Slogans as protected objects under trademark law

Yes, slogans can generally be protected as trademarks! The same rules apply to the registrability of a slogan as to other trademarks. They must not be descriptive or generically promotional and must be capable of being perceived as a trademark.

However, slogans often lack the necessary "distinctiveness" required for trademark protection. Slogans are generally rejected because they merely appear "advertising" and do not serve as a clear distinguishing feature of a brand.

A well-known example of a registered slogan is Audi's "Vorsprung durch Technik." Initially, registration of the slogan was rejected, but the European Court of Justice ruled in a judgment of January 21, 2010 (Case C 398/08 P) that the slogan was worthy of trademark protection. The Court clarified that slogans are eligible for protection if they convey more than just a standard advertising message. They must be original or concise, require a certain amount of interpretation, or stimulate thought among the target audience.