What are your thoughts on this passage? The trademark that I believe to be "famous" is the MasterCard mark. As per the lecture, I believe this mark to be famous because it is first a registered trademark. It's red and yellow interlocking circles with the words MasterCard have been used as its' brand since MasterCard was founded in 1966. The red and yellow circles have acquired distinctiveness. The red and yellow circles had the words "MasterCard" embedded on it so that individuals would tie the name, circles and colors to the company. MasterCard's brand has gained so much secondary meaning that according to marketingdive.com the company is dropping its embedded name from the logo and is just using the red and yellow circles. MasterCard determined that more people recognize the symbol without the brand name. In regards to "Fame" MasterCard is one of the most widely recognized instruments used for purchases in the United States. As an interesting fact, MasterCard does not issue credit. MasterCard (and Visa), according to Investopedia.com "are the two largest payment processing networks in the world." [1] In addition, MasterCard does not "issue cards directly to the public, as do Discover and American Express, but rather through member financial institutions. [2] Because they are a processing network, financial institutions use the MasterCard logo on credit or debit cards as a way to tie the consumer to the credit issuing financial institution. The MasterCard logo is widely recognized throughout the United States because the financial institution that issues the credit puts the MasterCard logo on the credit/debit card. They have become a household name even more as people have found it easier (and sometimes safer) to use credit verses cash. MasterCard uses a plethora of venues such as television ads, social media, store signs and online advertising to continue to promote its' continued existence and to show what merchants accept its' use