This is a great explanation from INNOVUS - http://www.innovus.co.za/pages/english/intellectual-property/trademarks.php TRADEMARKS Introduction Registered trade marks are governed by the South African Trade Marks Act (1) (“the Act”). Unregistered trade marks are protected by the common law, but these rights are harder to prove and do not provide the same degree of protection as a registered trade mark. … Continue reading Registered trademarks & common law trademarks in South Africa
Tag: CIPC
A brand is the identity of a specific product, service or company and may contain names, signs, symbols or slogans. The brand name is quite often used interchangeably within "brand", although it is more correctly used to refer to written or spoken elements of a product, service or company. If the brand name identifies the … Continue reading Is there a difference between ‘brand’ and ‘trademark’?
Please see the full article here from BD Live: http://www.bdlive.co.za/companies/2014/09/30/no-smooth-sailing-yet-for-new-cipc-website-online-systems No smooth sailing yet for new CIPC website, online systems THE launch of the new website and online transactions services of the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (CIPC) has not been without glitches. Related articles Crash aside, the new-look CIPC means business CIPC website back up … Continue reading CIPC systems down and no smooth sailing in sight…
The new CIPC website, launched earlier this week, is still down and no indication was given by CIPC as to when we can expect a fully-functional portal again. We apologise to our clients for delays caused by this. We will commence your work as soon as we are able to.
This is a journal that CIPC publishes on a monthly basis, and it contains information on the patents,trademarks, designs, copyright, cinematography and films that exist in South Africa. It also includes information on the approved and disapproved patents on a monthly basis. This Patent Journal is obtainable from Government Printers in Pretoria. I wanted to … Continue reading What is the Patent Journal?
If the company or close corporation was deregistered, can the company or close corporation still be re-instated (restored)?Yes but only if proofed that the entity was holding property or was active at the time of deregistration. Once a company or close corporation has been “final deregistered”, the company or close corporation or any other person may … Continue reading FAQ About reinstating a close corporation or company
You need to determine whether another business is already using a trademark that's identical or similar to the one you want to use to ensure that you won't violate someone else's trademark rights. If you are sued by a trademark owner for using its trademark, at the least you can be forced to stop using … Continue reading Why do I need to conduct a trademark search?
From CIPC: Intellectual property (IP) enforcement When a right holder discovers that his intellectual property (IP) rights have been infringed, or are about to be infringed, the focus of his attention shifts. He may have previously concentrated on how to obtain and make use of his respective rights, but now his attention will concentrate … Continue reading Intellectual Property enforcement
When deciding upon a brand strategy or trademark, be careful not to choose a name that is too generic - the registrar will ask you to acknowledge the fact that your proposed mark is common and this will weaken your trademark.Naming an invention involves developing at least two names. One name is the generic name. … Continue reading Brand name vs generic name
After registering your name, it is vital to upkeep the value of your company or product name. This involves using your trade name throughout your company on websites, brochures, and invoices. Don't forget to use the "®" symbol after you have approved registration from CIPC. If you haven't registered your trademark, you can use the … Continue reading Trademark maintenance
Trademark24 