Business View Caribbean | November 2020

10 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN NOVEMBER 2020 GUEST SUBMI SS ION jurisdictions recognize some level of protection for un-registered trademarks. However, should infringement occur, the scope of protection for these marks are limited. On the other hand, a trademark that is officially registered with an entrepreneur’s national intellectual property office can safeguard the entrepreneur’s interests on a broader scale, if effectively commercialized and managed. In most countries, trademarks are registered for a period of ten years and renewable for subsequent ten-year terms thereafter. Beyond Trademark Registration: What Matters The registration of a trademark is never sufficient to secure its long-term presence in global markets. Trademarks should be strategically monetized and managed to generate revenue and to sustain brand values in global markets. While a registered trademark may provide its owner with rights to use the mark in association with specific goods or services in specific markets, this right is not indefinite, neither is it absolute. The point is, trademarks can be cancelled or revoked, whether this is initiated by competitors, or wholly by administrative procedures. Given these ever- present dynamics, what strategies can you use to effectively manage your trademarks? Here are three ways of doing so: