Legal Definitions - label

A "label" refers to any distinctive written text, graphic design, or a combination of both, that is attached to or displayed on products or services. Its primary purpose is to inform consumers about the origin or source of those goods or services, helping them identify the company or brand responsible for them. This identifying mark can appear directly on the item, its packaging, or even be associated with a service offering.

• Example 1: Clothing Brand Tag
  Imagine a popular athletic wear company that sews a small, branded fabric tag into the neckline of every t-shirt and pair of shorts it manufactures. This tag prominently features the company's unique logo and brand name.

  Explanation: This fabric tag functions as a label because it is a graphic and written mark physically affixed to the goods (the clothing items) that clearly identifies their source – the specific athletic wear company. Consumers recognize and trust the brand based on this identifying mark.

• Example 2: Artisanal Food Product Sticker
  Consider a jar of homemade organic honey sold at a farmer's market. The jar has a decorative paper sticker on its front, displaying the name of the local apiary that produced the honey, along with a small illustration of a beehive.

  Explanation: The sticker on the honey jar serves as a label. It's a combination of written text and graphic imagery affixed to the product's container, explicitly indicating the local apiary as the source of the honey. This helps consumers distinguish it from other honey producers.

• Example 3: Digital Software Interface
  When users access a popular cloud-based project management software, they consistently see a distinct, stylized icon and the full company name displayed in the top left corner of their web browser interface.

  Explanation: Even though it's a digital display rather than a physical sticker, this icon and company name function as a label for the project management *service*. It's a graphic and written mark that identifies the source of the software service, allowing users to instantly recognize which platform they are using and who provides it.