Skillbuilding: A Primer on the Use of BCG Trademarks
Michael S. Ramage, JD, CG, “A Primer on the Use of BCG Trademarks,” OnBoard 17 (May 2011): 9--10; updated 8 February 2024.
Proper use of the Board for Certification of Genealogists’ (BCG) trademarks and service marks is a matter of critical importance for all BCG associates. Correct use of BCG’s credentials protects them legally. At the same time, vigilance against unauthorized use of BCG’s marks helps protect them. The assistance of all associates in these matters is essential. Editorial misuse of our marks by a few affects everyone, just as substandard work produced by a non-associate using one of BCG’s marks can undermine our collective and individual reputations.
BCG currently uses several marks. BCG’s name—Board for Certification of Genealogists—is a registered trademark. Our credentials—CG and Certified Genealogist—are registered marks. BCG’s credentials—Certified Genealogical Lecturer and its acronym, CGL—are unregistered service marks.
On 2 September 2022, BCG filed for provisional registration of the marks “Certified Genetic Genealogist” and “CGG” with the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). As the registration of these provisional marks is on an “intent-to-use basis,” BCG has three years to use such marks to continue its priority in registering such marks. As of 1 March 2024, BCG launched the new credential. As of this time, the marks “Certified Genetic Genealogist” and “CGG” are considered common law service marks and should be cited as “Certified Genetic Genealogist℠ and its acronym, CGG℠, are service marks of the Board for Certification of Genealogists®.”
The term “trademark” is often used to refer to both trademarks and service marks. However, a service mark is a word, phrase, symbol, or design that identifies and distinguishes the source of services rather than goods. Use of the ® (Registration) symbol is not legally required, but the proper use of these designations is strongly encouraged as a means of notifying the public of BCG’s intellectual property rights in its marks. If a mark is not registered with the USPTO, the trademark owner may not legally use the ® symbol in connection with the mark.
Distinguishing BCG’s marks from generic or descriptive terms will help protect their status. Therefore, associates are requested to observe the following rules when using them:
BCG service marks should not be used in the plural.
The initial letters of our service marks should be capitalized.
The first use of the registered mark (in a letter, website, report, etc.) should be followed by the ® symbol or R in parentheses. When first used, non-registered service marks should be followed by the℠ symbol or SM in parentheses. If several such references appear in a longer work, the following statement in the front matter or publication data may be used instead: “Certified Genealogist and CG are registered service marks of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, whose name is a registered trademark.”
The service marks should not be used as freestanding nouns. Preceding a mark with the article “a” or “the” would be an inappropriate descriptive or generic use.
As BCG’s former General Counsel Donn Devine, CG, CGL, aptly put it, “When a generic, descriptive, or plural reference is intended, consider terms like board-certified genealogist(s), BCG-certified associate, or board certificant(s), rather than one of the distinctive marks.”
Except as noted above, there is no precisely prescribed wording to describe BCG’s marks in a signature block, reference note, or otherwise. Nevertheless, the following discussion provides guidance about acceptable practices and uses.
Use in Text or Speech
It is not proper usage to state, “I am a Certified Genealogist,” as that is a generic usage. On the other hand, it is proper usage to state, “I am Certified Genealogist John Doe,” “I am Jane Doe, Certified Genealogist,” or “I hold a Certified Genealogist credential.”
Use in Stationery
Examples of proper listing of credentials in letterhead:
John Doe
Certified Genealogist®, CGG℠
Jane Doe, CG®, CGL℠
When we use the superscript ®, it is not necessary to provide any further notice of who owns the marks. If an associate prefers to not use the superscript abbreviations, they may be omitted if an appropriate notice is placed in a footer on the page when the postnominal first appears. The following notices are examples of acceptable usage:
“Certified Genealogist” is a registered service mark of the Board for Certification of Genealogists®, used under license by authorized associates following peer-reviewed competency evaluations. Certificate No. XX, renewed, expires 3 January 2029.
CG and Certified Genealogist are registered service marks of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, used under license by board certificants after periodic evaluation, and the board name is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. CGL and Certified Genealogical Lecturer are common law service marks of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, used under license by board certificants after periodic evaluation.
Note that when the ® symbol is used, the phrase “and the board name is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office” is not required as this would be redundant.
Use in E-Mail and Websites
When your e-mail program and website support superscript and symbols, the same rules apply as with stationery. However, when your e-mail program and website do not support superscript and symbols, the following practices are acceptable:
Instead of superscripting the registration symbol, place it in parentheses, as in (R). Instead of superscripting the unregistered service mark symbol, place it in parentheses, as in (SM).
Instead of placing the symbol ® after BCG’s name, substitute (R) or the phrase “and the board name is registered in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.”
Use by Editors
Where a single publication may contain references to credentials conferred by several organizations, BCG suggests a notice like the following be included in the front matter, acknowledging intellectual property rights in credential designations of each body:
Genealogical Credentials: CG and Certified Genealogist are registered service marks of the Board for Certification of Genealogists®. CGL, Certified Genealogical Lecturer, CGG and Certified Genetic Genealogist are common law service marks of the Board for Certification of Genealogists. Accredited Genealogist and AG are registered service marks of the International Commission for Accreditation of Professional Genealogists. Individuals are licensed to use the credential designations after meeting the competency standards of those organizations. FASG identifies fellows of the American Society of Genealogists, an honorary society limited to fifty living members chosen for the quality of their published genealogical scholarship. Fellowship in other societies awarded based on scholarship, rather than service or support to the society, may also be recognized by a postnominal designation incorporating the society’s initials.
In cases where only BCG-credentialed individuals are cited, the notice may be shortened as follows:
CG, Certified Genealogist are registered service marks of the Board for Certification of Genealogists®, used under license by board certificants after periodic evaluation. CGL, Certified Genealogical Lecturer, CGG and Certified Genetic Genealogist are common law service marks of the Board for Certification of Genealogists, used under license by board certificants after periodic evaluation.
The proper use of BCG’s credentials by board certificants will strengthen its marks and reduce the workload of BCG’s Intellectual Property Committee that polices the proper use by BCG’s certificants and third parties.
Michael S. Ramage, JD, CG
An earlier version of this article was originally published in OnBoard, BCG’s educational newsletter and is protected by copyright. Individuals may download and print copies for their personal study. Educators are granted permission to provide copies to their students if BCG, OnBoard, and the appropriate author are credited as the source of the material. Republication elsewhere is not permitted.