Black Country law firm Higgs & Sons says it has seen a rise in trademark registrations over recent months, as companies seek to protect their brand’s assets in increasingly competitive markets.
Amy Shakespeare, a solicitor in the commercial department at the firm, said: “We have noticed a significant increase in enquiries for trademark applications. It would seem that local businesses are seeing the importance of a strong brand in these challenging economic times.”
The findings at Higgs & Sons are reflected in recent UK Intellectual Property Office statistics, which said the number of trademarks successfully registered had increased to 27,962 in 2008.
In a recent Interbrand survey, the value of the world’s top brands was as high as $68.7 billion, with Coca-Cola, IBM and Microsoft topping the list of the most valuable global brands.
Ms Shakespeare added: “Registering trademarks and keeping an eye on competitors are the first practical steps to take in protecting and developing a business brand. And those brands don’t need to be valued at several billion dollars for companies to recognise and experience their significance in terms of business growth and value.”
