Power Up Protect Your Brand by Dr. Catrina

Most business people understand the basics behind brand management and generating a company’s identity through its brand. So, we are just going to review the basics of that here. What many business people do not understand is how they need to protect their brand and other intangible assets, like their company’s other intellectual property. Therefore, we are going to do a high level run through of the different types of intellectual property assets and how to protect those assets for your business. 


Your brand is more than just your logo! Your brand is the sum total of experiences that your prospects and customers have with you, your company, or your organization. What is your Brand Identity? Your brand identity is made up of the visible elements of your brand, including the colors used, the design, and any logos present. It is also the manner in which your company presents itself to the public and distinguishes itself from its competitors in the minds of consumers. To sum all of this up, it is what you, consumers, and potential consumers see. Your brand identity is important, because it tells your story in the marketplace. You want your brand identity to create loyalty, awareness, and excitement in the minds of your customers and potential customers. 


There are other intangible assets that your company may have and need to manage appropriately. For example, if your company has developed any novel or specialized system, method, or material, then you might be eligible for a patent on that. A patent will help you protect that idea, give you a period of time to have exclusivity in the marketplace, and give you ammunition to fight with if someone tries to come to the marketplace with the same or similar idea. Patents must be requested from the US Patent and Trademark Office. 


An intangible that works hand in hand with your brand is a trademark. A trademark is a registration, tied to a geographic location, which puts everyone on notice within that geography, who the provider of a particular product or service is. The intent of the trademark system is to help prevent consumer confusion in the marketplace about the source of goods or services. Simply put, it is to help the customer know who really made the product. Your trademark, rooted in the strength of your brand, can provide extra protections for your products and services, by providing you mechanism to keep imposters off your “lawn” so to speak. Trademarks are requested by product or service, and by geography,  


One other important intangible, a copyright, protects artistic expressions. Books, movies, paintings, songs, and photographs are all protectable via copyright. This also can tie heavily into your brand, because things such as your logo may contain copyrightable elements or might be copyrightable itself. You might also deal in copyrightable products, so your business has to be aware of the rights it owns, the rights it may not own, and what rights it wants to own, and take all of those things into account in its dealings. Copyrights have to be registered with the US Copyright Office. 


All of these intangible assets have value. All of them work together, along with your brand to add value and worth to your company. Identifying these assets and protecting them is paramount toward your powering up and protecting your brand, your company, and your future. 

Learn about Dr. Catrina at www.pullcorp.com 
Twitter: @PullCorpMedia

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