Yes, it is possible to use the same brand for different products or services as long as there is no risk of confusion among consumers. However, it is essential to guarantee adequate protection of trademarks and to carry out market research to evaluate any potential conflicts. If you come across another company with the same name, trademark, or domain name as yours, send them a cease-and-desist letter as a warning. In short, friends, the primary thing you have to determine is whether you are competing with the company that holds the conflicting brand.
The assertion of a company's name has a lot to do with consumer confusion, and whether having two similar or the same names will be a sore point for customers. Bear in mind that, even if Corporations Canada approves your company name, there is a possibility that another corporation is already using it, and in that case, it will be your responsibility as the business owner to resolve any disputes with other companies. This gives you trademark rights to your company name and gives you the legal right to file trademark infringement lawsuits at the provincial or federal level, if necessary. When you're brainstorming a company name, it's imperative that you conduct a due diligence search for the availability of business names and ensure that your name doesn't infringe any trademark.
If you decide to incorporate your company, you can confirm that you are using a unique business name by searching by NUANS name, the official search for Canadian federal trademarks. To ensure that your company name is uniquely yours, start by incorporating your company at the provincial and federal levels. So, if it's really unlikely that the other company's customers will be confused because you have the same name, then there's really no trademark problem. If one of the companies has brand protection, they can usually take legal action against companies that deliberately (or even not intentionally) infringe their brand. One of the factors that courts consider when determining the likelihood of confusion between customers is whether the two companies belong to the same industry.
Monitoring what's online is an important way to avoid naming problems and protect your company's brand. Under common law, identical names don't usually cause problems if the two companies in question are not competing companies. Now that we've explained the ins and outs of naming your company and protecting your brand, you should be able to dedicate yourself to this aspect of entrepreneurship with confidence and clarity. If you're developing a business plan and you've found a business name you want to use, it's a good idea to submit an intention-to-use request with the PTO. If he's the owner of another small business, he might not mind you using it, especially if you work in different industries.
