Cadbury trademarked purple (Pantone 2685C) for chocolate. T-Mobile owns magenta (Pantone Rhodamine Red U). Colour alone = trademarkable if distinctive. Proof required: Extensive use, consumer association, market surveys.
Distinctiveness Burden
Generic colour in industry = untrademarkable. Cadbury purple distinctive (no other chocolate brand uses). Heinz red = difficult (many ketchup brands use red). Industry context matters.
Colour trademark applications: 12% approval rate vs 67% for word marks - distinctiveness bar extremely high.
Precise Specification
Can't trademark "blue." Must specify Pantone 286C (specific blue shade). EUIPO requires exact colour code. Vague = rejection. Pantone system standard for applications.
The Scope Problem
Trademark purple for chocolate. Doesn't stop purple phones, purple cars. Protection limited to specified product classes. Colour + category = trademark, colour alone insufficient.
Proof Requirements
Need evidence: 5+ years consistent use. Consumer surveys showing 70%+ associate colour with your brand. Advertising spend proving colour prominence. Marketing materials demonstrating exclusive use.
Successful colour trademark applications: Average €50K in evidence costs (surveys, legal filings, usage documentation) - expensive to prove distinctiveness.
Enforcement Difficulty
Competitor uses slightly different shade (Pantone 2686C vs your 2685C). Court says "no confusion." Colour trademarks = narrow protection, easy to design around via shade variation.
Combination Marks
Easier strategy: Trademark colour + shape. Orange + curved swoosh (EasyJet). Green + mermaid (Starbucks). Combination = stronger protection than colour alone.
Colour + design combination marks: 73% approval vs 12% colour-only - adding design element dramatically improves success rate.
Industry Examples
Successful colour marks: UPS brown (delivery), Tiffany blue (jewellery), Barbie pink (toys). All required 10+ years proving exclusivity. No shortcuts to colour trademark.
Trademark Lens checks word/logo marks but not colour trademarks - specialist attorney required for colour protection strategy.