New Challenge on Intellectual Property: Smell Trademark

Abstract

As an important symbol to identify commodities, trademark can distinguish one commodity and service from other commodities and services. Therefore, trademark has been valued by people for its important role since thousands of years ago. With the increase of the vitality of market subjects, trademarks are becoming more and more important intangible assets, and the forms of trademarks are becoming more and more diversified. Traditional trademarks generally refer to tangible trademarks, such as letters, numbers, graphics. But can new type of existence, such as smells, be registered as trademarks? Different countries and regions have different legal provisions and practise, and it is totally different in China, European Union and United States.