A §1 or §44 applicant must submit “a clear drawing of the mark” to receive a filing date, except in applications for registration of sound, scent, and other non-visual marks. A separate drawing page (or digital image of a separate drawing page in an application filed through the Trademark Electronic Application System (“TEAS”)) is not mandatory, but is encouraged.

A “drawing” is simply a depiction of the mark for which registration is sought.  A drawing that includes multiple elements that do not comprise an identifiable mark, or that consists of wording describing the mark, does not constitute a clear drawing of the mark.

An application that includes two or more drawings displaying materially different marks does not meet the requirement for a “clear drawing of the mark.” Therefore, an application is denied a filing date if it includes two or more drawings displaying materially different marks.

A specimen showing the mark does not satisfy the requirement for a drawing. If the only depiction of the mark is on a specimen (e.g., an advertisement, a photograph of the goods, or the overall packaging), then there is no drawing, and the application will be denied a filing date.

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