From a legal point of view, a trademark is a sign which serves to distinguish the goods and services of one organisation from those of another. In other words, trademarks are exclusive rights used in order to indicate the origin of services and products, their quality and reputation within the marketplace.
In these terms it is clear that trademarks play a crucial role in the daily functioning of any undertaking; they are of the utmost relevance from a marketing and strategic point of view, providing a given product or service with an additional added value that might, in a certain situation, influence the purchase decision in one way or another.
Therefore, trademarks constitute a real asset for any company, and as such, due care has to be put in their daily use and defence.