More and more international fashion brands have begun to focus on the Asian market, but it is not so easy to enter smoothly. First of all, there will be a big battle in the field of trademarks.
The Italian clothing brand Diesel was ready to open the Malaysian market, but jumped out: a local company had sold jeans and T-shirts under the name of Diesel. Diesel's trademark was registered in Malaysia in the mid-1980s and later developed into an Asian brand Bhd. The local company sells jeans and T-shirts washed with sand and their prices range from 20 to 37 dollars. This stumped the Italian Dissel. Diesel was founded by RenzoRosso at 1978, and was launched at 199 1? Towards a successful life? Slogan, complicated and exquisite hand-made and elaborate design make it expensive? Noble? Jeans usually cost more than 130, and T-shirts cost 45- 150.
People all over the world can buy diesel except Malaysia. Diesel CEO AlessandroBogliolo said. ? I'm really sorry. ? He predicted that Diesel will enter Malaysia and Indonesia this year, which can bring annual sales of 654.38 billion US dollars, or account for a high percentage of the brand's global sales of more than 654.38 billion US dollars.
10 years ago, this local Malaysian company challenged Italy's Desai to sell leather handbags in Malaysia. Now, it prevents Italian diesel from entering this promising market in Asia. The Italian company Desai is appealing to the Malaysian High Court, hoping that they can sell clothes and shoes locally under their own brand names, so as not to damage the trademarks of Asian brands.
Trademark wars were also staged in China. The first brand to win the trademark war in China was American menswear MichaelBastian. China Trademark Review and Adjudication Board (TRB) ruled that the trademark registration of a third-party organization was invalid, and MichaelBastian obtained the right to use his brand and translated name in China, ending a five-year dispute. Bastian's lawyer said this was for? The confidence of foreign famous brands to enter the China market? .
Although this result makes American brands proud, TRB's decision will not change anything. This decision is only because MichaelBastian's opponent is a notorious organization, which registered the trademark 120, but it has nothing to do with these brands. If MichaelBastian's Chinese trademark owner is related to the fashion industry, this person can keep it in all likelihood. There are still many foreign brands in China, such as Sotheby's, pop singer britney spears, NBA star Michael Jordan and KobeBryant.
The trademark war in Asia is becoming more and more fierce, largely because it is a market that has attracted much attention. M.Ravindran, a partner of RavindranAssociates, a Singapore law firm specializing in intellectual property issues, said that global brands? I hope to do something in these countries, because it is more and more important for them to protect their bottoms. ?
The 14 international licensing exhibition held in Hong Kong on June 5438+ 10 this year attracted more than 20,800 brands from more than 100 countries, an increase of 5.6% over last year, making it the largest licensing exhibition in Asia. Many brands of fashion life and clothing are also involved. The middle class in Asia is constantly developing, and they are more willing than ever to buy famous brands and high-quality services to show their personal taste. Therefore, the demand for brand authorization and franchising is growing. Among the international authorized industries, the sales of fashion life and clothing are the highest, reaching $57.3 billion in 20 14. The fashion life section of this authorized exhibition includes both classic brands and trendy brands, including the publisher of Cosmopolitan, Hearst and so on. AdamCooper, director of publishing and international licensing of Hearst, said that his group will soon open their branded coffee shop in the United Arab Emirates, which may be more successful than developing lifestyle licensing business in Asia.
Governments all over the world pay more attention to the protection of intellectual property rights. Through the system monitored by the World Intellectual Property Organization, brands can simultaneously register trademarks in more than 100 administrative districts. More and more countries, including China, are tightening their intellectual property laws, making it easier for global companies to protect their brands. Baradube said that even so, the implementation of trademark law in Asia is still uneven. He is the chief operating officer of Strategic Intellectual Strategic Information, which advises Diesel and other western brands on intellectual property issues.
Selling well in China? New balance? Last year, he was fined $6.5438+0.6 million. China subsidiary of NewBalance was ruled by a court in China for infringement, and it was forbidden to use it again? New balance? This translation is called marketing, because this brand has been registered in China. DanielMcKinnon, senior intellectual property consultant of NewBalance, said that the shoe factory has attracted two lawsuits.
In trademark disputes, real money is often more fragile than resorting to law. In 20 12, Apple paid $60 million to Proview, an electronic subsidiary, to buy its iPad trademark in Chinese mainland. At that time, some critics thought that the money was only a small part of Apple's spending in this dispute, but it ended a long-running struggle. Proview had registered the trademark of iPad in many countries at that time.
In Indonesia, POLO shirts similar to the PoloRalphLauren brand can be seen everywhere, because some local companies have registered the deformed trademarks of the brand. RalphLauren said that while seeking to enter the market, they are also doing their best to protect and strengthen their intellectual property rights. An Indonesian company PTPrimaJayaPantesGarment said that it? No plans to hitchhike? Take advantage of RalphLauren's reputation. According to the company, PrimaJaya's logo is different from RalphLauren's logo in letters? Po. And then what? LO？ There is a polo player riding a horse.
Law firm McCarter &; HarleyLewin, a British partner, said that people who steal trademarks often hide their identities through offshore shell companies, and it is difficult to prove to the court that they are maliciously registered trademarks. Some experts believe that in extreme cases, genuine brands may need to spend millions of dollars to buy trademarks through third parties, otherwise they will leave those fast-growing markets directly. Mr. Bogliolo, Chief Operating Officer of Diesel Italy, said that we hope to sell freely in this market. ? Foreign fashion brands are eager to develop the Asian market, and it is still unknown whether the future trademark war can earn chips for them.
(Translation: Liu Zhuolan)