TM stands for trademark.
Trademark owners use the ™ symbol after a text, logo, design or picture, which they claim as their own but have not been legally registered with a regulatory authority. Usually, businesses will use the TM symbol to indicate their first usage or that they have applied for its registration.
If you are selling goods, you should use the TM trademark symbol to identify your unregistered trademark, including names, logos, and phrases. Who can use the TM symbol? Any trademark owner may use the TM symbol at any time and even if the USPTO refuses an application to register the mark.
Using TM with a registered trademark is our first scenario and legal use. It is not permitted to use a circle R with an unregistered mark. Secondly, the TM symbol is their best choice when the brand owner has a pending trademark application.
TM or SM are for unregistered marks only. Use TM for marks that represent goods and SM for marks that represent services. If your mark covers both goods and services, use TM. The federal registration symbol, ®, is only for marks registered with the USPTO.
The ™ symbol is used with unregistered marks, when a business intends to claim a trade mark, or while its trade mark application is being processed by IP Australia. The ® symbol is used once your mark has been registered as a trade mark by IP Australia.
You can use “TM” for goods or “SM” for services even if you haven't filed an application to register your trademark. Once you register your trademark with us, use an ® with the trademark.
If you use a mark that infringes on someone else's trademark, you still put yourself at risk for legal trouble. When a company or person holds a trademark on a specific design, the mark has restricted use.
TM SYMBOLS
Logos, in particular, are powerful trademarks and are typically artistic illustrations that are presented in either color or black/white form. If a trademark applicant is interested in protecting the proprietary color scheme of the logo, the application must reflect the designated colors.
Another reason that you might choose not to file an application for your trademark or service mark is the cost. The filing fees range between $225 and $600. If your company doesn't have funds available to pay the fee, you can use the TM or SM as a placeholder on your mark.
Most brands with a trademark symbol representing names, words, and phrases—whether a TM, SM, or ®—place the symbol in the upper right corner after the mark.
Should you trademark a color? Generally, when applying for trademark protection, it is better to not claim any particular color as part of the mark, unless it is essential to, or is the distinguishing element of, the mark.
TM means something is an unregistered trademark.
An example of that is “3M: Science. Applied to Life.™ which you can see below. The TM refers to the tagline, not the 3M logo.
Luckily, throughout the entire registration process, you have different options for protecting your brand in the form of trademark symbols. The three symbols that can be used are the circled R (®), the little capital letters TM (™), and the little capital letters SM (℠).
Usage. One can use the ® symbol after successful registration of the trademark of the business. On the other hand, when the specific product or the service has a trademark pending in registration, it can use the ™ symbol. In such case the ® symbol cannot be used for such occasions as the mark is yet to be approved.
Typing the trademark symbol is just as easy to do from the keyboard of an iOS or Android device. On an iPhone, the trademark symbol is found in the emoji library. Switch to the Emoji keyboard by clicking on the wide-grinning smiley face. Next, search “trademark” in the Search Emoji bar, then click the ™ symbol.
You may conduct a free online search of the USPTO database at the Public Search Facility (Madison East, 1st Floor; 600 Dulany Street, Alexandria, Virginia) between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. USPTO personnel may not conduct trademark searches for the public. Private trademark search firms will conduct searches for a fee.
'Passing off' refers to other businesses misrepresenting your goods, services or brand as their own. In Australia, passing off is a common law tort, which means that Australian businesses have protection against this even without a registered trade mark.
What does the circle R symbol (®) mean? The circle R symbol (®) means that a mark is federally registered with the US Patent and Trademark Office, either on the Principal Register or Supplemental Register.
Trademark Symbols
The symbol "R" in a circle signifies that a trademark has been registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office for the goods inside the package.
To obtain a registered trade mark, you must have IP Australia approve your application. You should note that it is an offence under the Trade Marks Act to use the reserved symbol in connection with a trade mark that is not registered. If you are caught misusing the symbol, you may be liable to pay a fine.