Do you need to register your trade mark?

You may view the trade mark registration process as costly and expensive. Or you may not see the value in protecting your brand. You may be willing to take a risk by not doing so, because 'nothing ever happens to you'. 

We suggest you think again. There are 100s of New Zealand business who get caught up in trade mark spats each year. You may not realise this, but most disputes are settled behind the scenes. 

Some real life examples of disputes where the outcomes could have been different if the vulnerable parties had conducted trade mark checks and sought registered protection for their trade marks are as follows: 

• Wellington cafe owners forced to change name.
• 12-year-old kiwi girl draws ire of Nickelodeon.
• Ownership battles over fashion brand names reach the New Zealand courts. 

If you're still not convinced that you need a registered trade mark, check out this video. It features a New Zealand company who re-branded their gin range after a trade mark spat with a foreign company: 

Got any questions? Contact us, we're happy to help.