For more than 100 years, the development history of the International Trademark Association:

1870-1900

After the American Civil War, the reconstruction of the American economy led to With the rapid development of trade and industrial technology, manufacturers gradually realized the importance of better protecting their commercial rights, and the United States promulgated the first federal trademark law in 1870. Lacking legal protection, twelve businessmen and manufacturers met in New York on November 21, 1878 to create the American Trademark Association.

1900-1930

The Trademark Association participated in the 1898 Committee to Revise the Patent and Trademark Act of 1898 by the President of the United States. The report of the committee became the basis for the 1905 Trademark Law of the United States. In 1906, at the request of the Argentine government, the Trademark Association evaluated Argentine trademark law and recommended its liberalization. In 1908, Ecuador asked the Trademark Association to recommend a trademark law for it. The Trademark Association's suggestions were not only adopted and implemented by Ecuador, but also became a model for trademark laws in other South American countries.

1930-1950

In the 1930s, the Trademark Association was concerned about the unfair use of trademarks and common names and urged an end to the use of trademarks in proprietary descriptions. The Trademark Association has a constructive working relationship with publishers and promotes the correct use of trademarks by lexicographers through the publication of a trademark directory containing nearly 4,000 trademarks and a hotline to confirm the correct spelling of trademarks and their common names.

The United States finally enacted a trademark law in 1946, the Lanham Act.

1950-1970

In 1955, the Trademark Association published the book "Trademark Management - A Guide for Managers". After seven editions, this book that analyzes basic trademark knowledge from practice has been gradually expanded, repositioned to meet the expanding needs of trademark departments, and renamed "Trademark Administration—A Guide for Paralegals, Managers, and Lawyers."

1970-1980

In 1979, the Trademark Association held a Trademark Forum in London, and the number of participants expanded beyond the United States.

In the 1970s, the Trademark Association: firstly, the 100th anniversary of the establishment of the Trademark Association in 1978; secondly, the World Intellectual Property Organization recognized the role played by the Trademark Association on an international scale and accepted the Trademark Association as the Non-governmental organization observers are allowed to participate in diplomatic conferences and expert committee meetings, and even smaller formal meetings.

1980-present

The association has expanded in size, scope and goals, with 2,000 members representing more than 80 countries. The association formulated its first long-term plan. Strive to play a more active and leading role in the trademark field and promote widespread awareness and understanding of trademarks among businesses, governments and the media. To achieve this goal, the Trademark Institute has expanded its government and public relations programs, increasing the number and variety of educational conferences and publications.

The Trademark Association voted to change its name in 1993 from the American Trademark Association to the International Trademark Association. Considering that the membership of the International Trademark Association has expanded to more than 100 countries and the standing members are basically multinational companies, the change of the association's name has eliminated the restrictions of the original association and the characteristics that the geographical name cannot express. More importantly, the International Trademark Association's The name opens a lot of doors and spaces for dialogue, especially with governments other than the United States, that were not possible before.