Collective membership mark is a mark used only by the members of an association, cooperative or other collective organization. A collective organization may include an association, union, cooperative, fraternal society or other organized groups. A collective membership mark is not used to identify and distinguish the source or origin of goods or services; its sole function is to indicate that the person displaying the mark is a member of an organized collective group. For example, AAA® indicates membership in the American Automobile Association.
By contrast, a collective trademark or collective service mark is used by the members of a collective organization to identify its goods and services and to distinguish them from those of non-members.
See also: 15 U.S.C. § 1127
[Last updated in August of 2022 by the Wex Definitions Team]
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