If Sunbeam were to develop a new coffee machine and brand it "The Coffee Maker," why would the company NOT be able to register the term as its trademark?
A) because Sunbeam already manufactures a coffee maker under a different product name
B) because there is already a competitive product with the same name registered overseas
C) because to be registered it must contain the company's name
D) because registered trademarks cannot contain words that are in general use

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The term "The Coffee Maker" is a generic and descriptive term used to describe a product category, and therefore cannot be registered as a trademark. Trademarks must be unique and distinctive to the company and cannot use common descriptive terms.

If Sunbeam Were to Develop a New Coffee Machine and Brand