I

Identifying the source of a product or service for the consuming public is the primary objective of trademark law. As such, the Trademark Act grants exclusive rights only to those trademarks enabling a consumer to discriminate between different brands of goods and services. The consumer need not be able to discern the precise manufacturer or service provider by company name. It is enough that the consumer can determine that the maker of this brand is different than the maker of another. For example, nothing in the trademark "Kix" for breakfast cereal tells the consumer that it is manufactured by General Mills. To determine company information, a consumer would have to look elsewhere on the cereal box. What is important is that when the consumer sees a corn-based, puffed cereal with the name "Kix" on it, the consumer instantly knows it is manufactured by an entity different from a similar corn-based, puffed cereal that does not have the word "Kix."