Trademarks

The connection between trademark protection and democracy runs deep but it's crucial to acknowledge that even in authoritarian regimes, intellectual property (IP) rights, including trademarks, are safeguarded.

Published in The Trademark Lawyer Magazine, Vera Albino dives into the African continent, focusing on the example of Eritrea, a country that presents its own particularities with regard to trademark protection.

The African Continental Free Trade Area Agreement (AfCFTA) was signed on March 21, 2018, at Kigali, Rwanda, where 44 out of 55 African Union member states appended their assent to a landmark treaty.

The Africa Intellectual Property Rights and Innovation Project (AfrIPI) is an international cooperation project funded and directed by the European Union (EU), co-founded, and implemented by the EU Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO), that aims to facilitate intra-African trade and African and European investment.

Barbie is a trending topic, no doubt, but it's not just an example of marketing and advertising. Throughout its history, Intellectual Property has always been present. To frame historically, Ruth Handler, co-founder of Mattel, realized her daughter, Barbara, preferred her dolls to embody an adult role and appearance, unlike the standard and purely childish dolls of that time. This recognition led her to identify a potential gap in the market.

One fundamental aim of every civil justice system is the efficiency, assuring that any administrative or judicial institution be capable of decide in a timely and cost-effective manner, without compromising the quality and legitimacy of the process, which is known by the principle of procedural economy or judicial economy.

This principle is particularly important in the context of the European Union, where multiple institutions, including the European Commission, the European Parliament, and the Council of the European Union, are involved in the decision-making process.

In today's world of mass consumption and standardization of products, protecting a brand is essential for success. Vitor Palmela Fidalgo shares his opinion on the crucial practice of ensuring trademark registration before starting promotional activities and on the strategic necessity by advising “Never begin using or advertising a brand without having the registration requested”.

We live in the digital age where most advertising is now done through social media and influencers. Product advertisements have transitioned from TV channels to influencers promoting them on social media platforms like Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, and others. The difference now is that advertising is often accompanied by product reviews. Influencers test the products and then share their opinions about them.

We are proud to see Inventa recognized in the Leaders League ranking of the best firms in Portugal for 2023 in "Trademark Prosecution" (Leading Firm), "Patent Prosecution" (Leading Firm) and "IP Litigation" (Highly Recommended Firm) categories, with a particular highlight on the performance of Vítor Palmela Fidalgo, Vítor Sérgio Moreira, and João Pereira Cabral.

Due to increasing competition between companies in multiple countries, trademarks have become essential in commercial activities and represent a great value to the success of a business, as they distinguish its products or services from those of competitors. 

In Angola, like in many other countries, trademarks are an important part of the trade dynamic and are protected by law, under the Intellectual Property Act, Law No. 3-92 of February 28, 1992. 

During the 2023 Annual Meeting Live+, in Singapore, INTA Daily News shared the thoughts of three of the authors of "Guide to Implementing and Managing CSR Programs": Rachel Tan (Principal and Global Head of Trade Marks, Rouse), Daniel Reis Nobre (Managing Partner at Inventa) and Adjoa Anim (Trade Mark Director, HGF).

The guide, prepared by the Brands for Better Society Committee, shares the best practices for brands, including those in their early stages, to adopt and maximize the impact of their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives and programs.