INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY WORKSHOP – 13 NOVEMBER 2019

On 13^th November Business Isle of Man and the UK Intellectual Property Office (IPO) hosted the Island’s first Intellectual Property Workshop, welcoming entrepreneurs and directors from the Isle of Man and UK to educate and share knowledge on this essential subject.

Business Development Manager Kirree Gooberman opened the event explaining the responsibilities of Business Isle of Man and the various sectors it represents, including initiatives to create clusters and provide organisations the chance to come together to discuss industry insights.

The IPO team gave a detailed presentation to attendees on a range of Intellectual Property functions including Trademarks, Copyright, Registered Designs & Patents. Following the talks the team provided the opportunity for attendees to take part in case study-based interactive workshops to put their knowledge and skills to the test.

Some of the areas covered in the presentation include:

TRADEMARKS

Trademarks can be described as “Any sign which is capable of being represented graphically.” This includes:

• Music – published songs, theme tunes & audio marketing
• Shapes – three dimensional & distinctive features
• Packaging – colour, fonts & graphics

In the UK, registering a trademark costs £170.

Did you know ASDA supermarket trademarked their double tap on the back pocket of a customer’s jeans?

COPYRIGHT

Copyright can be described as “The exclusive and assignable legal right, given to the originator for a fixed number of years, to print, publish, perform, film, or record literary, artistic, or musical material.” Copyright can last for different ranges of time depending on the subject, this includes:

• Books & publications - 25 years
• TV & Radio - 50 Years
• Music - 70 Years

Did you know Star Wars has 3,805 copyrights which include the movies, CDs, popup books and even the musical scores in the movies?

REGISTERED DESIGNS

A Registered Design’s function is to “Protect the overall visual appearance of a product”. This includes:

• Shape – lines and contours
• Decoration – Colours, patterns and texture
• Appearance – packaging such as printed food cartons

In the UK a registered design lasts for 25 years but must be renewed every 5 years.

All registered designs can be found at https://www.gov.uk/search-registered-design

Did you know the shape of the Coca Cola bottle is a Registered Design?

PATENTS

To qualify for a Patent the product or service must be a new and innovative solution which performs a unique function. If the product or service provides a positive benefit to the environment, people can apply for a ‘Green’ patent in which the application can be fast-tracked.

All patents can be found at https://worldwide.espacenet.com/

Did you know Isle of Man-based company Strix have become the world’s No.1 Manufacturer of kettle controls with their range of patented products?

Following the event, Business Development Manager, Kirree Gooberman commented:

“I’m delighted a number of people from the Isle of Man and UK attended the interactive workshop hosted by Emma and the team from the UK Intellectual Property Office. We welcome the agreement by the IPO to hold further events on the Isle of Man which will provide business leaders and entrepreneurs the knowledge required to protect their Intellectual Property.”

UK Intellectual Property Office

The team from the UK Intellectual Property Office provide specific outreach to assist businesses with IP problems around the United Kingdom.

Check out the Intellectual Property Office’s website and social media channels below:

IPO Website - https://www.gov.uk/government/organisations/intellectual-property-office

IPO Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/TheIPO.UK/

IPO LinkedIn - https://www.linkedin.com/company/uk-ipo/

IPO Twitter – https://twitter.com/The_IPO