Businesses invest a great deal of time and money in developing and marketing a product or service. It is therefore understandable that they wish the public to recognise those products or services as being theirs and theirs alone. Registered trade marks serve this function extremely well.

A trade mark assures consumers that the product or service they are buying comes from a recognised source. It identifies the owner of the brand and serves to differentiate its products or services from those of its competitors. It avoids confusion and helps develop a loyal customer base.

Registering a trade mark is relatively inexpensive and the benefits of registration include the following:

• Reduces the complexity of any enforcement action a brand owner may need to pursue
• A trade mark registration can be used to prevent others from registering and using identical or similar marks for conflicting goods or services
• Can add value silently (without ever needing to be enforced) by acting as a “keep-off-the-grass” sign to ward off potential imitators
• Exclusive rights in the trade mark in relation to the goods/services for which it is registered
• Entitlement to use the ® symbol next to the registered trade mark. Further information on the proper use of a trade mark is available here
• Providing Trading Standards and Customs Officers and the police with the ammunition they require to bring action against counterfeiters
• Adding tangible value to a business; much of the wealth of some of the world’s largest and most successful companies lies in their registered trade marks
• A registered trade mark becomes tangible property and can be licensed, franchised or assigned for valuable consideration