Trademark protection is not a luxury, it is essential for anyone who wants to build a strong and recognisable brand. An investment in registering and protecting your trademark is an investment in the future of your business.
In an era of global competition, the speed with which business ideas are generated, the ease with which more and more trademarks are created, the unambiguous identification of your business and the protection of your trademark are becoming crucial to the success of your business, as they are an invisible and invaluable asset to your company. Standing out in the marketplace has become a super-important part of what companies do, regardless of what they produce or what services they provide. And it doesn’t matter if it’s global or local.
Millions of trademarks are filed each year. It is increasingly difficult to create a memorable brand. It is the ones that are faster and more forward-looking that count.
Why register a trademark?
There are at least 15 benefits to registering a trade mark. Ambitious, forward-thinking businesses will certainly find them a justification for seeking protection.
- Protection against competition and counterfeiting: Your registered trademark gives you the exclusive right to use it in the market in which it is registered and for the products and services for which it is registered. It protects your business from unfair competition by preventing other companies from using signs similar to yours. In this way, you are protected against possible imitators and have the legal tools to fight for your rights. Unfortunately, there is no shortage of people in the world who are willing to use someone else’s trademark for free.
- Protection from ‘brand thieves’: There are times in the marketplace when someone wants to use someone else’s trademark to register it and resell it to the rightful owner. Finally, your competitors may register it to prevent you from extending your brand with entirely new products or entering a new market. By protecting your trademark, you are better protected against this.
- Legal tools to fight for your rights: Registering your mark gives you the right to prevent bad faith use of your mark and to use legal tools if someone uses it without your permission or to your detriment. You can ask for a cease and desist order, compensation or even an injunction. You have more rights than you think. This makes your rights more concrete and easier to enforce. This is something you do not have without registration.
- Improved brand image. Marketing benefits: A protected trademark builds a stronger brand image over time. Customers perceive communicatively consistent, registered brands as more credible.
- Trademark increases goodwill: Trademarks are a company’s intangible capital, valued in monetary terms. Protecting your brand increases its value. Proper protection has a long-term positive impact on a company’s valuation. Often the sale of a brand can be the culmination of a founder’s life.
- A trade mark increases customer confidence: A protected trademark demonstrates a company’s professionalism. About its well thought-out processes, about the good quality of the product. We can all tell whether something is a brand or not. A registered trademark is therefore a guarantee of the quality of a product or service.
- Your ticket to foreign markets: If you want to operate in a global market, it is worth protecting your trademark. It gives you the security to operate outside your own country. It protects you from unexpected legal disputes.
- Sell or license the trademark: A protected trademark can become a source of income. You can license or sell it. This can open up new business opportunities.
- Access to the best distribution channels: Often distributors require the appropriate certificates. A secure trademark makes it easier to establish partnerships. You can reach a wider audience.
- Border protection: Protecting your brand gives you peace of mind that your products are safe. Marks are better protected against counterfeiting. Your brand is also protected in transit.
- Security in foreign markets: By protecting your trademark, you are investing in your presence in foreign markets. A protected trademark minimises the risk of litigation. Your promotional activities will yield better results.
- Support for expansion: Protected trademarks are often more readily recognised by funding bodies. You can count on additional benefits when expanding your business. This helps you build a strong market position.
- Domain priority rights: Today, the Internet domain is crucial. With a secured trademark, it is easier to reclaim your domain if it is already taken. Your online presence will be more consistent with your brand.
- Attract investors: A registered trademark is more attractive to potential investors. It shows that you care about your intangible assets. It makes negotiations easier and attracts capital.
- Brand as collateral: In some situations, a brand can be treated as financial collateral. Banks value companies that take care of their intellectual property. Your brand becomes a real asset.
In summary, trademark registration is not a fad. Nor is it a pose to be magnified to make a company look bigger than it is. Even an ambitious small business that has found its niche and has the know-how to protect its trademark is paving a safer path to the future. Whether that future is near, in the foreseeable future, right here around you, or far away, in the distant future. The distant road of overseas expansion.