Protection for product design – efficient and economical
A good design plays a decisive role in the market success of a product. Whether shape, surface design or packaging – visual features shape perception and differentiate from the competition. Design protection (also known as design protection) secures these features as intellectual property – quickly, cost-effectively and enforceably.
Design protection is particularly attractive through so-called multiple applications: If you register several designs at the same time in a multiple application, you can save considerably on fees and build up a strategic protective shield for your design lines.
What is a registered design?
A registered design protects the external design of a product, for example:
Shape, contour, color, surface or decoration
z.e.g. for furniture, jewelry, clothing, packaging or graphical user interfaces (GUIs)
Prerequisite: The design must be new and unique – i.e. no identical or very similar design may have been published before.
Advantages of design protection
Fast registration (often within a few days in the EU)
Protection period: up to 25 years
Cost-effective – especially for multiple designs in a multiple application
- Enforcement against imitations also possible without technical property rights
What are multiple applications?
With a multiple application, several designs can be submitted in a joint application – for example 5 packaging, 10 furniture variants or 20 pictograms.
By cleverly combining the designs of a multiple application, you can achieve particularly broad protection for your product design.
Starting with the second design in a collective design, you can save considerable fees compared to individual applications.
When is a multiple application particularly worthwhile?
Design lines with several variants (e.g. bottle shapes, furniture sizes, color combinations)
Product families in which different design elements are to be legally protected
Start-ups and SMEs that want to protect their innovations economically
UX/UI designs, icons or graphic elements that are used in many variants
Registration and procedure
creation of the design images (neutral background, clear presentation)
selection of Locarno class(es) (depending on product)
filing as a multiple application with the EUIPO (for EU designs), DPMA (for Germany) or WIPO (Hague Agreement).
registration usually within a few days/weeks
optional: publication deferral of up to 30 months possible – e.g. for designs whose prospects of success are still uncertain
Conclusion
Collective applications are a strategic tool for establishing comprehensive design protection for your product design efficiently and cost-effectively. Registering all relevant variants at an early stage not only protects you from imitators, but also strengthens your position in the market and in license negotiations.
Protect your designs now
Whether packaging, graphics or product line – we support you in developing a protection strategy and the professional registration of your designs.
Arrange a non-binding consultation now – we will check your designs for protectability, identify potential savings through multiple applications and handle the application for you at the EUIPO, DPMA or WIPO.
