Which symbol is commonly used to indicate a trademark is claimed?

• A. TM symbol
• B. © symbol
• C. ∑ symbol
• D. ℗ symbol

Answer: (A)

The key idea here is how marks are signaled as claims of trademark rights. The TM sign is used after a word, logo, or phrase to show that the owner claims it as a trademark, even if it hasn’t been officially registered yet. It serves as notice to others that the owner considers that mark theirs and intends to protect it as a brand. This is different from a circled R, which means the mark is officially registered; the copyright symbol © belongs to protection for creative works, not brands; the ∑ symbol is a mathematical summation sign; and the ℗ symbol relates to sound recordings, not trademarks. So, the symbol used to indicate a claimed trademark is the TM sign.