Copyright law primarily protects which of the following?

Copyright law primarily protects creative expression. This means that it is designed to safeguard the specific ways in which ideas, concepts, and artistic works are expressed, rather than the ideas or concepts themselves. For instance, a novel, a song, a painting, or a film each expresses unique creativity, and copyright ensures that the creator has the exclusive rights to reproduce, distribute, and display their work.

In contrast, ideas and concepts themselves are not protected by copyright; they can be freely used by others as long as the expression remains original and doesn't reproduce protected works. Trademarks and brand names are covered under trademark law, which is focused on protecting symbols, logos, and brand identifiers that distinguish goods or services in commerce. Commercial features of products, while important for business and marketing, do not fall under the scope of copyright law either, as they are often protected through different legal avenues such as patents or trade dress.

Thus, the essence of copyright lies in protecting the originality and creativity behind the expression of ideas, allowing creators to control and benefit from their works.