Every company or brand needs protection. But what does this brand protection mean?
The law of the United State of America ensures the safety of each brand’s intellectual property (IP). These intellectual properties include trademark, business secrets, and business license. It also helps in defending against counterfeiters, copyright violations, business contract abusers, and other sorts of IP violations.
Brand protection provides a shield to every business. It does not only secure revenues but also maintains credence and reputation within the industry.
With the rise in e-commerce, everyone has access to your business regardless of time, place, and person. This has led to the prevalence of IP infringement and violation. Depending on your business you do need offline or online brand protection.
How does brand protection work in the US?
The first step towards brand protection is registering for the trademark. A trademark can be a logo, a name, or an identifying factor that can be found on your product.
Trademark is a brand’s identity. Just like the unique name of Facebook with its own blue color is its identity. Each trademark needs protection so that only one business can use it.
In the US, the trademark administration is run by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO). All trademarks in the US are secured by the Lanham Act. The United States follows the rule of first to use get the rights. This means if someone has used a particular trademark before even registering it first, then they get that trademark rights.
The whole process for trademark registration includes selection, searching for uniqueness, preparing for application, application submission, documentation, and waiting for approval.
For the brands that want to register in more than one country, it is better to follow the Madrid protocol or system. The Madrid system allows trademark protection in various countries with just one application.
How does online brand protection work?
After registration of the trademark, you need to register your brand names and various IPs with online media such as Amazon Brand Registry.
You also need to buy the domain name for your website, this will be your global identity and a huge asset. By buying domain names that contain your intellectual property, you can take steps against the offensive domains and fight against domain hijacking and cybersquatting.
For any online brand protection, it is imperative to record brands and copyrights with the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) after registering in the US. It is under the CBP officers’ jurisdiction to prevent infringing goods and block them from coming into the United States.
Also always keep an eye on online brand activity, by doing so many infringement scanners due to their advanced algorithm can detect violations of IP. This will then help to enforce the IP rights and takedown of intellectual property infringement products and bring you full IP protection.
Bottom line: Online Brand Protection in the USA
Brand protection in the USA is quite a solid deal. The US has a tight system to ensure that no product or copyright infringement could occur. The key is to get your business registered, applying for all the rights to your intellectual property, and viola, you are settled.
I am Adeyemi Adetilewa, the Editor of IdeasPlusBusiness.com. I help brands share unique and impactful stories through the use of online marketing. My work has been featured in the Huffington Post, Thrive Global, Addicted2Success, Hackernoon, The Good Men Project, and other publications.
