What are the best practices for protecting your brand in trademark registers?

Satirical adaptations of well-known brands have become a common thing and profitable market for many lesser-known companies. Besides being an effective mean to attract more customers, parody products can also be a good defence against trademark lawsuits, as in many cases, brand owners have limited options to enforce their rights against satirical adaptations.

Brands tend to evolve and undergo numerous changes over time. Many companies have changed their names to cater to a larger audience, either by altering their original logos for a more modern look or abandoning controversial words in their slogans. As the company expands beyond its planned offerings of goods and services or decides to take a different direction altogether, usually what follows are certain changes or even complete rebranding. A common question is then: can trademarks change over time? Well, it depends.

“Our continual drive for excellence made us the best selling durag brand in the UK. Last year, we began trading on Amazon and found the marketplace to have a handful of rogue sellers who attempted to tarnish others’ brand reputation. This issue was quickly dealt with after trademark certifications were provided to Amazon.” Read the full story of Alvin Mills, the founder of ShyneDurags, who continues in his goal to create the #1 online destination for afro hair care.