Copyright and trademark defined

From the Legalzoom* newsletter:

Definitions of Copyrights and Trademarks

Copyrights and trademarks protect distinct creations. Generally Copyrights protect creative or intellectual works, and trademarks apply to commercial names, phrases and logos. Copyrights primarily protect the rights of people who create literary, dramatic, musical, artistic, and certain other intellectual works (like history tests, and software code). Trademarks protect the use of a company's name and its product names, its brand identity (like logos) and its slogans.

In fact, the two protections are so legally distinct that they are managed by two different offices within the federal government. Trademarks fall under the auspices of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, while Copyrights are granted by the U.S. Copyright Office.

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