We know that a trademark is the face by which customers recognize you, the imprint that sets your goods or services apart in the marketplace.
However, many companies and entrepreneurs make a common mistake: they update their visual identity, modernize their logo, or adjust their trade name and/or colors. But they forget to do the same where it matters most: with Argentina’s National Institute of Industrial Property | INPI.
If that sounds like you, this article is for you.
Your registration is your title of ownership. If the certificate shows an old design while a different one circulates in the market, your legal protection loses strength. When facing an imitation or a dispute, the difference between being protected and being exposed may come down to this detail.
Your earlier registration, a powerful ally
The good news is that you are not starting from scratch. If your trademark is already registered, that prior right is solid backing: it confirms that the trademark is yours and gives you an advantage when updating it with the INPI.
It’s like holding the deed to your house: when you remodel it, no one disputes that it is still yours.
When should you update it?
If your logo changed its shape, typeface, or layout, if you added or removed a slogan, if you use the symbol and the name separately, or if the redesign is obvious to your customers, then the new version should also be registered.
The rule is simple: whatever changes in the reality of your brand should also change in the registration certificate.
Trademark update at the INPI: the image shows brf’s change of colors and logo. The typeface remains the same.
How is it done?
At the INPI, a registration that has already been granted cannot be modified: a new application is filed for the current version. The recommended approach is to keep the earlier registration in force while the new one moves forward, ensuring continuous coverage. That way, your trademark is protected at all times.
What if I don’t file the trademark update with the INPI? Pay close attention here.
If you don’t file a new trademark application with the INPI for the updated version:
- Your new logo may be left unprotected, and someone else could register it.
- Your registration loses strength to oppose copies.
- You are exposed to challenges from third parties for not using the trademark as registered; in other words, your own unregistered update could be challenged.
Protect your identity today
Updating your logo is part of your brand’s evolution. Updating it with the INPI is what keeps it legally strong.
At Eguía we review your situation, propose the best strategy, and handle the entire online procedure. If you already have an earlier trademark registration, even better: that right becomes the cornerstone of your new protection.
*Request a consultation. We review your case and help you keep your trademark aligned with your reality and shielded against third parties.
