Word Mark vs Word/Design Combo Mark vs Design Mark

Mark Characteristics

Word Mark Word/Design Combo Mark Design Mark
Mark filed without any claim to stylization or design.

Mark filed with a claim to a specific stylization and/or a combination of a word and a design element together. 

Mark filed as a design without any text.

Word Mark

Mark filed without any claim to stylization or design. 

Word/Design Combo Mark

Mark filed with a claim to a specific stylization and/or a combination of a word and a design element together.

Design Mark

Mark filed as a design without any text.

Examples

Word Mark Word/Design Combo Mark Design Mark
COCA COLA®
Blockbuster

Word Mark

COCA COLA®

Word/Design Combo Mark

Blockbuster

Design Mark

Requirements

Word Mark Word/Design Combo Mark Design Mark
Use of mark either in standard type or with a stylization or design element can all qualify as use of the word mark. The word mark provides for flexibility because it can be maintained even as a brand logo stylization or design component evolves.

The one downside to a word mark is that federal protection only extends to the words and not to any specific stylization or design elements.

Specific stylization or word/design combination needs to be used without any material changes in order to maintain any registration that issues. If the stylization or design changes, the mark and corresponding registration could be abandoned.
Design needs to be used in same form without any material changes to maintain any registration that issues. If the design changes, the mark and corresponding registration could be abandoned.

Word Mark

Use of mark either in standard type or with a stylization or design element can all qualify as use of the word mark. The word mark provides for flexibility because it can be maintained even as a brand logo stylization or design component evolves.

The one downside to a word mark is that federal protection only extends to the words and not to any specific stylization or design elements.

Word/Design Combo Mark

Specific stylization or word/design combination needs to be used without any material changes in order to maintain any registration that issues. If the stylization or design changes, the mark and corresponding registration could be abandoned.

Design Mark

Design needs to be used in same form without any material changes to maintain any registration that issues. If the design changes, the mark and corresponding registration could be abandoned.