The main differences are different concepts, different meanings, and whether they are protected by law.

1. Different concepts

R mark: indicates a registered trademark, which is compulsorily protected by the relevant intellectual property laws of the place of registration.

TM mark: It means an icon, indicating that the icon is being used, but it does not have mandatory protection by law, except for the trademarks of individual well-known companies.

2. Different meanings

TM mark: The acceptance notice for this trademark has been obtained, which means that the trademark can be used, but the registration may not be successful (American trademarks usually add TM).

R mark: This trademark has not only been accepted but has been successfully registered.

3. Whether it is protected by law

R mark: A successfully registered trademark is protected by national law, that is, the trademark with R mark is protected by national law.

TM mark: Trademarks with the TM mark are not necessarily protected by the country (US trademarks usually add TM).

Consequences of incorrect use of the R trademark

If the trademark is not approved for registration and is marked without authorization, the following consequences will occur:

1. When an unregistered trademark is used, adding a registration mark or labeling it as a "registered trademark" deceives consumers and damages the order of trademark management. It is regarded as an illegal act of passing off a registered trademark and is subject to supervision by the industrial and commercial department.

The industrial and commercial department may stop it in accordance with Article 52 of the Trademark Law, make corrections within a time limit, and may also notify it.

2. When using an unregistered trademark, adding a registered mark may also infringe on other people’s trademark rights or other prior rights, such as copyright or corporate name rights, etc., which means you may be sued for infringement.

The essence of a trademark is to distinguish the source of goods or services. Trademark registration marks can serve as a warning, informing others that this is a registered trademark and obtain legal protection. If you add the mark without authorization, you may be liable. Complaints of copyright infringement were made by interested parties.

For the above content, please refer to Baidu Encyclopedia - Trademark Law