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I feel like Navin R. Johnson ...


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The Teenage Mutant Ninja guys had a surprise when they found out some countries allow trademarks to go to the first person to file for them, not the people who came up with the trademark.  "You Americans come to my country and want to use my turtle characters without paying me?"  They were stuck with having to buy their own characters back or license them. 

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After the one-full-year turnaround (which I'm told was actually faster than average) it took me to compile, organize and formally file my USPTO trademark case, to monitor progress online (I checked in weekly), and then issue formal responses as needed to federal attorneys regarding trademark pursuit ... I can't even imagine what a similar endeavor would entail in ANY foreign country regardless of whatever property it is you are trying to claim or protect. Especially a very collectively non-English-speaking and politically and culturally dissimilar country.

Then there's the question as to if seeking trademark or patent protection in foreign countries actually even works after all that effort. Fake Rolex watches, Gucci bags, various sporting apparel, and the word "Chibson" immediately comes to mind.

From a marketing and branding standpoint, it seems to me the wisest thing for most resource-stretched small manufacturers to do to protect their brand is simply monitor where and how your brand appears, and be prepared to devise and initiate consumer awareness and education campaigns if you are being violated. You don't need a six-figure investment in an ad firm to do it, you do it yourself through applicable media, social media, and enthusiast hubs (like the one on which you are reading this post). I don't think I will ever have this problem but if for some totally unforeseen reason I do, it's yet another reason I am so, so fortunate and thankful I was a professional journalist and marketer long, long before I ever wound a pickup or fabricated a custom guitar for a buyer. 

Edited by Jeff R
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