When the brand culture is recognized and accepted by the market, the brand will generate its huge market value. Of course, all-round brand protection must also be started quietly, so how to enhance the value of the brand and protect the brand?

Brands need basic protection and extended protection

Brand protection is mainly about It refers to the protection of intellectual property rights such as trademarks and patents, as well as whether there is any harm to the brand during the brand management process. Intellectual property rights such as trademarks and patents are basic protection, while the latter is extended protection.

1. Basic protection of trademarks

Basic protection of brands mainly refers to the protection of intellectual property rights of brands, including trademarks, patents, copyrights, etc.

Trademark registration requires a lot of knowledge. When many people register a trademark, they only register the single category it involves. In fact, this is very wrong and has great hidden dangers.

The correct approach is to register in all aspects vertically and horizontally, not only for similar trademarks, but also for similar industries or even all industries.

Optimized forms of trademark registration:

1. Cross-category registration.

For example, a brand in the catering industry will involve many trademark categories.

29 categories of food, 30 categories of condiments and cakes, 33 categories of alcoholic beverages, 40 categories of food processing, 43 categories of restaurants and hotels, and 35 categories of chain operations.

By registering across categories, the same brand will not appear in other related categories, and there will be no legal trouble when the brand is extended.

2. Cross-industry registration.

1) Involving the Internet industry.

Now is the "Internet +" era. Any industry may involve the Internet, so your brand must register a trademark in the Internet industry. For example: Category 9 computer software, Category 35 company operations and chain services, Category 38 data and communication services, computer terminal communications. Class 41 Publishing of online electronic books and magazines, providing online electronic publications. 42 categories of computer software related services.

2) Involving the transportation industry.

Catering food you need to deliver to your customers. Or you need to provide semi-finished food to the hotel, which will involve 39 categories of transportation, packaging, refrigeration, etc.

For example: 390048-Transportation, 390086-Commodity packaging, 390028-Goods storage, 390043-Frozen food cabinet rental, 390020-Package delivery.

3. Approximate registration.

For trademark names that are likely to be similar to yours, you should also consider registering them.

For example: Wahaha’s trademark registration includes not only Wahaha, but also Wahawa, Hahawa, Hawaha, etc. There are more than 70 types of anti-counterfeiting registrations alone, ensuring foolproof brand protection. .

4. Cross-border registration.

Trademark protection is regional. If you want a trademark to be protected in that country or region, you must register a trademark in that country or region.

There are two channels for cross-border trademark registration: For enterprises or individuals from contracting countries of the Madrid Agreement to register trademarks in the contracting countries of the Agreement, they can register their trademarks internationally through the International Bureau of the World Intellectual Property Organization.

When registering a trademark in a country that is not a party to the Madrid Agreement, the "country-by-country registration" method is generally adopted, and registration must be carried out in each country one by one.

5. Sub-brand registration.

A company may have multiple brands, that is, a main brand and several sub-brands. For enterprises that have implemented a sub-brand strategy, it is necessary to register the names of each sub-brand.

6. Packaging style protection.

Apply for patent protection for unique product packaging styles.

In the early stages of brand development, it is more about how to protect yourself, and direct protection must be adopted. The outer packaging of the product that is directly displayed to the public must apply for an appearance patent. This is the easiest to imitate, and the structure of the product is easy to infringe through simple changes. It must be protected through a literal description, such as applying for a utility model or invention patent. Product components, process methods, etc. need to be protected through invention patents.

7. Image registration.

Mascots have been used by more and more companies, such as the little penguin of QQ, the Colonel of KFC, etc. The use of these images has become one of the signs of brand recognition. Registration and protection can be maintained. Integrity of brand identity.

2. Extended trademark protection

Extended protection means that in the management of the brand, enterprises must be careful to avoid behaviors that are inconsistent with the core value of the brand and cause harm to the brand. For example: launching products or product concepts that are inconsistent with the brand's core values, and launching communications and activities that are inconsistent with the brand's core values.

1. Vertical protection.

Vertical protection means that in terms of time, the brand should stick to one theme for communication, and should not change the theme easily and launch advertisements that are inconsistent with the theme.

In the process of brand management, we should insist on "speaking with one voice". If it is positioned as "masculine" today and "passionate" tomorrow, the message conveyed will be confusing. The brand image is extremely negative.

2. Horizontal protection.

Horizontal protection means that in the promotion of the brand during the same period, a unified image should appear, and advertising, public relations, promotions and other behaviors should be coordinated and cannot fight or offset each other.