26/12/2021
Intellectual Property Services
Brands need to check if their trademark has been registered fraudulently or if unrelated local brands are already using similar trademarks. If so, decide what action to take. Trademark issues also affect local Chinese brands. Large and mid-range brands usually engage lawyers to regain control of their IP.
How is this done?
Brands need to register their trademark and move to invalidate fraudulent claimants, especially online. They may also need to buy their trademark back from poachers. After that, they need to work with e-commerce sites, internet providers and social media in China to have listings and posts from fraudulent sources taken down. Then, they need to re-establish legitimate official social media accounts, websites and e-commerce listings and list reputable distributors and partners. When done well, this process can put a significant dent in the misrepresentation of a brand, but the right partners are needed to pull off this turnaround. This brings us to the next step.
