Major Corsearch acquisition; Singapore IP Week highlights; exclusive interview with Discovery; and much more
Everything we covered on WTR over the past seven days – and all you need to know from the world of trademarks to set yourself up for the start of another busy week.
Monday 24 August
From stakeholder buy-in to new AI tools, in-house elite from this year’s WTR Global Leaders supplement shared their insight on how to affect change in various sectors and their hopes for a better trademark regime. Read more
The EUIPO’s latest Service Charter results revealed the impact that the covid-19 pandemic has had on the timeliness of various office services, with a number dropping into the ‘action needed’ category for the first time in years. Read more
A representative from the Peru National Institute for the Defence of Competition and Protection of Intellectual Property outlined the innovative tools and services that the office has launched over the past few years and shared some of its plans for the future. Read more
Tuesday 25 August
The first news round-up of the week saw TikTok sued by a Vietnamese tech firm over alleged copyright infringement, a Reddit thread on why Amazon “has a serious problem with counterfeit goods” going viral, the first sound mark registered in Saudi Arabia, a huge haul of counterfeit golf products seized in China, and much more. Read more
The Swiss Federal Institute of Intellectual Property has been consistently ranked in the top 10 IP offices for non-core tools and services. This week, the office’s director general shared some of the reasons its knowledge and public outreach are especially praised by local practitioners. Read more
Wednesday 26 August
Among other IP office actions, the Russia Patent and Trademark Office published an interview with head of the registry Grigory Ivliev on how the office has handled the covid-19 pandemic, while the Hong Kong Intellectual Property Department issued another update confirming the continuation of its 'special work arrangements'. Read more
Contributing to a keynote discussion at Singapore IP Week, Etienne Sanz de Acedo, chief executive officer of INTA, called on governments and IP offices to step up efforts to facilitate agile innovation, fight fakes and protect consumers and SMEs. Read more
Corsearch announced that it has acquired search and watch company TrademarkNow, in the latest in a series of high-profile M&As in the trademark services sector. We explained how, with TrademarkNow in its roster, Corsearch is seeking to fortify its position as a one-stop shop for brand protection. Read more
Thursday 27 August
With infringers always on the lookout for creative ways to capitalise on modern technology, online bad actors are a moving target for many brand owners. WTR’s Global Leaders pinpointed the biggest pitfalls that clients face in the digital domain and how these can be avoided through online monitoring tools, prompt UDRP proceedings and savvy counsel. Read more
We examined the Twitter quips between BrewDog co-founder James Watt and international supermarket chain Aldi over a chain of lookalike beer products to reveal how the public battle of wits could benefit both brands. Read more
In a ruling issued this week, notorious trademark filer Michael Gleissner defeated technology giant Apple in a cancellation claim at a Norwegian appeal court. According to one local expert, the case provides a case study on what brand owners with few direct local sales need to do to maintain registrations in Norway. Read more
We presented the key takeaways from Singapore’s virtual IP Week, including discussions around the IP Office of Singapore’s plans to become the ‘go to’ regional IP hub, the United Kingdom’s call for IP business, Lego’s appreciation for brand DNA and how brand protection has changed in the covid-19 environment. Read more
Friday 28 August
In our Friday news digest, we reported on the latest twist in efforts to market Coronil in India, Glossier securing protection for its pink pouch, Pakistan promoting the use of geographical indications, China issuing opinions for destroying infringing and counterfeit goods, and much more. Read more
In an exclusive interview, senior vice president of intellectual property and litigation David Modzeleski explained how Discovery Inc’s IP strategy is just as creative as the company’s TV content creation teams. Read more
With more and more data being released, the extent of covid-19’s impact on the trademark ecosystem is becoming clearer, and WTR analysis suggests that although economies are battered, many major offices are set for record figures. Read more
Saturday 29 August
Issues around media misreporting of trademark-focused stories can elicit a range of responses on the part of IP professionals. This week’s delve into the WTR archive presented a selection of articles exploring instances of high-profile misreporting and misunderstanding, and what can be done to tackle the problem. Read more
