I read a brilliantly written article by Joanna Jenson (founder of skincare brand Childs Farm) regarding the importance of IP protection for businesses.

It has a wonderful cautionary tale to business founders / CEOs about a chap that scammed his way into Joanna's offices and then promptly ‘stole’ her business' identity (i.e. registered Childs Farm's logo). It also includes a lovely summary of the key IP rights available to businesses and creators.

The article highlights how valuable (financially and pragmatically) IP assets can be to a burgeoning or established business. To quote Joanna, “Done properly, IP registration turns creativity into a defensible asset that investors value, partners respect and competitors think twice before challenging”.

The only thing I would add is that there can be value in the aspects that also do not fit neatly into these buckets of IP. For example, data and know-how (which may not be protectable by a conventional IP rights). These aspects can instead be controlled by provisions of confidentiality. 

In fact, in some circumstances you may even choose not to protect your IP via a registerable right (even though it is available to you) to preserve the secrecy and longevity of that asset. For example the recipe for Coca-Cola, or KFC's eleven secret herbs and spices (for clarity it doesn't have to be food & drink related!).

If you want to know more about this topic then I just so happen to be an IP-specialist barrister who can advise you on IP registrations, defence of your IP rights, and contractual provisions to protect and commercialise your IP effectively.

Give me a call if you want to discuss these aspects further (and if you know Joanna Jenson then please ask her if she wants to do a podcast with me on this topic…or indeed the person that scammed her!).