Sector

Trademarks and #Hashtags

Companies have been using hashtags on their social media posts to increase brand awareness and encourage consumers to talk about it. But there are potential pitfalls, too, such as when a carefully cultivated hashtag ends up being associated with nega...

Creating a family business: Surnames and trademarks

Choosing an appropriate business name is crucial when launching a business because the name will affect the development and impression of the brand.

BARISTA as a trademark?

Oat milk company’s bid to register BARISTA as a trademark in New Zealand successfully opposed

Hope for the best, prepare for the worst: Consequences of winding business down for a brand

Russian courts have demonstrated willingness in numerous cases to protect a trademark even if its owner is based in an “unfriendly” country. But risk of cancellation exists if the brand leaves the market entirely. Evgeny Alexandrov and Alina Grechikh...

What are your IP rights to internet slang and memes?

Internet slang and memes are meant to be fun and entertaining. But when a Hong Kong advertising agency registered a popular Cantonese internet saying as a trademark, netizens were quickly doing their best Grumpy Cat impressions. What rights does the...

Vote now for 2022 Asia IP Awards

We have sifted through submissions and researched all the major jurisdictions across Asia and the Pacific to put together a shortlist of the 2022 Asia IP Awards. And it’s now your turn to vote.

Vote now for Asia's leading IP firms and practices

Delhi High Court says Controller General’s inaction is ‘unpardonable’ in Bridgestone case

In a writ petition filed by Bridgestone against an order passed by the Controller General of Patents, Designs and Trademarks, the Delhi High Court passed a notable judgment on October 12, 2022, observing that the inaction/negligence of the Registrar...

Singapore: Dispute over trademark rights to famous “Eng’s” noodle shop decided in favour of late fou...

A June 2022 decision by the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS) provided a first instance ruling for a trademark dispute pertaining to the name of a famous noodle shop in Singapore.

Brand owners should have mechanisms for monitoring IP infringing content

Trademark incident involving Amazon and popular Indian beverage underscores need to have such mechanisms

Copyright violations make up bulk of complaints by Indian users received by Google in July 2022

IP lawyer suggests ways to fight online infringement amid increasing complaints

Degree of protection for short word marks is low

Drew & Napier’s Yvonne Tang discusses this key takeaway from a recent trademark case

The fight against trademark squatting in China

Trademark squatting is a serious problem in China. Ivy Choi discusses strategies to combat squatting with IP lawyers, who warn: Sometimes, buying a mark may not be such a bad idea. The purchase price may be lower than the costs involved in a legal ba...

Qatar, Germany ink deal to develop trade for small, medium-sized businesses

Partnership aims to open Doha office for German business group.

Asia IP China Strategies 2022

Exclusive updated about the IP scene in China, from experienced local experts.