A trademark is a word, symbol, slogan, or other identifier that identifies the source of a good or service in the marketplace.  They are protected by law to prevent others from copying the source-identifying mark.  This protection benefits a potential consumer by allowing the consumer to recognize a product or service as originating from a particular producer.  In other words, trademarks allow a consumer to quickly associate a product with the company that produced it and make a purchasing decision based on prior experience with that company or product.  Likewise, trademark protection benefits a producer by allowing a company to protect its investment in its reputation.  If a company works hard and puts resources into providing a consistent and superior product, trademark law allows that company to prevent others from using its trademarks and selling products based on the owner’s good reputation.