Publication Announcement: Attorney at Law N. Berkay KIRCI’s Article on Trademark Use and Social Media

June 28, 2019

With the enactment of Industrial Property Law No. 6769 on January 10, 2017, proving trademark use has become essential under certain conditions outlined in the law. In accordance with Law No. 6769 and its implementing regulations, the Turkish Patent and Trademark Office issued a guide on proving trademark use.

This guide and the Office's decisions highlight the crucial role of invoices in proving trademark use. The absence of relevant invoices often results in the Office concluding that trademark use has not been demonstrated.

N. Berkay KIRCI's article argues that social media is a vital and popular tool for advertising, promotion, marketing, and public relations. It suggests that relying solely on traditional methods for proving trademark use may overlook current business practices and future trade relations. The article posits that this traditional approach could lead to unfair outcomes in classes related to advertising, promotion, marketing, and public relations services, especially concerning the Internet and social media.

The article is available in Turkish here.

The revised English version is also published on our website's Blog Section.

Very truly yours,

KIRCI Law Office