"signboard" is defined in China Chinese Dictionary as a sign hung in front of a store. Signs have a long history in China, and some old signs are well-known and enduring, such as Quanjude, Tongrentang, Daoxiang Village, Yidege, Ruifuxiang and so on. For enterprises, the signboard itself is a valuable intangible asset on which to operate. With the development of economy, the scope of signboards in today's society has been expanded. For example, the appearance of enterprise buildings, light boxes and neon lights are all manifestations of signboards, and enterprises can often achieve the role of advertising with the help of signboards.

the content of a signboard is generally composed of words that directly indicate the characteristics of the enterprise, such as the name, trade name, trademark and unique advertising language of the enterprise, and it is sometimes composed of the name, trade name and trademark of the enterprise alone, and sometimes they are combined together.

"brand" and "trademark" are a pair of concepts that are easily confused. Some enterprises mistakenly believe that products become brands after being registered as "trademarks". In fact, there are both connections and differences between them.

sometimes the two concepts can be equated and replaced, but sometimes they can't be confused. Brand is a market concept, which emphasizes the establishment, maintenance and development of the relationship between enterprises (operators) and customers. Trademark is a legal concept, which emphasizes the protection of the legitimate rights and interests of producers and operators. In China, trademarks are divided into "registered trademarks" and "unregistered trademarks", and "brands" can be registered trademarks or unregistered trademarks. In addition, brands and trademarks can be transformed. For example, if a brand is registered to obtain exclusive rights, it will be transformed into a trademark, which has legal significance. It is with the help of the legal function of trademarks that the interests generated by brands beyond the value of the products themselves are protected.