What is a “suggestive” trademark?

A suggestive trademark is like a descriptive mark in that it describes a quality or feature of the product or service. The difference is that it does not do it directly. It requires an additional step in the thinking process to make the connection. JAGUAR as a brand identifier for a motor vehicle is an example. Jaguars run very fast, so using this as an identifier for a car suggests that the car is fast. This describes a quality or feature of the car, but it does not do it directly. We wouldn’t say, “That car is jaguar!” The term jaguar is not a direct description of the car; it only hints at a quality or feature of it. Suggestive marks are inherently distinctive. It is not necessary to prove that they have acquired secondary meaning as a trademark.