Hubei: Wuhan Jingwu Duck Neck Association’s trademark strategy
2009/11/06
It is learnt from Hubei-Wuhan Jingwu Duck Neck Cultural Festival that Wuhan Jingwu Duck Neck Association has applied the collective mark for “Wuhan Jingwu Road (武汉精武路)” so as to offset the lost of “Jingwu (精武)” trademark.
The trademark of “Jingwu” has already been registered by Tianjin Jingwu Livestock Breeding Technology Company early in 1996, so enterprises in Wuhan could only use the word “Jingwu” as the prefix or suffix. Early this year, the application by an enterprise in Wuhan for “Jingwu Family (精武人家)” has also been rejected.
Under such situation, enterprises in Wuhan take the strategy of comity. Shu Yanfa, Director of Wuhan Municipal Bureau of Farming & Veterinary believes that, after the application for the collective mark of “Wuhan Jingwu Road” being approved, enterprises could use the double-brand strategy, which is to use the collective mark of “Wuhan Jingwu Road” and the present trademark owned by enterprises themselves at the same time.
However, an expert from Hubei Huazhong Trademark Law Office suggests that, it would be better for enterprises to build up their own brands rather than limited by the “Jingwu” mark as “Hankou Duck Neck” or “Wuhan Duck Neck” are the ones being recognized by consumers.
Source: IPR in China