Question

Of the following five categories of marks—fanciful, arbitrary, suggestive, descriptive, and generic—which one of them can never be protected as a trademark?

a) Fanciful
b) Generic
c) Descriptive
d) Suggestive

Answer 1

Generic terms cannot be protected as trademarks, as they refer to a general class of products rather than a unique source. Therefore, the correct answer to the question is b) Generic.

Step-by-step explanation:

A trademark is a symbol, word, or phrase legally registered or established by use as representing a company or product. Trademarks help consumers recognize and differentiate the products of one company from those of another and are often critical in branding and marketing strategies. There are different categories of trademarks, including fanciful, arbitrary, suggestive, descriptive, and generic. Of these categories, generic terms are never protected as trademarks because they are too common and refer to a general class of products rather than indicating a unique source. Therefore, the answer to the question “Of the following five categories of marks—fanciful, arbitrary, suggestive, descriptive, and generic—which one of them can never be protected as a trademark?” is b) Generic. Fanciful, arbitrary, and suggestive marks can be strong trademarks as they are inherently distinctive or require a leap of imagination to connect with the product. Descriptive marks can sometimes be protected if they have acquired a secondary meaning that associates them with a particular source.