Secure your business identity Register your trademark and protect your brand

1. What is intellectual property? Intellectual property (IP) is an umbrella term used for human innovations and creativity that are capable of being protected under national law and international treaties. IP includes a diverse range of commercial assets from patents for new inventions through to copyright protected artworks. Use our general Guide to assist you in capturing your IP assets. Protection that requires your action The IPONZ website gives you information about how to register and protect your IP under these categories:
   Patents, Trade marks, Designs, Plant Variety Rights
   visit: www.iponz.govt.nz for more information
   Trade mark FAQs www.iponz.govt.nz/trade-mark-faqs

2. Is your brand name protected? Brand protection is a critical area of any marketing strategy. It's as much about developing a distinct product or design as it is about stopping your competitors from using them. Here are five points to consider on the New Zealand Government Business website when you're planning, protecting and developing your brand. www.business.govt.nz
   
   "For your brand name to be registrable as a trade mark in most countries, the name should not:
   describe a quality or characteristic of the goods or services the trade mark will be used on:
   - be a surname
   - be a place-name
   - be offensive
   - be against law or morality
   - be deceptive
   - suggest Royal Patronage.
   
   Brand names that are made-up words are the most easy to register as trade marks. Made-up
   words can be more difficult to market because they do not communicate anything to the consumer about the product. But using a product description alongside a meaningless brand name fixes this problem.
   
   After you have narrowed down your shortlist of potential brands, the final check is a trade mark
   clearance search. A search makes sure the same or similar name is not already being used by
   someone else. Selecting a trade mark that you cannot use because it is the same or similar to someone else’s brand does not make good business sense." - www.business.govt.nz