Intellectual property
Have you packed a favourite book for your travels? Do you enjoy going for a run with your favourite track playing from your smartphone through your headphones? Do you wear a watch, or prefer a particular clothing brand? We rarely stop to think that the objects and services in our everyday lives are linked to some form of intellectual property, which is usually protected by law and international standards.
When we talk about intellectual property, we mean products or services created through human creativity, inventiveness and ingenuity. There are 2 types of intellectual property – industrial property (covering inventions and their patents, trademarks, designs or industrial designs, and geographical indications) and copyright and related rights (written, performed or recorded literary and artistic works).
Trademarks
One of the most effective ways to protect a product or service today is a trademark. Essentially, it is a distinctive sign that enables customers to identify certain products and services as coming from a particular producer and clearly sets them apart from competitors’ products. This is not only about building a marketing name and brand value, but also about providing significant protection for the goods or services against misuse. By registering a trademark, its owner secures an exclusive right, protected by law and international conventions, to use it to mark products or services, and may also authorise another person to use it, normally for 10 years (a period that can, naturally, be renewed repeatedly). A trademark can consist of any sign capable of graphic representation, and you will recognise it by the familiar ® symbol.
The benefits of a trademark
Building a marketing name, choosing a marketing strategy and creating a brand image or product style are all tools for raising brand awareness among your target customers. A brand that customers positively associate with particular goods or services needs to be covered by a trademark, which is why any forward-thinking entrepreneur will remember to provide for trademark protection in their business plan. A registered trademark protects its owner against misleading advertising, piracy, illegal copying, unauthorised distribution and plagiarism, which not only secures the brand owner’s rightful reward but also prevents damage to the reputation of the product or service, most often caused by poor-quality imitations.
Perhaps today you will take a closer look at your watch and realise that it is a collection of intellectual property assets, from patents for the digital display and clasp to the design of the dial or strap. You will no doubt quickly spot the manufacturer’s trademark too – as one of the most effective marketing differentiators, it is usually displayed prominently on the dial.
If you would like further information, please do not hesitate to contact our team of specialists, who are on hand to help and advise you on choosing and registering your trademark. Visit us at https://etuls.co.uk/contact-us/
