Exact match
The most obvious case: someone files exactly your trademark name. Identical in spelling and wording – and therefore the strongest case for a defence.
What "exact" means precisely
There is an exact match when a new sign is identical to yours – in letter sequence and wording. Example: you own the trademark "NaturPlus", and someone files "NaturPlus" again. There is no difference by which the public could tell the two trademarks apart.
Because the trademark's origin function is thereby directly undermined, the exact match is usually the clearest and most easily enforceable conflict. For identical signs covering identical goods, this is called "double identity" – here you don't even need to prove concrete confusion.
Identical is rare – but dangerous
Pure copies are rarer than you might think; most conflicts arise from similarity. But if an identical filing appears, every day counts: after publication the opposition period runs.
Example
This is how the system reports an exact match
When identity becomes a dispute
McDonald's invoked its strong trademark but lost part of the Big Mac protection before the EU court in 2024 – because genuine use was not sufficiently proven.
The lesson: Even identical, strong trademarks must be used and actively defended.
EU General Court, T-58/23, 2024
Why monitoring is still necessary
Even the clearest case has to be noticed first. The office does not inform you. Automatic monitoring detects identical filings immediately and gives you the time you need for a simple, low-cost reaction.
Spelling & variants – the signals in detail
The other types of similarity
Identical hits – already in the free plan
Free monitors your word mark monthly for exact matches. No credit card.
This article is for information and does not constitute legal advice.