TRADEMARK DATABASES

Trademark rights are territorial — a registration protects a brand only in the jurisdiction where it is issued. PrelimLook's knock-out clearance reports focus primarily on U.S. and European sources, reflecting our clients' predominantly domestic footprint. But in the internet age, every business with a website or online storefront has a global presence, whether it intends to or not.

Ownership rules vary significantly by country. The U.S. and Canada award trademark rights to the first commercial user of a mark — not the first to file. Most of the world follows the opposite rule: first to register owns the mark. For U.S. based brands with any growth ambitions, the practical strategy is: register domestically as early as possible, then use the USPTO's Madrid Protocol process to extend that protection internationally. This secures both a strong domestic foundation and a priority date that holds up abroad.

Foreign mark owners who obtain U.S. rights through the Madrid Protocol receive a valid U.S. registration — but that registration may not surface in a standard USPTO database search. To close this gap, VETT includes a WIPO search in every report.