DBA is a marketing tool used by companies to promote a shortened version of their official name. It can be incorporated into logos and used in marketing materials. Religious organizations also use DBA to retain control of their official name. It must be filed and approved before use.
DBA or “doing business as” is a designation used by a company in the process of doing business. While not the official company name, this alternative company name is typically something that is easy for consumers to remember, and can also be a shortened version of the official name. Any type of business can employ a DBA from a sole proprietorship to an LLC or S-corp.
Using a fictitious trade name is not uncommon. Many entities are incorporated under an official name, but choose to use a shortened version or variant of that name when marketing goods or services to the public. In many cases, the “doing business as” name is referred to as a trade name, as the designation is used as a marketing or business tool.
It’s not uncommon for many consumers to assume that the DBA is actually the “real” name of the company. This is especially true when the “doing business as” designation has been around for several decades. There are also instances where a popular designation for the company becomes so widespread in usage that the company decides to incorporate under the DBA name.
The shorter fictitious name can be just as powerful a marketing tool as the company logo and can in fact be incorporated into the logo in many cases. Due to the rapid recognition of the alternative trade name, it is not unusual for the DBA to be used as part of the details included in business stationery, website design, and many marketing and sales materials prepared for distribution to the public.
There are also cases of entities other than companies making use of a DBA. In recent years, some religious organizations have adopted “doing business as” names while retaining their original name as part of their official charter. Over time, the DBA replaces the official name in public use. However, using this strategy allows the religious body to retain control of the official name. This makes it impossible for dissenters from the original organization to assume the original name and possibly create confusion in the mind of the general public as to which group represents the source body and which group is a dissent body.
In many locations, any entity is required to file the “doing business as” name with the proper authorities and obtain approval before it can be used. Once approved, the DBA can be used in any type of promotional and sales materials, as well as in audio-visual advertising campaigns, product labels and any other device seen by the public.
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