fter 10 straight years of increased activity, the trademark bubble has finally burst. In 2001 the number of trademark applications filed with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office declined by 23 percent.
Trademark filings are a measure of business optimism. Companies and individuals apply for marks they plan to use months or years from now. The flow of applications reflects plans for new product and business launches, not just current activity. A decade of economic bullishness raised the tide of new filings from 1992 through early 2000. Afterward filings dropped each month.
