Brand launch check

Is your name, logo or product sign legally ready to launch?

The brand launch check gives a preliminary assessment of whether a name, logo, claim, domain or product sign should be reviewed in depth before launch, filing or rollout. The focus is on protectability, collision risks, search needs, trade mark strategy, domains, designs, trade secrets and conflict situations.

Start check

German Trade Mark Act / EUTMR Designs & domains Search & collision Launch risk

What the check is for

The check helps companies, start-ups, agencies, SaaS providers, e-commerce projects and digital product teams prepare trade mark decisions at launch in a structured way. It does not replace individual advice, but shows whether there is a particular need for action before publication, filing, a campaign, an app store launch, domain use or a rebranding.

Preliminary assessment of protectability and search needs.
Indications of absolute grounds for refusal, earlier rights and conflict situations.
Prioritised next review points and documents to prepare.
Copyable summary for an inquiry to ITMR.

Visualisation

Brand launch approval board

The approval board shows four typical review stations of a brand launch. The cards and graphic points are clickable and jump directly to the matching step in the questionnaire.

Sign file Provisionally open Complete the check to assess your brand launch situation.

Tip: you can click the four stations above or directly in the graphic. On mobile devices, the cards are deliberately large enough for touch.

Orientation

Typical course of a brand launch review

1Record the sign

Specify the name, logo, claim, domain, handle, product name or brand family.

2Check protectability

Assess distinctiveness, descriptive indications, advertising statements and sensitive references.

3Search for collisions

Evaluate registers, industry environment, domains, social handles and similar signs.

4Define the strategy

Align DPMA, EUIPO or international strategy, classes, designs and domain portfolio.

5Secure the launch

Legally approve the campaign, website, app store, packaging, pitch or rebranding before publication.

Scope of services

What this check does

The brand launch check is a structured initial orientation. It does not conclusively assess register hits and does not replace a search by a lawyer, but it shows typical risk signals for trade marks, designs, domains, claims and digital products.

Legal background: Trade mark and design rights protect signs, product and UI designs. For domains, company names and trade secrets, questions of name, competition, domain and secrecy protection may also be relevant. Conflicts often involve injunctions, changeovers, information, damages, cancellation, opposition or strategic coexistence.

When does a brand launch particularly need review?

A particular need for review regularly exists before a launch, rebranding, app store release, trade fair, investor meeting, product packaging, domain use, international rollout or when similar earlier signs have already been found.

Why is a Google, domain or social media search not enough?

Such searches only show part of the market. Trade mark risks also arise from earlier registered rights, similar signs and similar goods or services. That is why register searches, sign comparison and class review are central.

What needs to be prepared for a trade mark application?

You need the specific sign, its form, the planned goods and services, target markets, priorities, evidence of use, search hits and a strategy as to whether a German trade mark, EU trade mark or international extension makes sense.

Interactive check

Assess the brand launch risk

Answer the questions from the perspective of the specific sign. For several names, logos or claims, the check should be run separately for each sign.

1 of 5 steps

1. What should be protected or reviewed?

Choose the option that best describes the focus of the project.

Name, word mark or product nameCompany name, SaaS name, app name, product name, platform name or service name. Logo, figurative mark, icon or UI signLogo, app icon, emblem, figurative sign, product graphic or recognisable digital design. Slogan, claim or campaign nameAdvertising claim, hashtag, campaign title, series name or recurring communication line. Domain, social handle or account nameDomain, shop name, platform profile, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn or community handle. Rebranding, brand family or new umbrella brandNew brand identity, sub-brand, product line, umbrella brand or several related signs. Conflict, cease-and-desist letter, opposition or platform reportThere is already a demand for justification, cease-and-desist letter, report, opposition or collision warning.

2. What phase is the project in?

Timing matters because late changes to trade marks, domains, designs and campaigns are usually more expensive.

Idea / namingThe name has not been published yet and can still be changed. Before launch, campaign or publicationWebsite, product, app, pitch, packaging, trade fair or campaign are about to be approved. Already used in the marketThe sign is already used on the website, product, shop, app, platform, social media or in offers. Filing plannedA filing with the DPMA, EUIPO or internationally is to be prepared. Filing pending or trade mark registeredAn application has been filed or a registered right already exists. Opposition, cease-and-desist letter, cancellation or invalidityThere is already an attack, a defence situation or specific earlier rights.

3. Are there signs of protectability problems?

Tick all points that may apply. If none of them fits, choose the last option.

The term describes the product, industry, quality or purposeFor example, references to software, consulting, data protection, AI, speed, security, sustainability or result. The term seems generic or very generalThe name is close to a common product, service or industry designation. Pure advertising statement or quality promiseThe claim sounds like the best, fastest, safest, most sustainable or smartest solution. Geographical indication or indication of originA city, region, country, indication of origin or local designation shapes the sign. Name of a person, organisation or well-known characterPersonal name, stage name, third-party company name or well-known designation. Regulated or sensitive industryFinance, health, legal, insurance, medicine, public safety, children/young people or platform rules. No obvious protectability problemsThe sign appears distinctive and not purely descriptive.

4. What searches have already been carried out?

Tick everything that has already been reliably done. A spontaneous search is better than nothing, but does not replace a legal collision review.

No reliable search yetAt most there was a spontaneous Google, domain or social media search. Google, domains and social handles checkedSearch engine, domain availability and social media names have been checked. Registers roughly checkedDPMAregister, TMview, EUIPO or WIPO have at least been searched superficially. Similar signs and goods/services checkedPhonetic, visual or conceptual similarities have also been considered. Classes of goods and services preparedNice classes, specific products/services and future use are prepared. Similar or identical earlier signs foundThere are hits that could be relevant for the same or similar products or services.

5. Where and for what will the trade mark be used?

The scope of protection should match actual and planned use. Strategies that are too narrow or too broad can cause problems later.

Germany, narrowly defined offeringThe trade mark is to be used primarily in Germany for a few clearly defined services. Germany, several products or servicesSeveral offerings, product lines, digital services, consulting, agency services or e-commerce. EU-wide market or EU trade mark desiredUse in several EU member states or filing as an EU trade mark. International rolloutUSA, UK, Switzerland or other countries are relevant. App, platform, marketplace or SaaS with scalingDigital distribution, app stores, platforms, investors, partners or international users. Launch, trade fair, campaign or investor meeting is imminentThere is time pressure and material may already have been produced or published.

Risks & measures

Typical review points at brand launch

The matrix summarises common risk signals. The specific assessment depends on the sign, the goods and services, the market environment, the use and the search hits.

Review area	Typical risk signal	Sensible measure
Protectability	Descriptive, general, geographical or purely promotional indication.	Check distinctiveness, need to keep free and alternative signs.
Collision	Similar earlier trade mark for identical or similar goods/services.	Identity and similarity search, sign comparison and priority review.
Launch	Website, app, packaging, campaign or rebranding shortly before publication.	Approval before publication, preservation of evidence and assessment of changeover risk.
Filing	Unclear classes, too broad or too narrow list of goods/services.	Align DPMA/EUIPO/international strategy and list.
Domains & handles	Domain available, but earlier trade marks or company names exist.	Check domain portfolio, social handles, DENIC/UDRP/ADR risk and monitoring.
Digital products	SaaS, app, marketplace or platform scales internationally.	Review trade mark, designs, chains of title, platform rules and contracts together.

Sensible next steps

Related ITMR checkers and follow-up reviews

Depending on the result, these follow-up reviews can help embed the brand launch in product, content, launch and conflict risks.

Go-live Legal Launch BoardChecks whether a product, website, app or campaign is legally ready before publication. E-commerce cease-and-desist risk checkHelps assess trade mark, claim, checkout and consumer law risks in a shop environment. Image rights / AI image / asset checkSuitable if logos, imagery, AI assets, stock material or campaign visuals are used. Trade secret checkAdds know-how, launch, product and secrecy protection measures to trade mark protection. Cease-and-desist emergency modeFor cases in which a cease-and-desist letter, demand for justification or deadline already exists. Document dossier builderStructures signs, hits, contracts, evidence of use and documents for legal review.

Prepare your brand launch legally

If a sign is about to be launched, filed or rolled out, or there is already a conflict, the review should consist of more than a quick name search. Specific sign documents, context of use, target markets, search hits and deadlines are helpful.

Send an inquiry about brand launch and trade mark strategy

Legal orientation note

This check provides a structured initial orientation and not conclusive legal advice. Registrability, likelihood of confusion, register status, priority, use, proximity of goods and services and defence or filing strategies must be reviewed in the specific case. How we then support the filing is described under Register a trade mark; further background is available on our page on trade mark law.