Which Reputations Does a Brand Owner Need? Evidence from Trade Mark Opposition

Georg von Graevenitz

Discussion Paper Series of SFB/TR 15 Governance and the Efficiency of Economic Systems from Free University of Berlin, Humboldt University of Berlin, University of Bonn, University of Mannheim, University of Munich

Abstract: At least two: the reputation of their brand and a reputation for being tough on imitators of this brand. Sustaining a brand requires both investment in its reputation amongst consumers and the defence of the brand against followers that infringe upon it. I study the defence of trade marks through opposition at a trade mark office. A structural model of opposition and adjudication of trade mark disputes is presented. This is applied to trade mark opposition in Europe. Results show that brand owners can benefit from a reputation for tough opposition to trade mark applications. Such a reputation induces applicants to settle trade mark opposition cases more readily.

Keywords: trade marks; opposition; intellectual property rights; reputation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: K41 L00 O31 O34 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2007-07
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-int, nep-ipr, nep-pr~, nep-law and nep-mkt
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (11)

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