Conducting trademark registration in Dubai and other relevant global jurisdictions is critical for all businesses including those operating in the aviation sector. Trademarks are the most important brand asset for aviation businesses and it is critical to register them to protect your brand name, logo and slogans. Trademark registration involves certain laws, mandatory requirements and standard procedures that can be navigated with the help of trademark agents in the UAE.
If you don’t hold a UAE-registered trademark for your brand name, you’re putting your aviation business’ brand, reputation and revenues at risk. Conducting trademark registration is not mandatory in the UAE. However, running your business without registering a trademark is like a pilot who chooses to operate the plane without first doing a safety check. Things may seem normal without an unprotected brand until your competitor registers a trademark similar to your brand name.
Instead of jeopardising your valuable brand, you must register your trademark in the UAE as early as possible. Now, let’s learn a bit more about some top tips aviation businesses need to know about protecting their trademarks in the UAE or worldwide.
First Register Brand Name, Then Logo
Some business owners mistakenly think that trademarking their logo first is a smart idea as opposed to registering their brand name for trademark protection. However, this is not a robust trademark strategy as your customers recognise your brand through its name. Since your brand is key to building more customers and revenues, competitors may be keener on infringing your brand name compared to the logo. This means you must protect your brand name first instead of the logo.
Check if Your Brand Name is Strong
You need to assess the strength of your brand name before applying for trademark registration in the UAE. A brand name that directly describes your product or service or its attributes and quality will be considered as weak and will not be granted registration. A strong trademark can be formed by inventing or coining words that didn’t exist before being used as a trademark. Famous examples of string trademarks formed by coined words include Kodak, Exxon, Lexus and Verizon. Trademark agents in the UAE can help you to assess the strength of your proposed trademark.
Check if Your Brand Name is Available
Before applying for trademark registration, business owners need to check whether their proposed trademark is similar to any previously registered mark. If similarity exists with an already registered mark, the owners of the original trademark can file an opposition against it. If the opposition claim has merit, your application may get rejected by the UAE Trademark Office.
You can carry out a trademark search in the UAE to see whether your mark is identical or similar to existing marks. Trademark agents in the UAE can carry out the process by searching the official trademark database. In this way, you can ensure your trademark is not infringing the IP rights of other trademark owners. Availing trademark search services in the UAE is key to ensuring successful trademark registration.
Carry Out International Trademark Registration
Conducting international trademark registration is critical for aviation companies due to the global nature of their business. However, it will be costly for a business to file individual trademark applications in each country where it has a business interest or presence. This problem can be easily eliminated by registering a trademark through Madrid Protocol for international trademark registration.
Administered by the World Intellectual Property (WIPO) organisation, the Madrid Protocol allows you to register a trademark in more than 120 countries through a single application. Moreover, you can apply in a single language by paying a single set of fees. The UAE has become a party to the Madrid Protocol on September 28th 2021, making it easier for the local brand owners to protect their trademarks worldwide. Trademark agents in the UAE can help you navigate the regulations of the Madrid Protocol.
Monitor a Trademark for Potential Infringers
Once you have a UAE-registered trademark, you need to ensure that it remains safe from infringers. As the legal owner of your trademark, the onus is on you to ensure that no other business offering similar products/services is using the same or a confusingly similar name. However, business owners will be too busy to focus on monitoring their trademarks. You can monitor your registered trademarks in the marketplace by availing of trademark watch services in the UAE. Trademark agents in the UAE can watch the marketplace and identify the brands that offer similar products/services using the same or a confusingly similar name.
Protect your Aviation Brand with Trademark Agents in the UAE
Carrying out trademark registration in the UAE for your aviation brand is an investment to secure the future of your brand. However, you need to adhere to certain legal requirements for which you can consult with trademark agents in the UAE such as Jitendra Intellectual Property (JIP). JIP offers the best trademark services in Dubai, especially trademark registration/renewal, trademark search, trademark watch etc. Consult with JIP today to secure the future of your brand with robust IP strategies.