Can trademarked names be used in fiction?

Trademark lawyers call this “nominative fair use,” and it does not constitute infringement. For example, trademark owners have fits when writers of fiction or non-fiction use their brand names as generic terms for products or services.

Can you mention a sports team in a book?

Generally yes you can mention teams descriptively to describe the teams for purposes of identification in your book.

Can I use trademarks in my book?

Yes. The use of a trademark in a book title is not trademark infringement unless there was some publishing or authoring that was the good/service provided under the trademark.

Can you use real names when writing a book?

Using real people in your fiction—whether they are correctly named or not—can be legally hazardous. If an author includes enough details that a specific fictional character is identifiable as an actual person, that person could possibly pursue legal action.

Are sports team names plural or singular?

Sports team names like Jazz, Thunder, Magic, and Heat sound singular, but most other team names are plural. Style guides generally say to treat all team names as plural even if they sound singular, but if that sounds strange to you, you can refer to the teams by their city name instead.

Are sports teams possessive?

Teams’ has an apostrophe after the s because it is a plural form; that is, it refers to both teams. Fourth sentence: Sunday’s is a singular possessive form.

Can I use a sports team logo?

Yes, you will absolutely need to get the permission of the leagues before you can use their trademarked logos in any product that you intend to create. You should secure the services of a licensing or rights clearance company, and get yourself a lawyer immediately.

Can sports be trademarked?

The Benefits of Trademarks A sport trademark can also be a symbol of a lifestyle or behavior. Sponsoring a prestigious sporting event like the Olympic Games can link your company or product to the sport, the event, and even the athletes who compete in it.

Can I mention Starbucks in my book?

Editors are frequently asked whether it’s permissible for writers to mention product or business names in books. The short answer is yes. Trademark owners can’t stop you from using their product names: your hero can drive a Toyota to Starbucks and work on his MacBook.

Are Harry Potter names trademarked?

Everything Harry Potter is well protected with multiple trademarks that are owned by Warner Brothers Entertainment. Everything from the names of the books and movies, to house names, and the term ‘Muggle’ are trademarked.

Should Authors be allowed to trademark their names?

And here, better late than never, is the response: Fortunately for the multitudes of authors who write fiction (and the innumerable publishing companies that print their books), writers are free, for the most part, to include trademarked names in their stories.

Is it legal for a writer to use a sports team name?

While it’s legal for a writer to do this, if the use of the team name (or any other real-life name) could be construed as defamation, then the trademark owner could file a law suit against the writer.

Can I use trademarks in my fiction?

For the most part, I advise clients not to use trademarks in fiction if an alternative will do. If use of a trademark or brand is unavoidable, the author needs to be certain the trademark is used in a legally-permitted way.

What are some trademark words that people still use?

“Rollerblades”, “Kleenex”, “Jello” and “Band-aid” are also trademark words. Still people use them in everyday conversation whether they are referring to the brand or not. I try to invent my own product names or business names as well.