Let’s suppose you’ve been asked to search and clear the name of a bar, without seeing the design mark in the upper right and lower left hand corners of this photo (from a recent trip to Boston):
When I first saw this design logo, I thought the name was probably W Bar, so you know where my mind went next, right?
Not there, but here, yes, I was thinking Alpha Watch again.
But then, I second-guessed myself and started seeing M Bar, still with Alpha Watch on my mind.
Next, I really started questioning my focus on single letter marks, seeing instead Un Bar, then Hi Bar (without the dot in the i).
What have you seen that I didn’t, as a possible bar name? If you’re familiar with Boylston Street in Boston, you’re disqualified from answering.
Back to your assignment now — the point is, had you merely been asked to search and clear M Bar as a name and mark, it is best to see how it actually will appear to potential consumers.
Curious cursive lettering or script can appear to be or mean different things to different people.
So, while the potential scope of rights in the resulting visual identity of the brand may be quite broad if cleared for use, the significant challenge during clearance and due diligence is to make sure the multitude of possible meanings have been considered as part of the search strategy.