Before you can protect your intellectual property, you need to identify what you have. Most businesses have more IP than they realise.
Brand elements
Your brand is often your most visible IP asset. This includes:
- Business name - The name customers know you by
- Logo - Visual representation of your brand
- Taglines and slogans - Memorable phrases associated with your business
- Product names - Names for specific products or services you offer
- Distinctive packaging - Unique product presentation
Creative works
Original content created by or for your business is automatically protected by copyright. This includes:
- Website content and copy
- Marketing materials and brochures
- Photographs and videos
- Software code and applications
- Training materials and manuals
- Product designs and artwork
Innovations and processes
If your business has developed new products, processes, or improvements, these may be patentable:
- New products or product features
- Manufacturing processes
- Technical improvements
- Agricultural innovations
Patents are only relevant for genuinely novel inventions. Most businesses focus their IP protection on trademarks and trade secrets rather than patents.
Confidential information
Valuable business information that is not publicly known can be protected as trade secrets:
- Customer lists and relationships
- Pricing strategies and cost structures
- Business methods and processes
- Supplier agreements and terms
- Technical know-how
- Recipes or formulations
What we do at this stage
We conduct IP audits for businesses, systematically identifying what IP you have, how it is currently protected, and what additional protection may be valuable. This gives you a clear picture of your IP assets.