“What's in a name? That which we call a rose by any other word would smell as sweet”
The famous words of William Shakespeare, so often prophetic when it comes to the world we live in today, could not have been more wrong if we consider them in terms of commerce and marketing. Famous Russian brands such as Fabergé, Smirnoff and Max Factor (yes really), as well as iconic global brands like McDonald's, Nike and Rolls Royce, would strongly argue that the name, as much as anything, can certainly give brands a sweetness their competitors can but envy.
Firstly, if you are setting up a new business then the name and branding are one of the most critical elements. It is the face of the company, customers will make associations with that name and brands can live or die by them. They could also potentially last a very long time. Decisions regarding your brand name should not be made in haste.
Many important aspects from the marketing perspective are considered when regarding product branding. But the legal ramifications should not be forgotten. Decisions made even at the very start of your business, could have profound (and unintended) effects in the future, especially as the brand becomes more successful. Today, trademark and copyright protection are paramount, especially given that trade often transcends country borders.
Prof-patent can quickly investigate these aspects for you, using preliminary trademark searches. We can assess the trademark ability of the brand before you start trading to ensure that you will have all available legal protection in the Russian Federation.
Whilst you may feel it is not paramount to trademark your brand right now (we can advise you as and when to increase your legal protection), you must at least consider this aspect when creating your brand. We offer full support regarding protection of intellectual property including trademark protection.
Finally, don’t get lost in translation – fast food chain KFC caused serious worry to their Chinese customers when their famous slogan "finger licking good" was translated as "eat your fingers off.”
If you have no idea of how should your trademark/service mark look like - we will help you to name and design it.
