August 15, 1925.
11
PRESTO
A TRADE-MARK'S
VALUE ABROAD
KURTZMANN
Grands—Players
In
Manufactured by
Latin America, Where English Is as
Foreign as French in United States, a
Good Trade Mark Is Sure Aid to
Distinguishing Goods.
C KURTZMANN & CO.
WAYS TO PROTECT IT
Trade-Mark Must Be Registered in Name of Real
Owner to Avoid Piracy to Secure
Title.
Factories and General Offices
526-536 Niagara Street
BUFFALO, N. Y.
The value of a good trade-mark distinguishing
American products abroad is so well understood that
a plan for its creation and use is unnecessary. A
good trade-mark has a selling power of its own. It
assists advertising and builds sales with the spon-
taneous force of its suggestion and appeal.
A good trade-mark is one that strikes the pur-
chaser's mind and imagination. The purchaser is
the man to be reckoned with; his temperament, his
tastes, his understanding are factors to be considered,
says Bernard A. Kosicki, Division of Commercial
Laws, writing in Commerce Reports.
In the countries of Latin America where English
is as foreign as French in the United States, and
where illiteracy is not uncommon among people of
small means, a trade-mark designed for use in the
United States may prove a drawback, or else a dead
weight, which must be lifted by the energy of the
sales machinery. The great majority of trade-marks
in present-day use are purely verbal. They contain
word combinations that suggest the quality or origin
of the goods to one who can read them understand-
ingly. Such a trade-mark in Latin America would
be no more than an arbitrary word, perhaps thor-
oughly unpronounceable. In such a case the pur-
chaser in Latin America may avoid buying the goods,
if others of the same kind please him equally well,
or else he may resort to describing the appearance of
the product by some distinguishing feature, as a
colored band or illustration. This, of course, makes
for easy substitution.
STRICH & ZEIDLER, b e
GRAND, UPRIGHT and PLAYER
AND
HOMER PIANOS
740-742 East 136th Street
NEW YORK
BRINKERHOFF
Grands - Reproducing Grands
Player-Pianos
and Pianos
What Is a Trade-Mark?
The Line That Sells Easily
and Satisfies Always
BRINKERHOFF PIANO CO.
OFFICES, REPUBLIC BLDG.
209 State Street
CHICAGO
It is not wholly a question as to whether or not
the trade-mark should be translated into the.language
of the foreign country. A pure translation is almost
always predestined to failure. Catchwords, fanciful
word combinations, and slogans do not lend them-
selves to translation. Their power rests not so much
on the linguistic as the idiomatic value of the word
or phrase, its means to a certain group which the
manufacturer is endeavoring to reach.
A good trade-mark is one that clearly and easily
identifies the goods. It should not only sell them
but keep on selling. If a trade-mark is difficult to
remember or is easily confused with others used on
the same class of goods, repeat sales may be lost.
The label, if it is attractively gotten up and contains
striking colors, distinctive lettering, and simple and
familiar designs, strengthens the force of a trade-
mar kand assists the memory. Any directions as to
the use of the article that may be printed on the label
should be in the language of the country where it is
to be sold. For Latin American trade it may be
found convenient to print the directions both in
Spanish and Portuguese.
The purchaser, it must be remembered, has no in-
terest in carrying an accurate impression of a trade-
mark. He is invariably careless about such things,
and, unless his interest is aroused by some easily re-
membered feature of the trade-mark or label or pack-
age, he will be content to buy the brand he has always
bought, or else to take the first best thing that is
offered. No matter how good an article it may be,
if it can not be identified easily, its sale will be handi-
capped. The observation of Emerson that the would
will beat a track to the house of a skilful craftsman,
even though he hides himself in a forest, does not
apply in this day of keen competition.
The Legal Aspects.
A good trade-mark must be one that the law will
protect. In the countries of Latin America ,as a gen-
eral rule, the same distinction is not drawn between a
trade-mark and label as in the United States. Both
are protected by the trade-mark law. There are cer-
tain words, however, which the law will not permit
to be appropriated by one person to the exclusion of
others. Such are, for example, geographical or de-
scriptive terms, or essential designations of the prod-
uct. There are other words and signs which can not
be used as trade-marks on the ground of public
policy, as, for instance, national insignia, and the Red
Cross emblem and the words, "Red Cross." In de-
signing a trade-mark for use in Latin America, such
words or signs should be avoided.
To get legal protection for a trade-mark in any of
the countries of Latin America, the trade-mark must
be registered. The right is regarded as a grant from
the government and not as a common law right
springing from the use of the mark in trade. Regis-
tration should be applied for in the name of the real
owner of the trade-mark as soon as commerce is
entered into, to avoid piracy and to secure the title
to the trade-mark. In Mexico and in Guatemala ad-
vertisements of some artistic merit and originality
may be registered under the trade-mark law and pro-
tected against imitation for a period of years.
A good, legally protected trade-mark possesses
genuine sales and advertising value in Latin America,
where advertising is comparatively a new develop-
ment. The trade-mark, to a large extent, must gather
its own momentum and establish its own popularity.
A wise selection or adaptation of the trade-mark,
where that appears to be necessary, is the first step
in the direction of profitable sales.
Builders or Incomparable
^ P I A N O S , PLAYERS^ REPRODUCING PIANOS
THE BALDWIN
CO-OPERATIVE
PLAN
will increase your sales and
solve your financing problems.
The Lyon & Healy
Reproducing Piano
Tbe Heppe, Marcellus and Edouard Jules PlftOO
manufactured by the
A moderate priced reproducing piano,
beautiful in design and rich in tone.
Write for our new explanatory Chart,
the most complete and simple treat-
ment of the reproducing action.
HEPPE PIANO COMPANY
are the only pianos In the world with
Three Sounding Boards.
'Patented !n the Uryted States, Great firltalt):
France, Germany and Canada.
Liberal arrangements to responsible agents onlf.
Main Office ,1117 Chestnut St.
PHILADELPHIA, PA.
Wabash at Jackson - - - Chicago
ADAM SCHAAF, Inc.
RKP
P25?OS ING
GRANDS AND UPRIGHTS
Established Reputation
fti£g|
and Quality Since 1873
FACTORY
OFFICES AND SALESROOMS
1020 So. Central Park Ave.,
319-321 So. Wabash Ave.,
Corner Fill more Street
CHICAGO, ILL.
New Adam Schaaf Building,
Write to the nearest
for prices.
CINCINNATI
INDIANAPOLIS
LOUISVILLE
office
INCORPORATED
CHICAGO
DALLAS
ST. LOUIS
IJENVER
NEW YORK SAN FRANCISCO
RADLE TONE The Musician's Delight
Whenever you hear the name RADLE you immediately
think of a wonderful tone quality, durabili y and design.
Musicians insist on RADLE
F. RADLE, Inc. Est. 1850.
609-11 W. 36th St., New York City
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