Which statement correctly describes brand names in relation to copyright?

Which statement correctly describes brand names in relation to copyright?

• A. Brand names are protected by copyright as primary works.
• B. Brand names are included in the sound recording category.
• C. Brand names are trademarks, not copyright.
• D. Brand names are protected only if registered.

Answer: (C)

Brand names identify the source of goods or services, and they are protected as trademarks, not by copyright. Copyright covers original expressive works fixed in a tangible form, like songs, books, or artwork, not short identifiers such as a brand name. A brand name on its own isn’t copyrighted, though a logo that includes the name might have copyright in its artwork. Trademark protection can arise from use in commerce, and registration further strengthens rights and remedies, though in some places rights can exist without registration via common-law or equivalent protections. So the correct view is that brand names are trademarks, not copyright.

Brand names identify the source of goods or services, and they are protected as trademarks, not by copyright. Copyright covers original expressive works fixed in a tangible form, like songs, books, or artwork, not short identifiers such as a brand name. A brand name on its own isn’t copyrighted, though a logo that includes the name might have copyright in its artwork. Trademark protection can arise from use in commerce, and registration further strengthens rights and remedies, though in some places rights can exist without registration via common-law or equivalent protections. So the correct view is that brand names are trademarks, not copyright.