Trademarks serve as a means to safeguard names, logos, slogans, and even the packaging or design of a brand, helping to distinguish you or your company as the originator of your goods and/or services. In the U.S., you can initiate a federal trademark application based on your plan to utilize the trademark, but acquiring trademark rights requires actual usage of your trademark in business activities. If you begin using your trademark without a federal registration, your rights under common law, based on usage, typically only cover the geographical area where your market realistically extends. Once you possess trademark rights, you have the authority to challenge anyone who might use a similar mark that could potentially confuse consumers about your brand.