You’ve Created Your Product and Brand – Now Protect It

Following on from our previous blog “Create Your Own Brand Products“, you’ve chosen your product range, created your own brand, and maybe even designed some sleek, eye-catching packaging and logos.

This is a huge step and deserves celebration. But before you dive in and make your first order, go through the import documentation and process, marketing and sales, there’s one critical thing left to do: protect your intellectual property.

Building a brand takes time, money, and creativity. So how do you make sure someone else doesn’t copy your logo, your product name, or even the content you’ve created?

This is where trademark and copyright protection come in.

What Intellectual Property Should You Protect?

Once you’ve finalised your product and branding, there are a few key IP areas to consider:

  • Your logo and brand name
  • Your product name(s)
  • Packaging designs
  • Website content, product descriptions, manuals, and visuals
  • Unique product designs or inventions (potentially via patents)

Trademarks: Protecting Your Brand Name, Logo, and More

A trademark protects signs that distinguish your brand—think your logo, product name, or slogan. Trademarks are essential for stopping competitors from using something too similar to what you’ve built.

How to Register a Trademark

Here’s how to register in three key markets:

United Kingdom – Register with the UK IPO

  • Visit: www.gov.uk/register-a-trade-mark
  • Cost: From £170 for one class (think of classes as categories or even hashtags), (plus £50 for each additional class)
  • Time: Usually 3 to 4 months if no objections are raised
  • Tip: Use the right classification—classes determine the categories of products/services your trademark covers.

United States – Register with the USPTO

  • Visit: www.uspto.gov
  • Cost: Starting from $250 per class (TEAS Plus application)
  • Time: 6 to 12 months on average
  • Tip: Hire a trademark attorney or use a reputable service—US filings can be complex.

European Union – Register with the EUIPO

  • Visit: euipo.europa.eu
  • Cost: €850 for one class, €50 for the second class, and €150 per additional class
  • Time: Usually 4 to 6 months
  • Tip: A single EU trademark covers all 27 EU countries.

Once registered, you have the legal right to stop others from using your brand name or logo—or anything confusingly similar.

Copyright: Protecting Creative Work

Copyright protects original content you create automatically. That includes:

  • Website copy and product descriptions
  • Product images and videos
  • Instruction manuals
  • Marketing content (PDFs, blogs, infographics)
  • Logo designs (as an artistic work)

Unlike trademarks, you don’t have to register copyright—it exists as soon as the work is created. However, proving that you created the content can be difficult if someone challenges your rights.

Proving Copyright Ownership with ProtectMyWork.com

This is where ProtectMyWork.com becomes invaluable.

It allows you to upload and timestamp your original work, so if there’s ever a dispute, you have independent proof of ownership.

  • Upload your website content, product guides, manuals, videos, packaging designs—even logo drafts
  • Receive a certificate of proof with the time and date of creation
  • Store your files securely with encrypted protection

This is especially useful when:

  • You’re working with freelancers or agencies
  • You’re pitching to manufacturers or distributors
  • You want added proof if someone copies your online content or design

Bonus: Don’t Forget Design Protection

In the UK and EU, registered design rights can also protect the appearance of your product—such as its shape, packaging, patterns, and layout. This is especially useful for products with unique visual appeal or distinctive packaging.

Design registration gives you the exclusive right to use your design and take legal action against anyone who copies it without permission.

What About Patents? Protecting New Inventions

If your product involves a completely new invention—something truly innovative in how it functions—you might want to explore patent protection.

A patent protects how something works. It gives you the exclusive right to make, use, or sell your invention for up to 20 years. Think about:

  • Dyson’s bagless vacuum technology
  • Apple’s touchscreen gesture innovations in the iPhone

These companies invested heavily in R&D, then used patents to protect their ideas from competitors.

Key Points About Patents:

  • Your invention must be new, inventive, and not obvious to others in your field.
  • You must not disclose your invention publicly before applying, or you may lose your rights.
  • A patent application is complex, often requiring a specialist patent attorney.
  • The process is time-consuming (18–24 months or more) and can be costly—especially if you apply in multiple countries.

Where to Apply:

Patents are powerful tools for protecting groundbreaking products, but they’re best suited to serious innovations—not standard products with a new label or logo.

Use NDAs Before Talking to Anyone About Your Idea

Before you speak with designers, product developers, manufacturers, suppliers, or even marketing agencies, it’s smart to protect your idea with a Non-Disclosure Agreement (NDA).

An NDA is a simple legal document that ensures anyone you speak to agrees not to share, copy, or use your idea without your permission.

Why Use an NDA?

Even if you trust the people you’re working with, having an NDA:

  • Shows you’re serious about your IP and business
  • Creates a legal obligation to keep your idea confidential
  • Can deter misuse of your concept, designs, or strategy
  • Helps protect your position if there’s ever a dispute

When to Use It:

  • Before sharing product sketches, prototypes, packaging designs, or business plans
  • Before showing how your product works if it’s unique
  • Before discussing branding or creative content that hasn’t yet launched

How to Use It:

  1. Download or create an NDA template (ChatGPT will create one for you)
  2. Ask the other party to sign it before any detailed conversation
  3. Keep a dated copy for your records

You don’t need to be a legal expert—just be proactive and organised.

Final Thought: IP Protection Builds Business Value

By securing your trademarks and proving copyright ownership, you add real business value. Investors, distributors, and retailers all look more favourably on brands that control and protect their IP.

More importantly, it gives you peace of mind. You’ve built your brand—make sure you keep it yours.

Ready to Protect Your Brand?

Head over to www.protectmywork.com to start protecting your content today. And if you’re ready to register your trademark, check your country’s IP office or speak with a trademark professional to get started.