Do I Need a Trade Mark for My New Event?

Are you launching a new event? If so, you should make sure to protect your branding. Your branding is key to attracting new attendees and ensuring that past attendees come back. One way you can protect your event’s brand is by registering a trade mark. Registering a trade mark will protect your rights to a particular name, logo, colour, image, symbol, sound or slogan. In order to obtain the exclusive rights to use it, you must register your trade mark with IP Australia. This article will discuss the benefits of protecting your event with a trade mark.

Do I Need a Trade Mark For My Festival?

There are many different types of festivals. Your event could be a celebration of:

• culture;
• music; 
• food and wine; or
• local talent. 

These events can bring communities together and may be a highlight in your local calendar. As anyone who has ever organised a festival knows, however, they also require a lot of work. When organising your festival, you will need to consider factors such as the:

• location and venue;
• dates and running times; 
• first-aid arrangements;
• licences; 
• transport; and
• security.

Just as important as these factors is your publicity. How you market your event will have a major impact on its success. Well before you launch your event, you should think about:

• what you will call your event;
• who your target audience is; and
• how many people will come.

An important step in your marketing strategy may be registering a trade mark for your brand. As festivals are typically run on an annual basis, many organisers may not think that registering a trade mark is necessary. However, even if your event only occurs once a year, a trade mark is still an effective way to protect your brand. This is because a trade mark guarantees exclusivity. If your festival is successful, people will be more likely to attend the next event you host. If you do not have a trade mark, other businesses could use elements of your branding to advertise their own events. 

Do I Need a Trade Mark For My Charitable Event?

Businesses and organisations that host fundraising or charitable events may not prioritise brand protection. However, strong brand awareness can help to spread your message and encourage people to participate or donate. 

To support your event, you should consider registering a trade mark. Although several charitable organisations may raise money for the same cause at any given time, a trade mark can distinguish your charitable event from the rest. This is important if your event becomes popular or well known.

For example, the Movember Foundation registered trade marks to protect their brand and ensure that people could easily identify their campaign. This also allows donors to have confidence that their funds will be directed to the correct campaign.

Key Takeaways

It is important to promote your festival or event effectively. Registering a trade mark is an important way to ensure that your event’s brand and publicity can only be used for your benefit. If you have questions about registering a trade mark for your festival or event, contact one of LegalVision’s trade mark lawyers on 1300 544 755 or fill out the form on this page.