In advertising an illegal business, one must rely on accidental and externally generated symbols, a recourse that inevitably causes confusion and instability among the symbols themselves, for there are no laws to protect property rights over the names and trademarks which are created in this way. The "true" trademark is the one that outsiders use, and even if one wants to distinguish oneself from the rest and adopt a new name, the relationship must still be maintained. The real name is that which best conveys reputation and achieves intimidation.

XREF: Connects to discussions around trademark law, informal/black market economies, and how reputation functions absent legal enforcement.

Diego Gambetta, The Sicilian Mafia The Busi…, loc. 362