The backstory behind MUDEO
(and whether or not you should consider trademarking)
Build Mode™ Issue 05.2025
Hello and welcome to this issue of Build Mode, a monthly update with brand insights to help you level up your business. We have an ambitious group of professionals working in real estate, architecture, engineering, construction, marketing, design, and development. You all inspire me to keep sharing, so thank you for being here.
Haven’t subscribed yet? Consider joining us and get the next issue delivered straight to your inbox on the first of the month.Let’s throw it back to 2009. At least for a while through the Great Recession, I still had a job, and I was volunteering for a Boston-based organization called Common Boston — an incredible grassroots event and a program of the Boston Society for Architecture. What started as a neighborhood initiative had grown into a week-long, city-wide celebration with walking tours, exhibitions, and dozens of community sponsors. It was public, it was free, and it was a platform to democratize design in the city and a way for the BSA to remain connected to the public realm.
As the festival scaled, the team asked for help developing a stronger identity. I was fresh out of school, passionate about architecture and graphic design, and eager to help. I volunteered to design the brand identity and the event brochure, which meant creating maps, curating photography, coordinating with a team of volunteers for events and descriptions, and weaving it all into a cohesive piece that was handed out to every attendee.
It was an unpaid gig — but a meaningful one that I’m still proud of (in fact, maybe it’s serendipity, but the projects are still on my website!)
As the deadline to print the brochure approached, and the opportunity to add credit to contributors came, I asked myself if I wanted to have my own name listed, or, if there was an opportunity to create a brand name… something that could evolve with me, that could become my own company?... Hmm. Maybe.
I started brainstorming.
Where design disciplines meet
At the time, I was noticing how much architecture and graphic design overlapped — particularly in fields like marketing, branding, environmental graphic design, and wayfinding systems. Architecture needs to be communicated, and graphics have the power to do it. This intersection felt rich. And powerful. And full of untapped potential.
'Multidisciplinary design' is a mouthful, but, the idea stuck with me: design becomes more effective when disciplines intersect. Architecture is stronger when it’s supported by other disciplines, like graphic design, interior design, landscape design, art, and more. That’s what I wanted the name to convey.
I was inspired by acronyms, those you can say, like New York’s SoHo (which means South of Houston) and Boloco (which stands for Boston Local Company) where I went daily for buffalo chicken wraps while studying at Northeastern. I loved the idea of a new, coined word. Something completely original. Short. Memorable. Ownable.
After sketching dozens of names, I landed on MUDEO — derived from the first letters of ‘multidisciplinary design office.’
It wasn’t perfect, but I loved how it looked, how short it was, and most importantly, what it stood for. People still mispronounce it (for the record, it’s moo-DAY-oh, like museo, the Spanish word for museum, or like Rodeo Drive). But, it had an elegance to it. It felt European, architectural, and distinct.
After landing on a name, I launched my own website. I created a simple logotype. Uploaded my work. And just in time for the design festival, I saw ‘MUDEO’ printed in the booklet, planting a flag, and catalyzing the start of a digital presence for multidisciplinary design. MUDEO became my digital home.
That little name stuck with me through the years. I started a blog featuring branding work at the intersection of architecture and graphic design. I dissected how building signage, logos, brochures, and environmental graphics shaped a space. I highlighted studios doing it well. I created a Twitter account to share what I was discovering. MUDEO was never just a name. It was an exploration of where disciplines meet.
From a name to a brand
Fast forward to 2023. After a career of roles in architecture, marketing, graphic design, and branding, I left my W-2 and officially launched my consultancy. And there was no question what to call it. MUDEO was simply a continuation of the profile I’ve built throughout my career. My website was in place. My social media handles secured. No need for a big ‘launch’ — just pivot and keep building.
Six months in, after coming out of ‘stealth mode’ and making an announcement about my venture, I formally applied to register MUDEO as a trademark. Not because I was afraid someone would take the name. But because I wanted to own it. Legally. Formally. Strategically.
I had worked with IP attorneys before when naming for clients, so I knew what the process was like. After some initial research at the viability to get MUDEO trademarked, I felt like it was an experience I needed under my belt, so I walked through the process myself and gained firsthand experience I could share with clients.
Here’s what I did:
I filed the trademark application with the USPTO in 2023 (United States Patent and Trademark Office)
I registered a PO Box so my home address wouldn’t be tied to the trademark.
I gathered specimens of first use back in 2009, including the Common Boston brochure and screenshots of my website.
I submitted my application in two classes: Class 35 (for business services like branding and marketing) and Class 42 (for design services).
Waited a year for review
Then, finally got word that it would be published for opposition, meaning anyone who feels their own trademark would be damaged may file an appeal within 30 days.
No one did.
It became live in March 2025 and I purchased the presentation copy to make it official.
Now, it’s my legal obligation to defend the name in those classes. And I have peace of mind knowing that MUDEO is mine.
Should you trademark your name?
If you’re a founder or developer — this question might come up.
And the answer, like most things, is: it depends.
First, let’s talk about what makes a great brand name. When I’m writing names for clients, I’m evaluating on three criteria:
Strategic: Does it express something central about your brand? Your vision? Your point of view?
Creative: Is it appealing? Easy to say? Easy to spell? Visually distinctive?
Technically Available: Can you own it legally? Is a domain available? Is the trademark registerable?
And to determine availability and whether or not you should pursue trademarking, here’s a quick guide:
Conduct research on USPTO: You can do this yourself, or for more complex situations, you may decide to hire a legal professional for clearance and detailed analysis.
If your company name is your personal name + what you do (e.g., “Jane Smith Architecture”), a trademark is usually unnecessary (and, actually, more difficult to register). While personal names can function as trademarks, they’re generally considered descriptive and less distinctive under trademark law. However, over time, you may be able to show that your name has acquired secondary meaning in the market and that people associate your personal name with your specific business (think: Calvin Klein, Ford).
If your company name is a coined or distinctive name meant to stand apart from you as a person, in my opinion, it’s worth registering (disclaimer: this is not legal advice). These names are the easiest to protect legally. They are inherently distinctive — they don’t describe the product or service in any way — so trademark offices are much more likely to grant protection.
If you’re naming a real estate asset (like a building or a development), the decision is more nuanced. If the name is unique and you want to protect it from competitors using the same or similar names, a trademark can be useful — especially if you plan to replicate the brand across multiple markets as a sub-brand in your portfolio. It helps prevent copycats, reduces confusion, and builds equity over time. If you don’t trademark it, anyone could enter the same market with the same name — with no legal ramifications.
If it’s a generic or widely used name (e.g., “The Edge,” “Parkside”), it’s likely not protectable.
Without a registered trademark, you could be putting your brand at risk. I’ve seen a few companies that have been forced to rename because of infringement. Tech startups with nearly identical names have butted heads, and the trademark owner won. CRM platforms that were renamed three times, and each time, lost brand equity and had to start from scratch to build it back up. A legacy firm with three-letter founder acronyms couldn’t operate in another state because of trademark ownership in that market, so they were forced to rename it after a decades-long history.
It’s not just a legal availability. It becomes a business issue. Confusion in the market can mean lost revenue, damaged reputation, or being barred from operating in key markets.
The upside
Here’s the good news: the weirder, the better. If your name is strange, original, or totally made up (like MUDEO), the trademark process is far simpler. Sure, it takes time. And yes, the USPTO uses plenty of legal jargon. But with care and clarity — especially if your name is clearly distinct and your class of services is specific — trademarking is simpler than you may think.
A name is more than just what you call your company. It’s your identity and your reputation in the market. It’s how people remember you, refer to you, and search for you. It’s worth protecting — especially if you plan to build something long-lasting.
I had no idea when MUDEO would go from a sketch in a notebook, to the name of my brand consultancy, but here we are, and I’m still operating in the in-between, as a multidisciplinary design office working with clients across disciplines.
That’s all for this edition of Build Mode! If this resonated with you and you think it might help others, feel free to forward it to a colleague. And if you want to discuss naming, trademarking, or any brand-related topics, get in touch — I’d love to hear from you.
Best.
Kenny Isidoro
See my latest on Instagram, LinkedIn, or feel free to book a call.
Possession is nine-tenths of the law.
— Scottish Proverb
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