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IV. Defending our IP assets
It is the duty of each employee to watch the market and to report any copies or imitations of our pro- ducts, branding, packaging, advertising and sales materials.
Long term damages to our brands can only be pre- vented if such misuses are immediately spotted and the appropriate legal action is taken. Tolerating misuse risks diluting proprietary elements of our brands and will weaken them. In the extreme, they can even become generic.
To avoid this situation the market place needs to be carefully monitored and action against infringers is to be taken timely. Follow these steps to fight against misuse of our IP rights :
A. WATCH
Carefully monitor the market place to spot any mi- suse of our products, trademarks, communication materials, etc..
Don’t forget that infringements can also occur on online platforms (websites, social media, etc.),when used as a domain name or as part of it, in hashtags, as social media user names, in mobile applications, etc.
Before a trademark is used in the market place, a potential infringement may be spotted already at the registration phase. Group Legal & IP monitors the applications and registrations of third parties’ trade- marks and takes the appropriate measures to have them invalidated in case of conflicting trademarks.
B. REPORT
When you spot an infringement report it immedia- tely to Group Legal & IP to assess if and what legal action needs to be initiated. If you spot a potential infringement:
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Buy a sample
Get a receipt
Make a print screen
Send images or samples to Group Legal & IP
Note all available information: date and place where and when the infringing goods are being offered, producer (incl. address), available quantities, etc.
Provide any “local”/background information about potential infringer and/or product
if available
WATCH
Your IP Toolkit
• Checklist Infringement Report
Key Take-Aways
• Watch the markets and social media sites carefully for misuse of our intellectual property
• Report immediately to Group Legal & IP