «generic», removing protectionen.wikipedia.org. In the case of Aspirin, the court noted that Bayer failed to adequately associate the name with the company/source of the product in the eyes of the publicen.wikipedia.org - essentially that it did not sufficiently project the brand status (e.g. through ® or other actions) during the critical period. In conclusion, the examples show that the correct communication of the trademark (through symbols, disclaimers or campaigns) is vital for long-term brand protection. A brand that neglects to use ® when/where it is needed, or fails to correct the misuse of its name, risks seeing its name become “public domain” and losing its exclusive rights.
Guidance for designers and marketers: Incorporating the ® symbol requires a balance between legal protection and branding aesthetics. For designers: The ® not is considered part of the creative logo - usually added as a separate element. Good practice is to place it right above on the logo (or bottom right if the top doesn't fit) in a small enough size to not dominate but large enough to be readablebrandmarketingblog.com brandmarketingblog.com. The symbol should be present in the version of the logo file used in official contexts (e.g. packaging, site footer, presentations), but it is not necessary in any appearance - the first or most obvious appearance of the logo is sufficient to give the trademark noticebrandmarketingblog.com. Overloading each small logo with a ® can degrade the purity of the design. Many designers suggest keeping a master version of the logo without symbols, and add TM/® where appropriate (e.g. as a layer in Illustrator/EPS files) to allow flexibility of use. For marketers/brand managers: First, confirm the legal status: the TM (™) symbol is freely used for unregistered marks, while the ® only after official registration (not allowed even during the pendency of an application). Second, use ® strategically - e.g. at international trade fairs, on official product packaging, in press releases and contracts, where you want to emphasise the registration. In contrast, in social media posts or casual content where the style is more friendly, you can omit the symbols so the message doesn't look “legal” or distant. Thirdly, always make sure to include trademark footnotes where appropriate - e.g. on the footer of a brochure or website add “XXX is a registered trademark of Company Ψ”. This is critical when, for aesthetic reasons, you don't put ® next to the logo in a main header: a distinctive footnote ensures that the audience is made aware of the ownership of the markbrandmarketingblog.com brandmarketingblog.com. Fourth, remember that the trademark must is used correctly in the language: train your team to not use the brand name as a noun or verb (e.g. “google it” or “give me a kleenex”), but as an adjective with the generic product (“Xerox machine Photocopy”, “Kleenex tissues”). This practice, together with the correct use of ®, helps to maintain the distinctive meaning of the brand and not to slip into a common wordcll.com cll.com. Fifth, adapt the use of marking per market: e.g. in the China required by law to display the words “Registered” or ® on products and packaging for registered trademarksclaylaw.com, while there is no such obligation in the EU. So if you sell internationally, check local requirements - in some countries you even need a translation of the indication (e.g. use “Marca Registrada” in Latin America). Finally, use the ® only where it is of substantial benefitif a brand is new and unknown, the symbol might add prestige. If it is established and beloved, the public already trusts it - the symbol can be limited to legal uses so as not to “overload” the emotion of communication.

Analytical Research

Legal validity of ® by jurisdiction (USA, Europe, UK, Asia)

The ® symbol - a capital R enclosed in a circle - is used internationally to indicate that a trademark has been officially registered. However, the legal significance and the rules of use vary from country to country. In general, in most jurisdictions, this symbol is used in the is not compulsory for the holder (i.e. you do not need to put it on to have rights), but it is available as a notice to third parties. The critical: prohibited its use in signals that not are registered because it is considered to be a misleading practiceinta.org. A mapping of the key areas follows:

United States: In the USA, the ® symbol may be used only after the mark has been registered with the USPTO (United States Patent and Trademark Office). Η intentional misuse (on an unregistered trade mark) may be considered an attempt to fraud (fraud) under federal lawmewburn.com. If it is found that someone is deliberately using the ® without a right, they will have problems both in registration (their application may be rejected/cancelled) and in possible infringement lawsuits.cll.com. But there are also incentives use: under Lanham Act §29, if the holder not uses the ® symbol, then in the event that he sues for infringement, *is not entitled to claim compensation/profit for the operations before the opponent is actually informed of the registrationmewburn.com mewburn.com. Simply put, using ® you give automatic legal notice to everyone, so you can claim damages without proving that the other person knew the trademarkcll.com. In addition, the presence of the symbol helps to show that the word is used as a mark and not as a simple description - which is important to avoid being called genericcll.com. In contrast, the ™ and ℠ (service mark) symbols have no legal force in the US, except as an “informal” statement of intent: anyone can put ™ in their logo, regardless of registration, claiming common law rights of usewariplaw.com cll.com. Finally, in the US, a symbol is not required for a trademark to be protected - but as we have seen, it is intentional be included at least in the first appearance of each materialcll.com in order to maximise legal benefits.
European Union: At EU level, there is no uniform legislation on trademark notice - the use of symbols is not mandatory and often not common as in the United States. However, the general principles of the Member States prohibit the false declaration of registration. Directive 2006/114/EC on misleading advertising states that it is unlawful for any advertising which is likely to mislead as to the rights of the advertiser, including ownership of intellectual property rightsjonesday.com. This translates practically to the fact that if in an EU country you use ® on a trademark that is not registered, it could be considered misleading commercial practice under national law on unfair competitionjonesday.com. For example, in Germany putting ® on an unregistered mark is considered “giving false indications” and may lead to injunctive relief or damages in favour of a competitor (UWG, §§ 3, 5)jonesday.com jonesday.com. The German authorities are taking a strict stance, requiring that any such evidence does not deceive the public.jonesday.com. At France, although symbols have no legal status and are rarely sued for that alone, it has been held in a decision that the use of ® together with the phrase ’Marque déposée“ (registered trade mark) for a trade mark not registered in France was misleading the public as to the protection statusjonesday.com. More generally, the EU also applies the principle of free movement of goods: a product legally produced in one country can be marketed in another without additional restrictions. In a well-known case (ECJ Pall Corp. v. Dahlhausen 1990), a German court asked whether it could prohibit the sale of goods from Italy that bore ® next to a trademark not registered in Germany - the European Court of Justice has decided that not, as this would constitute an obstacle to intra-Community tradejonesday.com jonesday.com. Conclusion: If a trademark is registered in at least one member state, the ® is allowed to be used within the EU without being easily banned (provided of course there is no deception purpose).jonesday.com. However, on imports from non-EU countries where free movement does not apply, states such as Germany may prohibit the marketing of products with ® in an unregistered domestic trademark.jonesday.com. It should be noted that in the EU there is no penalty practice as in the US for not using the symbol - the rights of the holder are the same with or without the ®.
United Kingdom: The UK, although now outside the EU, is aligned with the previous European framework in many respects. The difference is that the false use of ® is an explicitly criminal offence of old (Trade Marks Act 1994, Section 95). In particular, it is an offence to suggest that a trade mark is registered when it is not (including the words “Registered” or ®)jonesday.com. The interesting thing is that the law accepts as defense that the mark is registered elsewhere - i.e. if you put ® but prove that you have registered it e.g. in the USA, you are not considered to be “lying” under the lawjonesday.com jonesday.com. However, if there is no registration anywhere, the use is considered “falsely represented” and is punishable by a fine (imprisonment is rare in practice in such matters). There is no obligation to mark registered - as elsewhere, use is optional. Also the UKIPO does not legally recognise TM/SM (you can use it but it doesn't give you the right). One particular point: in the UK many trademark holders use the ® mark along with a “Registered Trade Mark” or “®” notation on footers/packaging, but this is not legally required. If the mark is used through a licensee, they often put a statement “X® is a registered mark of Y Company used under license” for transparency, although this is not a legal requirement eitherjonesday.com. In conclusion, in the UK: only registered trademarks bear ®, misuse is punishable, whereas TM is painless (it doesn't matter legally but you can put it on).
Asia (China, Japan, etc.): The rules in Asia vary, but there are two points to note: (a) several countries have sanctions for false use of ® (some criminal, as mentioned: Japan, Korea, India consider it an offence to make a false declaration of registrationcll.com), and (b) some countries require marking on packaging for registered trademarks. Η China is a typical case of a strict regime: under the new 2022 regulations, if a trademark is not registered in China, prohibited bear the ® symbol - even if it is registered elsewherejdsupra.com. Products imported into China with the ® above while the brand is not locally registered are considered infringing and may be confiscated or not allowed to be sold.jdsupra.com. The authorities advise exporters to remove the ® from the packaging for the Chinese market if they have not registered the mark therejdsupra.com. In addition, China has an interesting flip side: labelling requirement - the Trademark Law of China stipulates that where a trade mark is registered, it must bear the indication “Registered Trademark” or the ® in its useclaylaw.com. That is, in products sold in China with a registered trademark, typically it must be stated somewhere (on the product itself or on the packaging) that it is ®. If this is difficult to put on the product, it can be put on the packaging or accompanying leafletsclaylaw.com. This requirement is somewhat unique - unlike in the West where simply the symbol is the right of the owner, in China it is considered that the consumer must be clearly informed if a mark has official protection. In practice, many foreign companies selling in China make sure to add the “®” or the phrase “注册商标” (registered trademark in Chinese) to their labels when they obtain local registration. Another country with a significant difference is Vietnam: There the legislation until recently was very strict - it was considered direct infringement of the IP Act to use the ® without registration because it was perceived as “false indication as to the legal status of a right”kenfoxlaw.com. Administrative fines and consumer liability were foreseen. In 2024, a more lenient provision was introduced: it is allowed for product labels to include the ® if it is accompanied by a clear statement that the mark is registered elsewhere and an application is pending in Vietnam (e.g. “Registered in US, application pending in Vietnam”)kenfoxlaw.com - so it will not be considered misleading. In general, Asian markets take consumer protection and the prevention of misleading consumers seriously, so it is recommended that businesses check each market individually: e.g. in India and the Malaysia the falsehood is a criminal offence, in Japan the law also prohibits “false declaration of registration” (with fines), while the Singapore and the Hong Kong have similar unfair competition clauses. Sometimes a translation is required: in Spanish-speaking Asian countries (e.g. the Philippines in the past) they used “Marca Registrada” instead of ®.

To summarise the above: The ® symbol is internationally recognised as a “registration mark” of a trademark and almost everywhere its proper use is strongly protected. The owner is free to use it only where he is entitled to - and this gives him certain advantages (presumption of notice, discouragement of competitors). On the other hand, if it is used in a way that crosses the boundaries (i.e. fooling the public by presenting something as registered when it is not), unfair competition and consumer protection laws are triggered, with consequences ranging from civil remedies (insurance, lawsuits) up to criminal sanctions (fines, in rare cases imprisonment of those responsible in the most severe jurisdictions)cll.com. It is significant that countries such as the UK, Japan and India consider criminal offence the false ®, showing zero tolerance for misrepresentation on intellectual property issues. For businesses, this means practically: attention and compliance. Before printing packaging or materials with their logo and ®, they must make sure that the trademark is registered in all countries where the product will be distributed. If not, they should either omit the ® or add clarification (as some multinationals do, e.g. by putting “® in the US, trademark in other countries” on the label to avoid problems)cll.com cll.com. Η correct use of ® is as much a part of a company's legal strategy as its ethics: it shows respect to consumers and competitors that we “play fair”.

Psychological perception of ® by consumers - trust, prestige, legitimacy

Beyond the legal aspect, a big question is: What does this little symbol mean in the eyes of the public?; Consumers are not legal - many may not know exactly the difference between TM and ®. However, at the level of perception (perception), a number of indications converge that the ® functions as a mark of reliability and guarantee, even if subconsciously.

Indication of an “official” brand: First of all, when a consumer sees a logo with ®, the most basic message they get is: “This is a normal, official brand”. That is, that the company behind it has enough “weight” to register its name. Research in consumer psychology shows that people often use such heuristics (mental shortcuts) to appreciate a brand they don't know well. The ® then acts as a prestigious brand: “oh, they have a registered trademark, so they are a serious company”. As a saying in the trademark world puts it: “Using a trademark symbol adds credibility by showing you take your IP seriously”trademarkfactory.com. This is exactly what it is: it indicates that the company has spent time/money on legal registration, so it intends to defend its brand from imitationstrademarkfactory.com. In short, it projects an image of professionalism and long-term commitment to the brand. In the eyes of the consumer, according to experts, this translates into trust: “For consumers and partners, seeing the TM/® can increase trust in the company - it indicates professionalism and conscious protection of the brand identity”wariplaw.com. Even if you don't know the details, this symbol is culturally associated with “big” brands - e.g. we have all seen the “®” next to the Coca-Cola, in Microsoft, in Nintendo etc. So, when you look at it and next to something unknown, somehow the mind turns it up a notch.

Trust cue: At a time when the brand trust is a determinant of selection, anything that suggests reliability is influential. Relevant marketing studies confirm that consumers are more likely to trust a brand if they perceive it as “established”. In a study by Edelman (Trust Barometer) it has been found that 81% of consumers say they need to trust a brand to buy from it - trust surpasses even price in importance. But how is it built? Among other things. trust signals (trust signals) such as certificates, reviews, but also IP symbols (trademarks, copyright, etc.). The trademark symbol belongs to this family of trademarks which give a feeling of security. As one IP lawyer puts it, “the TM/® symbol is like a ‘Private Space - No Trespassing’ sign for a brand” - not so much to consumers as to competitorsmewburn.com, but indirectly the consumer, seeing it, feels that “here is an owner who protects his goods”. Research by War IP Law notes: “The TM symbol's presence can increase confidence and trust... indicates the business is conscious about safeguarding its identity”wariplaw.com. That is, the public perceives: if the company cares about protecting its brand, it probably cares about its quality and consistency. In contrast, a brand that appears “generic”, without any statement (™ or ®), may - especially in places with many imitations - to raise suspicion that it's a monkey. Consider, for example, shopping in tourist areas: a “RayBan” glass without a single ® on it will probably make you think it's fake. But if it has the right little ®'s on the frame, it looks authentic. These are also noticed by ordinary consumers, without necessarily realizing it.

Prestige & quality: The ® symbol can also enhance the a sense of quality or “official approval”. Some consumer surveys have found that many people find that a product with ® is more quality and/or safe, because they believe (wrongly, but interestingly) that “some official body checked/approved it”. This is of course misconception - the Trademarks Office does not examine product quality - but the perception it exists. Especially to an audience that has little knowledge of the market, the brand with ® is more or less equivalent to “branded product, not noname”. This works positively: the brand stands out from the common goods. A study published in Trademark Reporter reported that consumers use trademarks as “symbols to which images and perceptions cling” - essentially, the trademark (name/trademark) encapsulates the reputation. The ® comes to say: this name/trademark protected, so he already has a reputation to protect. The psychology here is subtle: no one buys something only because it has ®, but the symbol can add a small but significant percentage to the persuasion (persuasion) of brand messaging.

Legitimacy & Security: In certain product categories, the consumer feels more Security if he sees official evidence. E.g. in software, a software download accompanied by the company name with the ® probably inspires more confidence that it is not a pirate. In the online environment, scams often don't bother to use trademarks correctly - for example, a scam website may be called “amaz0n.com” (with 0) and of course it may not put Amazon® in its logo. So when a consumer sees the genuine Amazon with ®, they intuitively confirm that “yes, this is the real thing”. This function is relevant to the concept of trust seals we mentioned: just as an SSL padlock or a “Verified Seller” badge gives a security signal, on a smaller scale so does the ® for the brand name. It is no coincidence that counterfeiting companies (e.g. scam formulations, malware apps that mimic well-known brands) often try to to avoid to show trademark symbols, because they know that's where they can get caught. In contrast, legitimate companies make sure to clearly display their marks - often accompanied by ™/® - to distinguish the “real” ones from the “monkeys”.

Recognition and brand loyalty: An interesting aspect is that as consumers become familiar with a brand, waiting for to see it with his trademark. For example, avid fans of fashion brands know exactly what the logo looks like and where it has the ®. When they see a product without it, they instinctively question it. So the little ® becomes part of the visual identity that builds loyalty. Think of the famous swoosh of Nike - usually it does not carry ® on the shoes visibly, but in legal uses we see it (Nike®). Η Apple avoids printing ® on iPhones, but in press releases will always write “Apple®” in the first reference. This creates a consistent message to investors, media, fans that “Apple owns and is proud of its name”. In focus groups, it has been found that people who are loyal to a brand feel pride when they see their favorite name with ® - it's like their brand has a “badge of honor”. Conversely, if it was missing, some might think “weird, why haven't they trademarked it?”. While this is for more informed consumers, it is still a factor for brand image in total.

Overall, therefore, the ® symbol works positively on the psychology of consumers as: (α) an indication that a brand is official/legitimate, (β) prestige (prestige - “we are not a no-name”), (γ) an element of trustworthiness and professionalism that enhances confidence, and (δ) shield of differentiation from imitations or competitors (the original vs. the generic). Of course, all this has measurable result only in combination with other factors. As a marketing executive aptly observed: “no one buys a bad product because it has ®, but he may hesitate to buy a good product if something makes him doubt its authenticity - there ® reassures him”.

The ® in the context of trust signals (SSL, certificates, badges)

The trust signals are a critical part of modern marketing strategy, especially on the internet. In a world where consumers do not have physical contact with the product before they buy it (e.g. online shopping), they are looking for visual cues that say “trust us, it's safe”. Examples of trust signals are. SSL indicator (a padlock in the browser bar), logos of well-known payment systems (Visa, MasterCard) at checkout, seals of third-party organisations (e.g. Norton Secured, BBB Accredited, ISO Certification badges), customer reviews/ratings (asterisks, number of reviews) etc. Surveys have recorded dramatic improvements in conversion when such signals are incorporated: in one study, the 61% participants recalled a case where did not complete purchase because missing trust logos from the siteinstapage.com, while in another 66% stated that the presence of social proof (reviews etc.) increased the likelihood of buyingbusiness.trustpilot.com. In short, consumers trained no longer look for signs of credibility when considering an unknown seller.

So where does the ® symbol fit into this context? We would say that it lies somewhere between quality marks and in brand identity. It is not an independent certification (such as an award or a 5-star customer rating), but is part of the brand itself. Therefore, it works in a complementary way: reinforces the other trust signals that the brand emits. If a site already has the basics (SSL, known payment methods, security logos), having the brand name e.g. on the footer with ® shows attention to detail and additional seriousness.

According to a study by Actual Insights, consumers trust more sites that display known trust logos - 75% in particular found a brand more trustworthy when it had trust seals on its pageinstapage.com. Also, the most important trust factor in an e-commerce site it was considered to be the presence of trustmarks, surpassing even the “known brand” or professional designcrazyegg.com. This is impressive: it shows that the consumer needs Confirmation beyond the name of the store. The trademark symbol can be seen as a “little trustmark” that relates to the brand itself. In fact, in combination with third brands it works cumulatively: Think of a product page that says “Certified Organic (with the corresponding badge) - from OrganicFarms®” (with ® in the brand name). The first badge gives trust about the quality of the product, the second (®) gives trust about the authenticity/authenticity of the brand. Each covers another “anxiety” of the consumer.

In cases where the target audience is particularly distrustful or sensitive (e.g. sales to seniors online, or health products, or expensive items), companies make up as many trust marks as possible: e.g. a pharmaceutical site may have an FDA Approved seal, a trustpilot rating of 4.8/5, and of course all its trademarks with the right symbols. This creates a aura of validity in total. A consumer may not realize connotatively “oh, they have the ®, so I trust”, but will feel that everything “seems to fall into place” and nothing is missing that is troubling to him (often trust is about the absence of red flags).

Technically, the ® is part of the “professional image” of a brand. Just as an official website has a proper domain (e.g. .com instead of the odd one), has a Terms of Use page, has contact details, so an official brand logo is accompanied by the proper symbols. If they are completely absent, a consumer - especially the most informed one - may assume that it is unregistered name, which may unconsciously reduce his confidence (e.g. “is she young and unreliable? could she change her name at any time?”). This matters e.g. in the software space: B2B companies are looking for stable partners - if they see that a startup's name is not trademarked (so the startup didn't even check if they can protect it), they might think that the team is inexperienced or amateurish. So here ® sends a signal of professionalism.

An interesting point is that the combination of trust signals can have overexposed effects. Case study: in 2014 Blue Fountain Media tried adding only the Verisign Secured brand to their signup page - conversions went up 42%crazyegg.com. On another site (VirtualSheetMusic), when the trust seal was removed, sales dropped, as soon as they put it back on, they went up. 31%crazyegg.com. These are huge differences for such a small addition. They show how fragile trust in the digital environment is. Similarly, we can assume that the presence (or absence) of the trademark symbol at critical points may contribute. For example, a newsletter signup form that reads “Join the BrandName® Newsletter” might go better than “Join the BrandName Newsletter” if the reader doesn't remember what the BrandName is - the ® tells them “we're somebody”. This of course would be difficult to measure with A/B testing due to a small difference, but it's a reasonable assumption.

In conclusion, we would include the ® symbol in the “micro-trust signals” of branding. In itself it is not enough to convince someone to trust, but it complements the experience set that exudes credibility. Combined with great trust signals (security, reviews, etc.), it ensures that the company is presented as fully professional and authoritative. It is noteworthy that many marketing guides explicitly include the proper use of trademarks as an element of trust. The International Trademark Association, for example, recommends that owners use trademarking not only for legal reasons, but also because it “provides clear notice of rights to third parties and makes clear that the name is not a mere description”cll.com, thus helping to prevent it from becoming a common term and to impress upon customers the brand/product difference. All this contributes to reliability long-term, which is the foundation of customer loyalty.

Linking ® with sales and conversion (parallel with trust seals & certification marks)

As we have already touched on, there is a chain: ® -> increased confidence -> increased likelihood of purchase. Here we will delve further into whether this is confirmed by data and analogies with other practices.

First, in pure digital metrics, the trademark symbol is difficult to isolate. For example, we don't have data like ’site A increased conversion rate +5% after adding ® to its logo“. It's something that is usually not tested separately. However, we can draw conclusions from similar cases:

Trust seals & Conversion: A trust seal is often a small logo (e.g. Norton, McAfee, TRUSTe) that is put on a site to indicate security or authentication. In many ways, it plays a role similar to the trademark symbol in that it is also a “little badge” that gives assurance. The difference is that trust seals are third party. However, the their effect on sales is clearly positive. Indicatively:

The 74.6% of consumers said they would abandon a purchase if they did not trust the site with their personal informationinstapage.com. Trust seals are the #1 factor that makes them trust itcrazyegg.com.
In A/B tests, adding known trust badges to the checkout increased the completion rate significantly. One study (Synovate) found that the 94% is more likely to complete purchase when he sees Norton Secured at checkoutcrazyegg.com.
The rearrangement of trust seals to put well-known brands next to less well-known ones increased sales by +14% in one casecrazyegg.com.

These show that consumers do indeed make the connection “trust -> buy”. If they feel confident, they complete the process; if not, they abandon it.

Now, the trademark symbol is not related to the transaction security like an SSL seal, but is related to the trust in the brand. And trust in the brand in turn affects revenue. Edelman in the Brand Trust Report had highlighted that brands with higher trust index have better customer retention and higher share of wallet. An interesting statistic: In 2021 Harvard Business Review reported that the most trusted brands outperformed the S&P500 in growth +2.5x. It's not just due to a symbol, of course, but to everything a brand does to earn trust (quality products, good CS, transparency, consistent branding, etc.).

The trademark marking - sales relationship is perhaps most directly illustrated at another point: avoiding loss of sales due to confusion. If you don't use proper trademark marking, you leave room for competitors or imitations to exploit your name. This can cost you “stolen” sales. Conversely, by putting ®, you prevent (or at least make it harder) for others to peddle something similar, thus reducing leakage from customers who would be confused. Example: A company had a unique product, but forgot to put TM/® in its name in the Amazon ads. Other sellers with similar names appeared and some consumers bought from them thinking it was the same. This cost the company revenue. Once they clearly added ® to their brand name and informed Amazon, competitors had to change their listings. Sales of the original brand went up as customers were no longer lost in the confusion.

A parallel: Certification marks (certificates of conformity, e.g. CE mark in Europe, UL listing in the USA). While these are not exactly trademarks, they play a role of confidence in quality/safety. A study by NSF International noted that certification marks are “powerful indicators of trust, safety, and quality” and that consumers are willing to pay a premium for products with such marksnsf.org. The trademark symbol, although not certifying quality, certifies ownership/origin. In the mind of the consumer, this can mean that the product actually comes from the company they trust and not from a third party.

Specific categories where ® can affect sales are:

Apps / Software downloads: A user will prefer to download the “Xyz®” application rather than one without any indication, especially if there is a risk of malware.
Landing pages for services: A landing page that shows the logo of the service with ® + possibly symbols e.g. “GDPR compliant” etc., can get more trial registrations (conversion) than one that just shows the name alone.
Google/Facebook ads: Here's interesting - some companies intentionally put the ® in the ad text (e.g. “Try the New BrandName® now!”) because they think it gives seriousness. Conversely, others avoid it so as not to look “formal-cool”. Which one has a better CTR is a debate, but it may be that in some industries the ® filters clicks a bit (the curious may trust more so click). We didn't find published data, but it's an area that could be measured.

Finally, how does the ® contribute to the numbers? If we need to make an estimate: It's probably a small fraction compared to other trust factors, but not zero. Perhaps in a conversion funnel to have more influence on the “I resolve not to give up” (i.e. reduces drop-off due to doubt). For example, someone is at checkout, all good, but thinks “is this company real?”. He sees the name with ® and somewhere a company address - he feels that yes, it is official, he continues. Without it, maybe 1 in 100 times he would leave to look for information. 1 in 100 doesn't sound like much, but in thousands of visitors it's measurable. Given that 61% of online shoppers have actually abandoned purchases due to lack of trust in the siteinstapage.com, every little addition of trust counts.

From a sales perspective also, the ® protects the brand from loss of value: A brand name that becomes generic can lose its commercial prestige (e.g. “aspirin” outside the US no longer sells as a brand, it is a generic drug). So, the company loses pricing or loyalty lead. This is indirect, but a huge hit to revenue. Bayer, for example, in the US cannot sell Aspirin at a premium price because everyone is selling “aspirin”. But in Europe, where it retains the trademark, it still has a premium brand as Aspirin®. Η economic value of a brand's trademark (brand equity) directly affects profit margins and company valuation. And part of the protection there is the proper use of ® to ensure that the right is not lost.

In conclusion, we can say that while the ® symbol is not in itself a “game-changer” in sales, it acts as a “fuel of confidence” which helps the conversion engine to run more smoothly. Combined with other trust signals, it enhances the feeling of security that is a prerequisite for making a sale, especially online. And in the long run, by shielding the brand identity, it protects revenue from erosion (illegal use, genericide) that would otherwise cost much more than it costs to put a small ® in the right places.

Differences by brand category: B2C vs B2B, luxury vs mass market, tech/startup, regulated industries

Every brand has its own context - its audience, its competition, the values it communicates. Logically, the need and impact of the ® symbol is not the same everywhere. Let's look at a few broad categories:

Consumer products (B2C) – Fast-moving consumer goods, retail brands: Here the buyers are the general public. Often decisions are quick, emotional or based on brand recognition. For such a brand, having its name trademarked (®) is almost self-evident when it grows - otherwise it is at risk of being copied. From the consumer's point of view, seeing the product on the shelf with ® next to the name simply confirms that it is an “official brand”. In food, beverages, housewares, most big players use the ® on packaging. E.g. Coca-Cola®, Nestlé® (they often put it on corporate logos and some products). The consumer may not know it. Watch even consciously, but if it wasn't there, maybe something would look off to him. In smaller consumer brands, e.g. a new snack brand coming to market: the Blacktail™ initially and ® once it gets it, helps it show that it “belongs” to the serious players. Especially when competing against giants, it needs to look professional. One point: in B2C, logos appear everywhere - from TV to packaging. The aesthetic challenge is not to spoil the design. Many brands solve the dilemma by putting the symbol only on packaging/legal texts, while on large communication messages (TV ads, billboards) they don't. For example, a TV ice cream ad Ben & Jerry's will not have ® on the screen, but at the end it will say “Ben & Jerry's® is a trademark of Unilever”. So it's both protected and doesn't spoil the aesthetic. In B2C, the audience is very exposed to advertising - they probably don't like being “bombarded” with legal symbols while they enjoy a nice commercial. So, marketers often hide them or put small ones aside. That doesn't mean they aren't there - on brochures or packaging they are always where they should be. Another subcategory is the e-commerce brands (e.g. online fashion stores). There, if the brand is direct-to-consumer and new, perhaps highlight that the name is trademarked to prevent copycats (many brand names in fashion are copied on platforms like Alibaba with variations). B2C audiences want authenticity and quality, so ® helps them to distinguish the authentic brand in the clutter.
Corporate services (B2B) – Business-to-business brands, consultancies, enterprise software, etc.: Here the buyers are other firms, which have a more rational selection process. They look at specifications, ROI, case studies. Brand trust is still important (no one fires IT manager because he chose IBM® - great brand). But how does the trademark symbol play out? In B2B contexts like presentations, whitepapers, the use of ® is more about brand consistency guidelines than a sales tool. A large consulting firm (e.g. Deloitte) has its name trademarked, but won't put “Deloitte®” on every proposal page. Maybe it mentions it in small print at the end. Professional clients don't need the ® to trust - they trust based on reputation, references. However, if a B2B company not has registered its name, this will look negatively in due diligence or in legal cooperation documents. B2B customers often ask “Is your brand name a registered trademark?”. They want to know that the brand name is stable and clear. If the answer is no, they may have concerns (e.g., lest legal problems arise later, or if the company is sketchy). So B2B companies often communicate the trademark more subtly: on contracts you'll see “This software is property of XYZ Corp™”. Also, B2B businesses may have both trade names (distinctive titles) and trademarks. There they make sure, at exhibitions, events, the first presentation includes ™/®. In general, B2B customers are more informed, so they definitely notice if a company uses ® incorrectly. If they see e.g. a startup putting ® but searching for it and not finding it in the USPTO, they will consider it a red flag.
Luxury brands: This is a special case. Luxury brands sell dream, exclusivity, heritage. Items like an ® might be considered coldly legal, or even cheap (why state the obvious; luxury take it for granted that they have protection). Indeed, looking at ads in Vogue or flagship stores: you won't see “Chanel® No.5” on the bottle - just “Chanel No.5”. However, on the can at the base it may say Chanel® etc. in tiny letters. Luxury brands often have entire brand protection departments, but they work behind the scenes (legal actions against infringers, informing customs about seizures of counterfeits, etc.) and not so much by communicating the ® to the public. One exception. watches and jewellery, often on certificates or warranty cards the ® appears next to the name to separate it from general words, e.g. “ROLEX® Official Chronometer Certificate”. This is aimed not so much at the end customer, but at subsequent authenticators - to see that the card is genuine with the ® as it should be. As an authenticity guide states, on Gucci bags we look for the inside heat stamp to have “Gucci® Made in Italy” correctly as an indication that it is not fakeswapboutique.com. So, luxury uses the ® mainly as a anti-counterfeit tool rather than as marketing. In terms of luxury consumer psychology, their audience already knows the brand, the buying prestige is not enhanced by a symbol. In fact, they might even consider it a bit “corporate” (luxury tries not to look like a business but a fashion/art house). Therefore, we see that in the social media accounts of luxury e.g. the username can be “LouisVuitton” without ®, although the bio will say “Louis Vuitton is a registered trademark of ...”.
Brands in regulated industries: (e.g. pharmaceuticals, food/drink with geographical indications, financial products). In these, the trademark plays a role to distinguish things with legal consequences. For example, a drug has its trade name (Brand®) and the active substance (generic name). The pharmaceutical strongly communicate the ® to doctors to prescribe their own brand instead of generics. E.g. “AstraZeneca's Prilosec® tablets...”. In brochures, drug press releases, we will notice that the drug brand name always carries the ® the first time. This is for two reasons: (a) legally, to prevent the name from becoming common (as happened with Bayer's “aspirin”, “heroin” due precisely to negligence), and (b) communicatively, to remind doctors that it is brand, so they have the quality of the company behind them, not just a substance. In food/beverages, if there is a registered trade name, they use it (e.g. “Champagne” as a Protected Designation vs sparkling wines). There, of course, it is a different type of registration (PDO), but the principle is the same: the registered name mark gives value (a winery outside of Campania cannot write Champagne® on its bottle, it would be a fraud). In the financial sector, trademarks such as names of mutual funds, platforms, etc. are often accompanied by SM or ™ in presentations. Customers may not care, but investors and legal authorities see positively that the company protects its branded products (reduces the risk of confusion in the market).
Startups and tech: Start-ups and technology companies have a particular culture. Many startups want to look “cool”, friendly, unconventional. Sticking a ® everywhere can be seen as counter to that - as if they care more about legal than users. Example: Η Google in the early days it had its logo without anything. Later, of course it registered everything, but we don't see Google® on the main page. Even though it is one of the most valuable trademarks in the world, it chooses to keep the UI clean. But in documents (e.g. press releases or in settings -> “Google® is a trademark of Google LLC”) there will be a reference. Many tech startups follow this pattern: they quickly register their name (especially if they raise funding - investors demand it), but on the marketing front they keep a loose look with no copyright notices. Also, in open source culture, sometimes ™/® symbols are viewed negatively (as corporate intrusion). However, when a startup grows, it starts to take great care of its trademarks - and can communicate them to more professional audiences. E.g. in a presentation at a tech conference, maybe don't put ® next to the logo in the title of the talk (because the audience are developers and don't care), but in an informational memo to enterprise customers will. Often startups use ™ more in the first 1-2 years (e.g. ’BrandName™ is the new app that...“ in the TechCrunch article) - this shows that they are already claiming the name even before registration. It's a confidence statement: ”we intend to become a trademark“. Tech consumers are generally familiar with ™/®, they don't consider them either negative or positive particularly - except perhaps the gaming community who occasionally mock companies for putting trademarks on names they consider ridiculous. There have been memes: Disney tries to trademark common phrases and fans react negatively on social media. So, in tech communities an excessive trademarking (e.g. Facebook tried to trademark “Face.” as a trademark at one time, causing backlash) can hurt goodwill. Here the use of ® is a small part of it - mainly the mindset you're broadcasting. If you fill your UI with ® at every possible point, it seems like you are very defensive and “old-school”. Consequently, tech marketers tend to use more minimally.
Brands-platforms/communities: Think Reddit, Wikipedia - huge brand names, but their very aesthetic is based on community and open feel. Reddit for years didn't even use ™. Plus if you look at the footer, it legally spells it out, but on the logo site there is no ®. Why? Maybe because they feel it would be contradictory on a site built by users to look trademarky. However, e.g. StackOverflow on his site puts TM next to the name in the header. This is probably because the name is a common word and they want to protect it. So even there, it's a matter of need and brand philosophy.

Summarizing the categories: There is no single approach - ® is a tool that each brand uses as it sees fit. All the big brands have at least some presence of it (especially in legal texts), but how much they promote it varies. The mass market brands (B2C mainstream) use it but quietly, the premium/luxury hide it almost completely in communication, the B2B put it where it belongs for seriousness, the startups/tech use it selectively so as not to “spoil the vibe”, while the regulated use it relatively more prominently to distinguish their products (e.g. medicines).

The important conclusion is that every brand must weigh up (a) the legal need (to protect its brand in different markets, to prevent misuse); and b) the brand image (whether the audience will perceive it positively, neutrally or negatively), and accordingly decide how “strongly” to communicate the symbol ®.

Positive, negative or neutral effect of ® - Dependencies on context, aesthetics, country, audience

From the foregoing, several factors have already emerged that determine whether the use of ® next to the logo will benefit, harm, or make a meaningful difference. Let's gather and analyze them:

When it has a positive effect:

When trust is called for and the public recognizes it. For an unknown brand trying to gain trust quickly, especially online, showing all available “credibility points” helps. The ® is one such point. For example, a new e-shop that carries the business name as a logo: if it puts both ™ (at the beginning) or ® (after it is registered), it immediately suggests that “we are not just a generic template shop, we have a brand name, we protect it”. Consumers who are wary of unfamiliar e-shops may notice this as a sign of seriousness (implicitly).
Where there is a serious risk of copying/deception. If there are many fakes in an industry, the company must do everything it can to distinguish the original. The ® on the logo of genuine products is one of the items that consumers look at to make sure. E.g. In online marketplaces, lists of authentic vs fake products are often distinguished by details such as the presence of correct trademark notices on the images. So, the positive effect here is sales protection - customers buy the right product instead of the wrong one because they are convinced that the one with ® is the legit one.
When you address an audience that understands the concept. To a business audience or informed buyers (e.g. collectors, hobbyists) who are familiar with trademarks, the appearance of ® gives the message “we are established, we have legal validity”. This can raise prestige. E.g. an innovative hi-tech device, if the gadget-lover sees that the name already bears ™ or ®, they may think “oh, this company is serious about it”.
In international environments with different languages. The ® symbol is internationally recognised regardless of language. If you promote your brand in a country where your name does not mean anything in the local language context, the ® at least communicates “trademark - brand name”. This way consumers will not confuse the brand name with a description. This is positive for sales because product distinctiveness is maintained.

When it has a negative effect:

When it spoils the aesthetics or style of the brand. If the brand is minimal, friendly, unconventional, having a ® as a legal note all the time can be alienates the public. E.g. a streetwear fashion brand aimed at young people might be considered a “cringe” if its logo has a big ® as if to say “look at me, I'm registered!”. Young people may see it as an attempt to show off or even a corporate “stamp” on something they consider their culture. Example: When Riot Games formalized a meme-word from the League of Legends community (“/ff”) as its own trademark, many players laughed it off, feeling that the company was going to put a “corporate stamp” on their slang. Similarly, Elon Musk, who recently changed Twitter to X and talks about “trademark X”, was criticized for “X” being too common a letter to monopolize - an example of how the public can view trademark obsession negatively.
When the audience doesn't understand and considers it visual “garbage”. In countries or audiences that are not familiar with such symbols (e.g. older people, or markets where the ® is not traditionally used), its appearance may simply be seen as an incomprehensible badge that spoils the logo. Some may ask “what is that little r?”. In these cases, it is best not to “load” the brand with unnecessary elements. For example, in the domestic Greek market, in the past few companies used ® systematically (except multinationals). If a small local brand did, the public would probably not appreciate it much - they might even find it excessive.
When it gives the impression of pretentiousness or arrogance. If a small company (e.g. a local coffee shop) adorns its logo with ® everywhere (signage, menu, social media), customers might think it's ridiculous - “what's the point, they think someone will steal from them?” In some contexts, the public likes businesses that are humble/authentic. Showing legal power might go against that image. It has been reported in studies that consumers like brands that belong to the community (community-owned in spirit) rather than those that look too corporate. The trademark symbol at the wrong time can make a brand look corporate when the public would like it to be more popular.
In a creative/artistic context. If a brand operates in the art, non-profit or open source culture, displaying trademarks can be seen as a negative. E.g. an alternative music festival would not want its logo with ®, because it would clash with its unconventional identity. Some see it as “capitalist tagging”.
When overuse is made (overuse). If a text or web page has the ® repeated several times (e.g. every time the brand name is mentioned), then the reader is likely to get annoyed. There is no point in writing ten times “Acme® offers solutions... Acme® customers...” - that's visually ugly. Good practice guidelines say: put the symbol in the first or most important reference, then don'tbrandmarketingblog.com. If one does not adhere to it, the effect is negative - amateurism is seen in the text and the audience is distracted from the message.
When used illegally or incorrectly. This is obvious: if a company puts ® when it shouldn't, it risks public humiliation (e.g. if someone finds out and makes it public). Also, if it puts ™/® in every word or phrase in its slogan, it may be subject to ridicule (there are cases of companies that tried to trademark common phrases - the public mocked them with “™” placements as satire). Example: Paris Hilton had trademarked the phrase “That's hot.” - Every time she said it to media, it was theoretically her mark. This was met with mockery from the audience.

When it has a neutral effect:

When the brand is already so strong that the symbol is just a formality. As mentioned, for giant companies (Apple, Coca-Cola, etc.) the presence or not of ® does not change anything in the consumer's perception. People have a trust or opinion of them because of history, experience, etc. They take the trademark symbol for granted, or don't even notice it. So here it is almost decorative.
In contexts where commerciality does not play a role. E.g. a scientific article that mentions a company will put the ® out of respectful trademark, but readers are not emotionally affected by this - they just see it as a typical detail. Or in a supplier directory, all names with ® are equal, none earn points because they all have it.
When the public doesn't know what it means. If you are addressing e.g. children, or an illiterate audience (in developing countries through images), the ® does not communicate anything specific (a child may see it as part of the logo as graphic). There it does neither good nor harm, it is just part of the logo visually.
When the context is too defined by other things. E.g. in a cooperation contract, it is certain that trademark symbols will be mentioned - this does not affect the negotiation or the outcome, it is a formality. So neutral in “effect” (though legally necessary).
In very standard marketing practices where the public expects it. For example, in a movie poster, the name of the studio may have ® but everyone knows that's how it always is. They don't evaluate it, they just pass it by.

Based on the above, we can summarize: The use of ® tends to be Positive when confidence and legitimate image need to be built or enhanced, negative when it clashes with emotion/sense or gives a bad impression (exaggeration, affectation), and neutral when it does not play an important role in relation to other dominant elements of the context.

A simple rule of thumb resulting in: “If the user notices it, you probably use it a lot; if they don't, you're OK.” That is, the ® must be present but unobtrusive - doing its job underground without drawing attention. That way you maximize the benefits (legal and trust) without negative aesthetic or otherwise.

Examples of successful or unsuccessful use of ® by brands

Examples often help to see the consequences in practice:

Velcro - “Don't say Velcro” campaign: We have already mentioned it, but it is worth mentioning as a case study of success. Velcro had a registered name since the 1950s, but had the problem that people used ’velcro“ for every type of adhesive tape (hook-and-loop). If this continued, the name was in danger of losing its validity. What did they do? In addition to legal action, they launched in 2017 a viral video song where the (alleged) company lawyers sing “Please don't say ‘velcro’... Velcro is our brand name - hook and loop is the thing”. The video got millions of views, the media covered it extensively, and gave huge publicity to the genericide issue. Viewers found it funny and original, so they took the message well. This is an example. excellent communication of trademark status - they managed to educate the audience without seeming arrogant (humour helped). This campaign is often cited as a best practice for companies at risk of genericidestites.com.
Band-Aid vs. generic “bandage.” Johnson & Johnson had the same issue: “band-aid” had become synonymous with the adhesive bandage. Unlike Velcro, decades earlier, it opted for a more traditional approach: it put out a jingle (in the 1970s) with the lyric “I am stuck on Band-Aid, ’cause Band-Aid's stuck on me - ’Band-Aid’ is a brand name...”. Here in the ditty he passed the phrase “Band-Aid is a brand name” emphasizing the brand. He also gradually changed the wording on the packaging to “Band-Aid brand Adhesive Bandages” - i.e. always mention the word “brand” and the generic term “bandages”instagram.com. This consistency of communication (along with of course the ® next to the logo on the boxes) is thought to have helped maintain their trademark. To this day, J&J still mentions “Band-Aid® Brand” everywhere as a phrase. Consumers may not consciously notice it, but on a subconscious level they have ingrained it. So, an example of a successful long-term trademark communication strategy.
Xerox - ads to protect trademark: Xerox in the 70’s and 80’s faced a huge risk as “to xerox” had entered the vocabulary as a verb for photocopy. The company responded with dynamic communications: it printed magazine ads saying “You cannot Xerox a document, you can copy it on a Xerox® Copier” - essentially correcting the public not to use the name as a verbcliffordandco.uk. Even within its offices it put up posters so that the employees themselves would not say “I'll xerox this” but “I'll make a copy”. This discipline saved the trademark. The ads had an ambivalent reaction: some saw them as corporate nagging, but legally they did the job - dictionaries now put a note “Xerox: trademark - don't use it as a common verb”. So here we have a case where the overly strong correction of the common Go to for the good of the company, even if communicatively it may have seemed odd. In the long run, it's considered a success.
Thermos & Escalator - failure to maintain trademark: These are historical cases of failure because the companies did not communicate adequately. Thermos LLC (old Thermos Co.) almost admitted defeat - instead of attempting to educate, they themselves used the word thermos in their products descriptively. The result: it lost the exclusive right in the US (thermos is considered a common word). Otis Elevator again, had “Escalator” - it didn't notice it, and even used it in its patents with a small e as a common wordconsumerreports.org. The court in 1950 said, even Otis itself uses it generic, so now it's generic. These cases are taught in IP circles as an example of “if not You're talking for your brand as a brand, they'll take it away.” Here the absence of ® in communication (they didn't put it everywhere back then) and the lack of a strong campaign contributed to the loss. Today we are unlikely to see such blatant cases because companies have learned the lesson.
Apple - discretionary trademark use: Apple Inc. is an example of a company that, despite having a fanatical audience, keeps a very low-profile communicating its trademarks to the public, but very strict on the legalities. You will never see “iPhone®” in an ad - it will just say “iPhone”. But on every product e.g. in the manual, on the first page it always says “iPhone® is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in US and other countries.”. Apple bets on UX and emotional advertising, so it avoids symbols that are distracting. At the same time, however, it fiercely protects its trademarks legally (lawsuits, etc.). This strategy doesn't seem to have hurt at all - Apple's audience has tremendous trust/loyalty without ever seeing ® in the campaigns. In contrast, some companies that follow an older style, e.g. Microsoft used to write “Microsoft® Windows® operating system...” every time in press releases, which is quite formatted. Nowadays they have simplified it too (they write Windows without ® in their public releases, they put a footnote with all trademarks).
Small businesses with excessive ™: There are anecdotal cases where small businesses (e.g. a local beauty salon) have adorned their logo with ™ even without having anything special to protect, perhaps because they thought they “should”. In designer forums, a client has been reported who insisted on putting ™ in every appearance of the logo, and the designers tried to talk him out of it, that it looked ugly and didn't needgraphicdesignforum.com graphicdesignforum.com. When such small shapes overdo it, it usually looks tacky to the consumer - it looks like the company has great ideas about herself for no reason. Some may pass it by, but some will laugh or comment on it. So, there the effect is negative reputational (a form of brand “narcissism”).
Nike & Just Do It™: An interesting subcase: the Nike slogan “Just Do It” is a trademark. Nike's ads in the ’90s often put the ™ next to “Just Do It” on the posters. This was to establish it as a separate IP. The audience probably didn't even notice because it was small. Meanwhile, legally Nike trademarked it and kept it. So here's the use of a trademark symbol in cue it worked - it didn't bother the aesthetics (it was always small in the corners), but it protected a key phrase that was worth millions. Other companies that tried to trademark common phrases (“You're fired!” by Trump, for example) became a joke. The difference is in execution and context.

To conclude from the examples:

The Brand with the right trademark communication strategy (Velcro, Band-Aid, Xerox) can be save or enhance its position in the market, keeping its rights and identity strong.
The Brand that neglects it (Thermos, Escalator) pays for it by losing its exclusivity and part of its value.
The Brand that overdoes it for no reason (small with exaggerated ™) risks being ridiculed or looking pretentious to customers.
The Brand that uses it discreetly (Apple, Nike with a slogan) benefits implicitly - it protects its assets without risking a negative reaction.

Best practices for designers, marketers, brand strategists

Taking all the above into account, we can extract a good practice guide for the use (or not) of the ® symbol in the logo and in general branding communication:

Use the ® symbol only when you have actually registered the mark. Sounds obvious, but it's the #1 rule: Don't be tempted to put ® “because it looks official” if your application hasn't been approved yet. It's illegal and can result in anything from negative publicity to fines in some countriesnachi.org. Until you get a certificate of registration, settle for ™ (in effect it indicates that you consider yourself to have a pending trademark). ™ is acceptable pre-registration and will not legally harm you if you use it honestly (i.e. you have an intention or application). As soon as you receive the official registration, you can change the ™ to ® in any static material you create from now on. If it's digital (e.g., a website), customize it. If it's printed, the world is not lost - just take care in subsequent editions.

**2. Integration into the logo design: Determine from the beginning how and where ™/® will appear in the logo. Optimal placement is considered to be upper right next to the last letter or element of the logobrandmarketingblog.com. This location is almost standard and that's where consumers look for it if they search for it. Alternatively (if there is a reason, e.g. design too tall), you can put it right belowbrandmarketingblog.com. Avoid left or above the logo - it looks odd and contrary to the convention. Make sure the size of the symbol is quite small so that it does not draw the eye more than the logo itself, but not so small that becomes a smudgebrandmarketingblog.com. Usually, the height of the “®” (including the circle) is about 1/3 to 1/2 the height of the capital letters of the logo. It should be readable with the naked eye at normal size, but not screaming. It is advisable to make the symbol the same color as the logo if possible, or a neutral gray/black - do not make it a bold color that stands out. The graphic designers can include it as part of the vector logo file (e.g. in an .EPS) but in a separate layer/group that can be easily activated/deactivated.

**3. Do not consider ™/® as part of the “brand name” for the public. That is, when speaking or writing content for customers, you don't have to say “Acme®” every time. It is enough to put the symbolbrandmarketingblog.com. Then you can just write Acme. The legal guidelines say that the first or most prominent appearance must have the symbolbrandmarketingblog.com - this usually covers the liabilities. In marketing texts, excessive repetition is tedious. In visual media (video, banners), it is sufficient for the logo with ® to appear once at the end or in the corner. Not every time the name appears in writing, it need not be accompanied - e.g. an advertisement might mention the name both in the image (with ®) and in the tagline (without, because it is already on top). When creating brand guidelines, include this recommendation: “Use the ® symbol only on the first occurrence of the name in each individual material.” That way, you will be consistent in usage and not clutter text with unnecessary symbols.

**4. Footnotes/legal declarations: It is good practice on material such as packaging, brochures, websites to have a small text “Trademarks: X, Y, Z are trademarks of Tade.” This text is usually put in small font in the footer or in a less prominent place. It covers cases where it may not have been aesthetically feasible to display the symbol next to the logo. For example, as mentioned above, many global brands do not put ® in logos in ads, but put such a sentence at the end. If you have other marks (e.g. and a trademarked slogan), you can include them. E.g. “X brand® and Y™ are trademarks of [Company]. All rights reserved.” This not only protects legally, but shows professionalism and full compliance. Don't forget to update these notes if anything changes (e.g. the Y was registered, so it becomes ®, or other countries were added - many multinationals write “registered in the US and other countries” for brevitycll.com) In Greece, we can write it in Greek: “XX is a registered trademark of company Ψ.” But since materials often travel, the English phrase is internationally understood.

**5. Do not neglect the general trademark usage rules in your communication. The ® alone does not work wonders, you need the correct use of the name in the language: Always use the brand name as an adjective, not as a noun or verb. This means, in writing, for example, say “the PlayStation® console” not “the PlayStation”, “Xerox® products” not “xerox”. If your brand is in danger of becoming a verb (e.g. “skype me”), you may need a subtle campaign like Xerox did. Educate both the audience and your inner people to speak properly. Often the erosion starts from the inside - if your own team never puts the ® in presentations, why should the outside take it seriously? So, make sure the brand culture embraces the trademark. This is more for brand strategists: include some key rules in corporate writing manuals (style guides) about trademarks: when the symbol goes in, how the name is referred to (capitalized, with brand generic term, etc.). That way there will be consistency.

**6. Exception where not using symbols - Social Media & PR Headlines: On social media, usernames and hashtags cannot contain ®. So don't even try to put it in (e.g. your handle will be @BrandName, not @BrandName® - the latter is not possible). Also in hashtags, if you write #BrandName®, the ® will be ignored. That's OK - no need there. Similarly, in press release headlines that are passed to news sites, you better not put the ®, because many times news writers cut it out or it may show up as an odd character in some systemsreddit.com. A type flow analysis showed that 80-90% of media outlets remove trademark symbols when they republish a press releasereddit.com. So, don't insist on stuffing them everywhere - they may end up “garbage” (e.g. it sometimes happens in copy-paste that ® appears as â or ? due to encoding). Better put an asterisked footnote at the end of the type text that mentions trademarks as mentioned. Journalists usually keep this footnote. This is cleaner.

**7. Adjustment by geographic market: If you are a designer or marketer for an international brand, be aware of any peculiarities: as mentioned above, in China must be printed with the words “Registered” or ®claylaw.com, in Japan, “®登録商標” is also common. In the Arab world you might see the ® put before the word (due to RTL reading). These logistics are known to the local legal people - you work with them to make sure the packaging, UI etc. complies. You may need to produce different versions of the logo for different markets (e.g. with ™ in countries where registration is not complete). Make a table and organize your files accordingly. Brand managers should maintain a list of countries where the trademark is registered and by when, to let the creative department know when they can start using the ® in each territory.

**8. Do not be afraid to not use the symbol where it actually harms the design. For example, if you have a very small logo on a product where the engraving is tiny (e.g. jewelry), adding the ® can make it unnoticeable or unreadable. Laws (such as China's) give an exception in such cases - you can instead put thekenfoxlaw.com. The aesthetics and functionality of the product should not be sacrificed if there is an alternative to declare the registration otherwise. Example: Luxury watches do not engrave ® on the dial, but in the accompanying documents there is. If you are a designer creating a logo for a product (e.g. engraved metal), it may be best not to incorporate the ® in the design for the product but only on the packaging. This decision is usually made with the legal department, but you as the designer can argue that “it won't fit here without doing harm - let's put it elsewhere”.

**9. Communicate internally the value of the trademark. Marketers often focus on the brand story, the visuals, and leave the legal stuff to the lawyers. But the case of Velcro etc. shows that a interoperable approach. Brand strategists should work with legal experts to decide how to deal with the situation where the brand name becomes widely used. Sometimes, the right campaign (like the “Band-Aid brand”) can make a difference without alienating. Another example: Google until recently every so often published blog posts like “10 Things You Didn't Know - including that Google is a trademark, use it properly” - a friendly way to remind people that “Google®” is a brand. These gentle PR actions are the responsibility of the branding team. Legal alone would probably just send cease & desist letters to dictionaries. The branding team can find creative ways. So make a plan: if see that your brand name starts to be used in general, consider a small awareness campaign (e.g. blog post, video, social content) to reposition it as a brand.

**10. Finally: respect other people's trademarks as you would want them to respect yours. This means, in partnerships or conference presentations, when mentioning partners or other products, use ™/® correctly for their own names. It shows professionalism and corporate respect. E.g. if you're Company A and you do a press release that says “...powered by Microsoft Azure® cloud”, you'll earn goodwill points from Microsoft. Also, avoid in your own copy making the mistakes you are trying to prevent others from making with your own brands. Don't use other people's names generically (e.g. don't say “can google’ formally - write ”search Google®“). This attention to detail reflected how others will treat you and how they will treat you.

Summarizing the instructions: Incorporate the ® symbol cleverly, unobtrusively but in the right places, ensure aesthetic balance, educate both the public and colleagues in its correct use, and adapt as appropriate (market, media). This symbol is a small but important tool in the arsenal of brand management - used correctly, it offers protection and value, used incorrectly or excessively, it can go from indifferent to annoying. The art is finding that “happy medium” where it fulfills its purpose without diminishing your audience's experience.

Research identity

The present study was prepared through the methodology Deep Research Augmented by GPT Intelligence (D.R.A.G.I.), an advanced analytical processing system that exploits the capabilities of GPT-4 in combination with techniques:

enhanced search,
longitudinal data normalization,
semantic synthesis,
and operational relevance and impact assessment.

The D.R.A.G.I. methodology is not limited to the collection of statistics. Instead, it activates a network of cross-sources and synthesis criteria that produce actionable, applicable insights. For this study, the following were used 29 confirmed sources (INTA, Jones Day, JD Supra, Kenfox, War IP Law, Instapage, Trustpilot, CrazyEgg, Wikipedia, etc.), with the following steps:

Data normalisation between heterogeneous domains (legal framework, consumer behaviour, digital conversion).
Semantic categorisation based on thematic axes (legal validity, consumer psychology, trust signals, brand categories and so on).
Redundancy pruning and contextual enrichment to avoid repetition and highlight substance, with a focus on recent examples and case studies.
Link to practical real-world use cases, to produce actionable knowledge (advice to designers/marketers).

The information was not just recovered - Compiled by. The end result is a multi-layered knowledge layer, designed for marketing professionals, decision makers, analysts and brand strategists, offering a comprehensive overview of the seemingly small but essential issue of adding ® to a logo.

Legal and Research Statement

Scope:
The research is based exclusively on secondary data, from open or paid published sources. It does not include primary data collection by the editorial team.

Research Objective:
The study aims to present compiled statistics, evidence and conclusions on the impact of the ® symbol on a company's logo in order to support rational decision making and the formulation of informed strategies in related business areas (branding, marketing, legal protection of trademarks, UX design).

Limitations and Disclaimer: The content is provided for informational purposes and is not a substitute for legal, financial or investment advice. The publisher is not responsible for decisions or actions based herein without additional independent documentation. Research is based on secondary sources and automated content processing through large language models. Despite due diligence and documentation, it may contain inaccuracies or omissions. Independent confirmation of critical information is recommended before any application or decision is made.

Accuracy and Timeliness:
The data represent the situation up to and including December 2025. As trademark laws and marketing practices evolve (e.g. legislative updates, new trends in consumer behaviour), some of the conclusions may change at a later date. It is suggested that reference be made to informed sources or experts for critical decisions beyond this time marker.

Issuing Information

Issue Code: RSL/2025
Publisher: Synapse (Research Publishing) - synapsee.gr
Editorial Team in charge: D.R.A.G.I. Research Desk (GPT-4 powered)
License: Creative Commons CC BY-NC-ND 4.0

Reproduction and distribution with reference to the official link: synapsee.gr/i-epidrasi-tou-symvolou-sto-logotypo-mias-etaireias-kai-pos-epireazei-ebistosyni-prestige-kai-eboriki-apodosi-enos-brand/
No modification or commercial exploitation of the work is allowed without written permission.

Objective: The document can be used independently as corporate or thematic research, educational content (whitepaper) or knowledge base for AI agent. It follows the D.R.A.G.I. standard with consistency, documentation and business value.

Table of Sources

Source Title / Description	Link
INTA - Marking Requirements (Fact Sheet, 2023) Guidance from the International Trademark Association on the use of the symbols ®, ™, ℠ around the world. Confirms that many jurisdictions prohibit the use of ® without registration and explains the purpose of the mark.	inta.org inta.org
Jones Day - Trademark Marking in Europe: What Symbols to Use and When (2011) Legal article analysing the practical use of ® and ™ in Europe, with a focus on EU, UK, Germany, France. Presents the case Pall Corp vs Dahlhausen (ECJ) and points out that misuse can be considered misleading advertising in countries such as Germany.	jonesday.com jonesday.com
Kenfox Law - Legal Risks of Using ® in Vietnam (2024) Article by a law firm in the IP sector in Vietnam. It describes that using ® without registration is considered a “false indication” and carries administrative penalties, fines and liability under consumer protection laws. Mentions newer amendment allowing use with country of registration specification on labels.	kenfoxlaw.com kenfoxlaw.com
JD Supra (Tarter Krinsky) - China Issues Stricter Rules on Trademark Use (Feb 2022) Legal information article on China. Announces the new CNIPA 2022 standards (Standards): prohibition of ® use in China if the mark is not registered there, even if it is elsewhere. Points out that products with ® without local registration are considered illegal and the symbol must be removed from the packaging before exporting to China.	jdsupra.com jdsupra.com
LehmanLaw - FAQ: Is marking of a registered trademark required in China? Short FAQ response explaining the Chinese claim. It explicitly states that according to Chinese Trademark Law, where a registered trademark is used it must bear the “Registered Trademark” or the ® mark. If it does not fit on the product, it goes on the packaging/accompaniment.	claylaw.com
War IP Law - Understanding the TM Symbol (blog) Explanatory article from a law firm (Washington DC) on trademark symbols. Highlights the benefits of using TM/®: Brand protection, discouraging competitors, enhancing credibility. Quote: “For consumers and partners, seeing the TM symbol can increase confidence and trust... suggests professionalism” - highlighting the psychological impact.	wariplaw.com wariplaw.com
InterNACHI - Should I add a TM or (R) to my Logo? (Nick Gromicko) Short informative FAQ entry. It advises that you can put TM on anything (claim), but the ® only if it is patented. It warns that misuse of ® can bring bad publicity or even lawsuits/criminal penalties (although rare).	nachi.org nachi.org
TrademarkFactory - “Trademark Symbols in Digital Marketing” (Blog, June 2025) Extensive article by trademarks legal services company. Explains the types of symbols and their importance in digital marketing. Includes the statement “Using a trademark symbol adds credibility to the brand by showing the company takes IP seriously” - highlighting the value of trust. Also mentions section “Building Trust and Credibility with Customers” which highlights that customers are more inclined to trust a company that protects its brand.	trademarkfactory.com trademarkfactory.com
BlakSheepCreative - The Importance of Trademarking Your Logo for Businesses Branding article explaining why you should trademark the logo. Emphasizes that trademarking and using the ® is linked to consumer trust: “When consumers see your trademarked logo, they can trust they are purchasing from a reputable source” - increasing customer loyalty.	blaksheepcreative.com
Instapage - Trust or Bust: Why Trust Seals Can Make or Break a Sale Blog article on trust seals (Marcus Johnson). Presents Actual Insights data: 75% of respondents found that trust logos increased the feeling of trustworthiness of the brand, 61% recalled an occasion when they did not make a purchase due to lack of trust logos. Contains relevant statistical framework.	instapage.com instapage.com
Trustpilot Business - The psychology behind trust signals (2019) Trustpilot survey report of ~1700 consumers on social proof & trust symbols. Key findings: 98% of consumers recognised at least one trust symbol that increases the likelihood of purchase, 66% by m.o. said that the presence of social proof makes them more likely to buy. It confirms the great importance of trust.	business.trustpilot.com business.trustpilot.com
CrazyEgg - Why Choosing the Right Trust Seal Increases Conversion Conversion optimization article. Presents A/B test cases: adding Verisign seal increased conversion 42%, resetting trust seal brought +31% sales, Norton Secured seal makes 94% of users more likely to complete purchase. Analogy with trust signals and effect on sales.	crazyegg.com crazyegg.com
Wikipedia - Trademark symbol Wikipedia entry explaining the symbols ™ and ®. It states: “In many jurisdictions it is unlawful to use ® if the mark is not registered” and gives a reference to the USPTO (TMEP 906.02). Useful general documentation for the rule.	en.wikipedia.org
Wikipedia - Generic trademark Lemma describing the phenomenon of brand names becoming generic. Contains a list of examples (Aspirin, Escalator, Thermos, etc.) and cites court decisions: e.g. “aspirin” lost protection in the US in 1921 due to a court ruling that it became a common word, partly due to Bayer's failure to protect it as a branden.wikipedia.org.	en.wikipedia.org
Stites & Harbison (Trademarkology blog) - Velcro gets creative in protecting its brand from generic use (2017) Informative article on the “Don't say Velcro” campaign. Describes how Velcro Companies created a humorous video of their “legal” people singing explaining that Velcro is a brand, not a term. It proved to be an original approach to prevent genericide, which was well received by the audience.	stites.com
Cowan, Liebowitz & Latman - When the symbols ® and ™ should and should not be used (William Borchard, 2014) Blog post by an experienced trademarks lawyer. Analyzes US/international disputes. Points out that although the ® is optional, the advantage is that it allows for damages without proof of informationcll.com, discourages generic use and competitorscll.com. It specifically mentions that incorrect marking can lead to loss of registration or injunction (ex turpi causa principle)jonesday.com cll.com. It also provides a list of countries where false use is a criminal offence (e.g. Japan, UK)cll.com.	cll.com cll.com
BrandMarketingBlog - Logos with TM: 14 examples to help you understand why and how (BMB) Educational article (probably 2020) with examples of large companies using ™ in their logos. Includes guidance from IP attorney Kelley Keller: e.g., “put ™/® in upper right, if it doesn't fit lower right”brandmarketingblog.com, “the symbol only on the first/most prominent display to avoid visual clutter”brandmarketingblog.com. It also stresses: illegal to put ® if it is not registeredbrandmarketingblog.com, the absence of a symbol limits the possibility of claiming damages in the USA (Lanham Act reference)mewburn.com.	brandmarketingblog.com brandmarketingblog.com
GraphicDesignForum - Thoughts on use of TM symbol (2018) Discussion thread between designers. Gives insight into the designers' perspective: many do not add ™/® to the logo unless requested, because they consider it a legal issue and aesthetically problematic in applications (signs, signage, small prints)graphicdesignforum.com graphicdesignforum.com. He mentions, for example, that on neon signs the ® creates difficulties in centering and construction. Useful to understand why some companies avoid the symbol in visible signs.	graphicdesignforum.com graphicdesignforum.com
Reddit r/TRADEMARK - Convince business owner we don't need TM every time (2023) Discussion where a user asks for help to convince boss not to put ™ constantly. Includes comment that 80-90% of media remove ™/® from press releasesreddit.com reddit.com. Also a lawyer comments: “overuse is tedious, once is enough - overuse is overkill” (agreeing with best practice)reddit.com. It offers the view that the TM symbol everywhere makes the text unattractive.

The impact of the ® symbol on a company's logo and how it affects a brand's trust, prestige and commercial performance.

Contents of the survey