Identify yourself: the number of personal brands has grown by one and a half times
The activity of the self-employed who register their own trademarks has increased one and a half times over the year, according to the Rospatent. Such an opportunity for individuals appeared in the summer of 2023. Especially often applied for naming in the spheres of production of clothing, footwear, software, household chemicals and cosmetics. About what gives a personal brand and how to protect it - in the material "Izvestia".
In competitive conditions
Self-employed for a year and a half submitted to the Federal Service for Intellectual Property almost 25 thousand applications for registration of personal brands, reported "Izvestia" in Rospatent. These individuals received the right to their own trademarks at the end of June 2023. From that time they can become owners of brands for their products, create a recognizable website. Previously, this opportunity was available only to legal entities and individual entrepreneurs.
On June 29, 2023, Federal Law No. 193-FZ "On Amendments to Part Four of the Civil Code of the Russian Federation" came into force on June 28, 2022. It gave a start to applications for trademark registration from individuals (self-employed).
- The opportunity to register personal brands immediately became popular among Russians without the status of sole proprietorships, - said the head of Rospatent Yuri Zubov. - In the second half of 2023, they filed 9427 trademark applications with Rospatent. And from January to September 2024 - already more than 15.5 thousand.
Thus, he noted, the activity in this direction has increased more than one and a half times.
According to him, the share of self-employed citizens accounts for about 15% of the total number of applications for trademark registration. In just nine months of 2024, Rospatent received 100 thousand such applications from legal entities and individuals. They include the segments of clothing and footwear (21.5% of applications), software and electronics (17.9%), household chemicals and cosmetics (13.6%), printed products and stationery (11.8%), as well as confectionery and bakery products (11%).
The opportunity to obtain their own trademark provides citizens with equal opportunities with legal entities and removes a number of administrative barriers, said Yuri Zubov.
- A personal brand helps the self-employed to promote their services and goods both on traditional markets and on marketplaces," he said. - The high application activity demonstrated by citizens confirms the prospects opened for them.
The Ministry of Economic Development explained that a registered trademark allows the self-employed to compete in the market on an equal footing with companies and sole proprietorships.
- This is an additional tool for the development of personal brands and promotion of goods and services, - noted in the press service of the department.- It emphasizes the uniqueness of the product and contributes to the formation of its additional value due to the recognition of the product, its quality and other consumer characteristics, as well as protection of the end consumer from counterfeiting.
The ministry recalled that as of July 2023 there were more than 8 million self-employed in the country, and by the end of September 2024 their number already amounted to more than 11.4 million.
At the same time, domestic business in general traditionally shows a high interest in branding of its products and services, noted in Rospatent. The activity of entrepreneurs in the registration of trademarks has been steadily growing over the past 10 years - since 2015. The number of applications to Rospatent for trademarks from Russians increases on average by 15% per year.
- If in 2015 there were 34,304 such applications, in 2023 this figure exceeded 123 thousand, - reported in its press service. - That is, the branding activity of Russian entrepreneurs has grown 3.5 times during this time.
Entrepreneurs from Moscow, Moscow region and St. Petersburg register trademarks most intensively.
Why do you need a trademark?
Interest in trademark registration is largely due to the active implementation of personal brand as a business card, explained Ilya Kurakov, lawyer of the Intellectual Property practice of K&P.Group.
- In the conditions of the modern market, the age of technology and the Internet, any specialist can become the "face" of his field, attracting the audience to his services or products," he said.
He added that having a well-formed personal brand helps establish trust with clients, employers and partners.
- People willingly trust those who have a clear idea of their values and mission, which directly affects the size of their customer base," the expert said.
In addition, a successful and strong brand can attract attention and lead to cooperation with large companies or partners, with its help such opportunities as running their own projects and startups, as well as attracting investors become available.
- Personal brand is not just a trend, but an important tool that directly affects the relevance of a business," said Ilya Kurakov. - In this regard, the issue of applying legal mechanisms for its protection becomes relevant, and the best option is trademark registration.
This opportunity significantly increases the demand for products that have their own history behind them, said Ivan Galkin, counselor at O2 Consulting law firm, in a conversation with Izvestia.
- Of course, it cannot be ruled out that easier access to trademark registration will to some extent increase the number of unfair "squatter" practices, " he admitted.
"Squatters" is a current problem in the market: such organizations register a large number of trademarks for the subsequent filing of lawsuits in court for alleged violation of their right to a particular brand.
However, Ivan Galkin noted that so far there have been no reports of mass attacks on the self-employed by "squatters".
But the self-employed and other entrepreneurs have the opportunity, having registered a trademark, to protect it in the future. Thus, when applying to the court in connection with the violation of their rights to it, the amount of compensation can be from 10 thousand to 5 million rubles.
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