IP For Food & Drink Brands – Getting Started
By Fiona McKenzie-Aiken
Client Liaison & Partnerships Manager
As someone who has worked in the Intellectual Property (IP) industry for over 20 years, I regularly see food and drink brands who find IP a bit scary and complex and who thus avoid getting involved with it.
But could you be missing a trick? Did you know that the IP in your brand has an inherent value, built up from the creativity, expertise and sheer toil that have gone into building it? Add to this the value that has accrued to your brand due to the reputation you have acquired in the market, and you have an important asset that is worth protecting.
It may be that you have a number of brand assets within your business that are worthy of protection, and these might include product and service names, logos, colours, designs, slogans and other items.
What protection can you get and why bother? Trade marks, patents and registered designs are recognised IP rights that give you exclusive rights to use, sell or license your creations, and provide a legal basis to stop competitors from using and copying elements of your brand.
Registering the IP rights within your business can also help attract investors. Ever noticed that it’s a regular theme that comes up on Dragon’s Den?
One of the best ways to look at what IP assets you have within your business and to build a strategy around these, is to carry out an IP audit using a registered Patent & Trade Mark Attorney firm. It’s a quick and simple process and involves reviewing your current and proposed products and services along with your business priorities to give you a clear plan of action in relation to your IP assets.
You may even be able to have over two thirds of the cost of an IP audit covered by a government grant*.
If you’re new to IP, or scared of it, I can identify with that, having come into the IP industry originally as a translator, with no legal training, and having had to learn about the various processes involved from scratch as I gained more experience of these.
But having worked in the industry now for over 20 years, I can now say confidently that IP protection is worth looking at, and not as scary or complex as you might think. It’s simply about making the right IP plan for you.
*See https://www.scottish-enterprise.com/how-we-can-help/business-processes-and-people/intellectual-property-support-for-business for further details.
Get In Touch
Fiona McKenzie-Aiken
E. fiona@cameronintellectualproperty.com
T. 0141 375 7575
Categories: Trade Marks