{"id":10631,"date":"2022-02-24T06:56:05","date_gmt":"2022-02-24T06:56:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swaritadvisors.com\/blog\/?p=10631"},"modified":"2022-02-24T06:57:27","modified_gmt":"2022-02-24T06:57:27","slug":"colour-trademark-in-pharmaceutical-industry","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swaritadvisors.com\/blog\/colour-trademark-in-pharmaceutical-industry\/","title":{"rendered":"An Overview of Colour Trademark In Pharmaceutical Industry"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-drop-cap\">Colours\nor combinations of colour are vital in differentiating products on the market.\nA Colour Trademark is one in which a minimum of one colour is utilised to\nperform the Trademark function of exclusively identifying the commercial origin\nof products and services. A single colour Trademark can now be registered in a\nnumber of countries. The Registration of Colour Trademark in Pharmaceutical\nIndustry is increasing by Pharmaceutical Companies to recognise the source of\nthose products or goods as belonging to their brand, and it&#8217;s for a variety of\nreasons. For one, many customers presently purchase <strong><em>OTC (Over-the-Counter) <\/em><\/strong>drugs;\nTrademarks help them recognise a trusted brand. Second, Colour Trademarks serve\nas a mark of the brand that develops it, and the third colour of pharmaceutical\nproducts has grown to be considered as generating a brand image. Scroll down to\ncheck more information regarding Colour Trademark in Pharmaceutical Industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_65 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-light-blue ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<label for=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3b40c2f2364\" class=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-label\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/label><input type=\"checkbox\"  id=\"ez-toc-cssicon-toggle-item-6a3b40c2f2364\"  aria-label=\"Toggle\" \/><nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/swaritadvisors.com\/blog\/colour-trademark-in-pharmaceutical-industry\/#Evolution_of_Colour_Trademark_in_Pharmaceutical_Industry\" title=\"Evolution of Colour\nTrademark in Pharmaceutical Industry\">Evolution of Colour\nTrademark in Pharmaceutical Industry<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/swaritadvisors.com\/blog\/colour-trademark-in-pharmaceutical-industry\/#What_are_the_Benefits_of_Colour_Trademark_in_Pharmaceutical_Industry\" title=\"What are the\nBenefits of Colour Trademark in Pharmaceutical Industry?\">What are the\nBenefits of Colour Trademark in Pharmaceutical Industry?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/swaritadvisors.com\/blog\/colour-trademark-in-pharmaceutical-industry\/#Register_Colour_Marks_An_International_Viewpoint\" title=\"Register\nColour Marks: An International Viewpoint \">Register\nColour Marks: An International Viewpoint <\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/swaritadvisors.com\/blog\/colour-trademark-in-pharmaceutical-industry\/#How_to_Register_Colour_Trademark_An_Indian_Outlook\" title=\"How to\nRegister Colour Trademark? : An Indian Outlook\">How to\nRegister Colour Trademark? : An Indian Outlook<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/swaritadvisors.com\/blog\/colour-trademark-in-pharmaceutical-industry\/#Conclusion\" title=\"Conclusion\">Conclusion<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Evolution_of_Colour_Trademark_in_Pharmaceutical_Industry\"><\/span>Evolution of Colour\nTrademark in Pharmaceutical Industry<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Until\nthe mid-19<sup>th<\/sup> century, prescription medications in tablet form were\nconsistently white &amp; spherical. Before the 1960s, white or pastel coloured\nOver Counter medications were available. But in the 1960s, colour was added,\nand with the introduction of soft gel capsules in 1975, colours like yellow,\nred, and lime green became popular. In the current Pharmaceutical Industry,\nthere are many colours to choose from. The colours are used for marketing\npurposes only and have no influence on the efficacy drug. Colour marks have\nbecome a vital branding tool in the Pharmaceutical Business because they address\nvisual qualities by differentiating products from those of competitors.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Colours are presently being utilised to create brand images, direct the personality of products and differentiate them from rival brands; as an outcome, <strong>Pharmaceutical Firms<\/strong><sup><a href=\"https:\/\/en.wikipedia.org\/wiki\/Pharmaceutical_industry\" class=\"text-primary\"><strong>[1]<\/strong><\/a><\/sup> are spending a lot of time and money on the most eye-catching &amp; appealing trade dress and markings for every new medicine they release.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_are_the_Benefits_of_Colour_Trademark_in_Pharmaceutical_Industry\"><\/span>What are the\nBenefits of Colour Trademark in Pharmaceutical Industry?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Following\nare the benefits of Colour Trademark in Pharmaceutical Industry:<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol><li>They help in lessening&nbsp; the risks of counterfeiting;<\/li><li>Colour Trademarks aid the brand\nto remain competitive in the market for longer duration;<\/li><li>Colour marks create a unique\nand memorable image in the customers\u2019 minds;<\/li><li>Colour marks play an essential\nrole in building brand equity &amp; image;<\/li><li>Such Colour Marks help in\nbuilding customer loyalty.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Register_Colour_Marks_An_International_Viewpoint\"><\/span>Register\nColour Marks: An International Viewpoint <span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>As per the <strong><em>TRIPS Agreement, <\/em><\/strong>combinations of colours shall be entitled to <a href=\"https:\/\/swaritadvisors.com\/trademark-registration\" class=\"text-primary\"><strong>Trademark Registration<\/strong><\/a>; however, members may limit registrability on individuality acquired via usage and members may require, as a condition of registration, that signs be visually apparent. As an outcome, countries can register Colour Trademarks based on their acquired uniqueness and graphical representation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Earlier,\nCourts in the United States (US) were uncertain about accepting marks\nconsisting exclusively of colours or combinations of colour. In the case of <strong><em>Jacobson\nvs Qualitex Co. (1995), <\/em><\/strong>the Supreme Court of the United States stated\nthat occasionally, a colour would meet conventional legal Trademark\nnecessities. &#8220;When it does, no specific regulation prohibits colour from\nbeing used as a Trademark or mark by itself. The Court did, but point out that\na single colour may not be naturally unique and may only be safeguarded if it\nhas acquired a secondary meaning through use in conjunction with descriptive\nmarks or words. As an outcome, the following are the two most vital necessities\nfor getting a Trademark Registration for a single colour mark:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ol><li>The colour should have acquired\nuniqueness;<\/li><li>The colour should not be\nfunctional to the mark.<\/li><\/ol>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"How_to_Register_Colour_Trademark_An_Indian_Outlook\"><\/span>How to\nRegister Colour Trademark? : An Indian Outlook<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Among\nall the industries in India, the Pharmaceutical industry has the largest number\nof Trademark Registration applications. Colour Marks, mainly single Colour\nMarks, are difficult to register in India. Although the Trade Marks Act, 1999\ndoesn&#8217;t specifically prohibit the registration of single colour marks,\nrepresenting uniqueness in a single colour is difficult unless the colour has\ncome to characterise uniqueness in a single colour is hard unless the colour\nhas come to characterise the origin or source of the product\/item as an outcome\nof a long association with a particular mark, permitting easy differentiation\nof the product or item from others in the same class. The example of Single\nColour Trademark is the purple colour for Cadbury, blue colour for parachute\nbottle etc.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The\n<strong><em>Manual\nof Trademarks, Practice, and Procedure 2015<\/em><\/strong> gives the following points\nfor Colour Marks Registration:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul><li>The applicant is claiming a\ncolours combination, as applied to the products on their packaging, or used in\nrespect to their services, as a Trademark; they must claim this by recognising\nthe Trademark as a Colour Trademark. Along with the exact or precise\ndescription of the colour combination according to the International\nClassification System of Colours and supplying a graphical representation of\nthe Trademark, the applicant should also provide a concise and correct\ndescription of the Trademark on application.<\/li><li>If a statement in the Trademark\napplication has been made that the Trademark includes Colours combination only,\nthe Trademarks will be regarded as Colour Trademark. If a particular Colours\ncombination of packaging has become unique, in fact, as showing the products of\na particular trader, there is no specific reason why it shouldn&#8217;t be\nsafeguarded by registration. However, if the colours are not used in a\nspecial\/particular pattern or arrangement, it&#8217;s likely to be harder to prove\nthat in such cases, the colour would lend uniqueness as a symbol of origin.<\/li><li>Wherever the right to colour is\nsought, weighty evidence must be vital to overcome the objection under <strong><em>Section\n9(1)(a) of the Act, 1999, <\/em><\/strong>which bars Trademark Registration that\ndoesn&#8217;t have a unique character.<\/li><li>A Single Colour may be eligible\nfor Trademark Registration if it is very strange and unusual in a trade and is\nrecognised by Traders &amp; consumers alike; it serves as a badge of origin for\nthat class of products.<\/li><li>A Colours combination may be\nregistrable, but this will depend on its distinctiveness and how it is used. If\nthe colours are presented as a symbolic mark, as few as two colours could be\naccepted; when applications include simply colours applied to the products or\ntheir packaging, it will be vital to consider how uncommon the colour\ncombination is in relation to the products and whether prima facie, the\ncombination is probably to strike the potential customers as a sign of trade\nsource.<\/li><\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span>Conclusion<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Colour Trademark in Pharmaceutical Industry is increasing; one must comply with the Trademark Laws and procedure &amp; ensure that the colour mark shows the product source and that it has acquired uniqueness. Since a single colour lacks the intrinsic capability to be unique, the standard of proof has been kept very high. But, there is no exhaustive test as to whether the colour has acquired uniqueness, and it all relies on how the customers perceive the colour. Therefore, pharmaceutical companies must build their brand by using unique Trademarks, specifically colour marks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"text-left\"><b>Read our Article<\/b>:<mark style=\"background: #fffd03 !important;\"><a href=\"https:\/\/swaritadvisors.com\/blog\/trademark-dilution\/\">A Complete Analysis on the Concept of Trademark Dilution<\/a><\/mark><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Colours or combinations of colour are vital in differentiating products on the market. A Colour Trademark is one in which a minimum of one colour is utilised to perform the Trademark function of exclusively identifying the commercial origin of products and services. A single colour Trademark can now be registered in a number of countries. [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":10633,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[72],"tags":[990],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swaritadvisors.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10631"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swaritadvisors.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swaritadvisors.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swaritadvisors.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swaritadvisors.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=10631"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/swaritadvisors.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10631\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10638,"href":"https:\/\/swaritadvisors.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/10631\/revisions\/10638"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swaritadvisors.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/10633"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swaritadvisors.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=10631"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swaritadvisors.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=10631"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swaritadvisors.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=10631"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}