Marchi

Marchi is the Italian plural form of marchio, meaning brand or trademark. In Italian and European commercial law, a marchio refers to a sign—such as a name, logo, or slogan—that distinguishes the goods or services of one source from those of others. A marchio may be protected by registration or by use, and registered marks enjoy exclusive rights in relation to the specified class of goods or services.

Registration is handled by national offices such as the Ufficio Italiano Brevetti e Marchi in Italy or by the European Union Intellectual Property Office for EU-wide marks. A registered marchio typically provides a presumption of ownership and priority, and rights can be renewed indefinitely every ten years in many jurisdictions.

Common types include marchi di fabbrica (brand marks identifying the producer), marchi di commercio (marks identifying a trader), and marchi di servizio (for services). In addition, there are collective marks, used by members of a association, and quality or geographical marks that convey specific provenance or standards.

The term marchi also appears in Italian onomastics as a surname. Marchi is a surname of Italian origin, derived from the same root as marchio, and is borne by families across Italy and among Italian communities abroad.

Historically, marks and trademarks have served to signal origin and quality, facilitate commerce, and deter counterfeiting. Today, they are central to branding strategy and intellectual property law.