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Trademarks are vital intellectual property (IP) assets that can determine the success or failure of your brand. If your business has multiple protected trademarks you will have a competitive edge and the ability to establish your brand in the market.
On the other hand, if your trademarks have weak protection you could be risking loss of revenue, a damaged reputation and a diminishment of your valuable brand assets.
To ensure that you can grow your brand, you need to know what trademark maintenance is and why it is vital for brand protection. In this blog we’ll be covering a number of topics, including:
Trademark maintenance refers to actions that businesses or individuals can take to maintain the validity of their trademarks. A federal trademark will last 10 years after registration and can be renewed by the owner as long as the owner continues to use the trademark in ordinary commerce. However, for the trademark to continue to be legitimate throughout these ten years, and beyond, it must be properly maintained.
Trademark maintenance commonly consists of five basic elements: renewal, tax, cautionary notice, affidavit of use, and proof of renewal of registration.
So, why go to the trouble of filing renewals and affidavits of use? Why is it important for your brand to maintain your trademarks? The simple answer is that your intellectual property must be protected if you want to grow your brand and stand out from competitors.
By maintaining your trademark you protect your brand, stop other businesses from using your IP and establish a path to legally safeguard your content. Your trademark may concern a symbol, a word or a phrase that over time becomes completely identifiable with your brand. If, through poor trademark maintenance, you let anyone use your trademarked content you may allow your brand’s reputation to suffer and become confused. This inevitably leads to the loss of revenue and the dilution of your brand’s impact.
Brands that properly maintain their trademarks and use them effectively can quickly become household names and establish their position in the market for years to come.
To ensure you can maintain your trademarks for many years it helps to avoid some of these common mistakes:
Red Points’ Trademark Monitoring Software is a great way to boost your trademark maintenance. Through monitoring and the takedown of trademark infringements Red Points will support the value of your brands’ trademarks. Here are some of the ways our software can help:
Trademark maintenance is a continual process that can be informed by solid principles, modern technology and a proactive approach. Businesses must pay attention to the five elements of trademark maintenance as well as any potential issues during the timeline of their trademarks to keep them valid and enforceable.
A Trademark Monitoring Software like Red Points can help businesses with a cost-effective solution for trademark maintenance by providing early detection of potential infringements, monitoring for unauthorized use, quick response to infringements, and reputation management. By properly maintaining their trademarks, businesses can protect their intellectual property, stand out from competitors, and establish a position in the market for years to come.