Introduction

Brand is the most important intangible asset of an enterprise. In recent years, some forward-thinking enterprises have used brand strategy tools to gain competitive advantages and gradually develop and grow, thereby ensuring that the enterprise long-term development. Today, with highly developed technology and rapid dissemination of information, products, technologies and management know-how are easily imitated by competitors and difficult to become core expertise. However, once a brand is established, it is not only valuable but also inimitable.

Build a brand

Brand is the most effective way to communicate between enterprises and consumers. Good brand publicity can increase the brand's popularity and cultivate brand loyalty, which is to promote the enterprise's Development plays the role of getting twice the result with half the effort. But brand promotion is not something that happens overnight, it is a long-term process.

Brand protection

Basic protection for brands mainly refers to the protection of intellectual property rights for 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.

Now I will talk about the optimized forms of trademark registration:

A. Cross-category registration (very important)

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

For example: 29 categories of food, 30 categories of condiments and pastries, 31 categories of fruits and vegetables, 32 categories of beverages, 33 categories of alcohol, 40 categories of food processing, 43 categories of restaurants and hotels Category, 44 categories of nutrition and dietary guidance.

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.

B. Cross-industry registration (very important)

Let’s use a brand in the catering industry to explain.

1) Involving the "Internet" industry

Now is the "Internet +" era, any industry may involve the Internet, then your brand must register a trademark in the Internet industry .

For example: 9 categories of computer software and programs, 35 categories of company operations, advertising, and chain stores, and 42 categories of computer software-related services.

2) Involving the "transportation" industry

For catering food, you need to deliver it to 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.

C. Similar registration (very important)

Registration should also be considered for trademarks that are likely to be similar to yours.

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. .

D. Transnational registration

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

E. Sub-brand registration

An enterprise 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.

F. Packaging style protection (very important)

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, which is the easiest to imitate.

If the structure of the product is easily infringed by simple changes, it must be protected through a written description, such as applying for a utility model or invention patent.

Product components, process methods, etc. need to be protected through invention patents.

G. Image registration

Images have been used by more and more companies, such as Haier Brothers, QQ Little Penguin, Ronald McDonald, KFC Colonel, etc. The use of these images becomes one of the signs of brand identity, and registration protection can maintain the integrity of brand identity.

H. Other graphic registration

Some brands will design some novel auxiliary logos for better identification, which is also part of the brand registration work.