How do I monitor other trademark applications?

“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.

Many entrepreneurs still consider trademark registration to be the least important step in the process of establishing their brand. This can become a big issue. Not registering a trademark from the start leaves a company vulnerable to potential copycats and other forms of brand infringement that can significantly damage its reputation and hamper growth.

In 2021, the IPO received a record 196,639 trade mark applications, a 43.5% increase from 2020 which was the previous record year for trade mark applications [1]. Both the number of applications and trade marks registered have been consistently rising since 2011. As the numbers continue to grow in 2022 we can observe a number of trends that continue to influence the world of IP rights.