• FreeAdvice has a new Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, effective May 25, 2018.
    By continuing to use this site, you are consenting to our Terms of Service and use of cookies.

Use of Trademarks and Registered Words

Accident - Bankruptcy - Criminal Law / DUI - Business - Consumer - Employment - Family - Immigration - Real Estate - Tax - Traffic - Wills   Please click a topic or scroll down for more.

dfabs

New member
On our website are we allowed to say 'Salesforce projects' - using the word Salesforce as this has a (R) by it looks like it's protected somehow and "registered "?

(The name of the business does not use the word)

Thanks
 


FlyingRon

Senior Member
It would very much depend on the context, but as long as you're not using the trademark in a way that confuses their product with yours (or implies some relationship between the two companies).
 

quincy

Senior Member
On our website are we allowed to say 'Salesforce projects' - using the word Salesforce as this has a (R) by it looks like it's protected somehow and "registered "?

(The name of the business does not use the word)

Thanks
Use “sales force” instead of the registered trademark.
 

adjusterjack

Senior Member
On our website are we allowed to say 'Salesforce projects' - using the word Salesforce as this has a (R) by it looks like it's protected somehow and "registered "?
It is. See the search feature at the USPTO:

http://tmsearch.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=toc&state=4806:d6h927.1.1&p_search=searchss&p_L=50&BackReference=&p_plural=yes&p_s_PARA1=&p_tagrepl~:=PARA1$LD&expr=PARA1+AND+PARA2&p_s_PARA2=salesforce&p_tagrepl~:=PARA2$COMB&p_op_ALL=AND&a_default=search&a_search=Submit+Query&a_search=Submit+Query

Apparently, one company has a lock on the trademark for a variety of uses.

(The name of the business does not use the word)
It do. Check out salesforce.com

Use “sales force” instead of the registered trademark.
Agree. Unless you want to spend tens of thousands on litigation defending your use of salesforce.
 

FlyingRon

Senior Member
Inserting spaces or changing the capitalization itself won't insulate yourself from trademark suits. I suspect highly that he is intending to build a correspondence between his product and the "salesforce.com" product not some generic use referring to groups of salesmen.

Referring to salesforce.com's trademark is perhaps permissible if done properly.
 

quincy

Senior Member
The USPTO search result pages time out. They are only accessible for a short time.

Here is a link to the USPTO where dfabs can conduct his own trademark search:
https://www.uspto.gov/trademarks-application-process/searching-trademarks/using-trademark-electronic-search-system

“Salesforce” can be used when referring to the specific Salesforce business, if used in a descriptive way only. You can, for example, refer to your drink as a Coke and to your car as a Mustang.

But dfabs cannot state or imply he has any affiliation with Salesforce where no such affiliation exists. To use Salesforce in connection with his own services/goods would infringe on the rights of the Salesforce trademark holder.

That said, the separate words “sales” and “force” are generic words that can be used by anyone.
 

Find the Right Lawyer for Your Legal Issue!

Fast, Free, and Confidential
data-ad-format="auto">
Top