• 2 Jan 2013

Trademark Activity Builds in Middle East Region

New Report Reveals Opportunities for Multinationals Seeking Global Growth

Thomson CompuMark, global leader in trademark searching and brand protection solutions, has released a new report, "Trademarks in the Middle East: A New Frontier for Brand Expansion," which details the rise of the Middle East as an emerging hotbed for trademark growth as both domestic and U.S. companies have begun to work diligently to protect their brands in the region.

The following are among the key findings in the report:

  • The Emerging Consumer Market: In 2011, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates were the top five trademark-publishing countries, driven by a largely consumer marketplace. While Israel has published the most trademarks in the region since 1990, Saudi Arabia led the pack with nearly 25,000 trademarks in the past year. Overall, the spike reflects a 600 percent increase over the last 22 years.
  • Pharma on the Frontlines: Of the top 10 trademark filers in the region for 2011, half were pharmaceutical/health care companies. They included Johnson & Johnson (one), Sanofi (two), GlaxoSmithKline (three), Merck (five), and Novartis (six).
  • Expensive IP: With no centralized patent office, brands looking to secure trademark protection across the Middle East must do so on a country-by-country basis. The fees for filing trademarks are substantial and at times can be more than triple the cost in the United States.

"Our analysis reveals the Middle East is an opportunistic region for any multinational firm seeking to expand globally," said Jeroen Lallemand, product marketing director, Thomson Reuters IP Solutions. "While there isn’t a one-size-fits-all trademark strategy for the politically and culturally diverse region, with the right knowledge, investment of time and resources, brand owners are in the best position in years to grow a strong consumer base."

The data in this report was compiled using SAEGIS on SERION® from Thomson CompuMark to identify trends in trademark applications, registrations, objections and claims between 1990 and 2011. Referred to as "One World. One Source," SAEGIS on SERION, an online trademark screening solution, centralizes the largest comprehensive collection of screening databases available anywhere, including the Middle East.

Related Information

To view the full Trademarks in the Middle East report, visit: http://trademarks.thomsonreuters.com/resources/special-report-middle-east

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Thomson CompuMark develops and delivers intelligent trademark information and trademark research services. We provide trademark and brand professionals the information needed to protect the value of brands while reducing the time, costs, complexity and risks of managing trademark portfolios. For more information, go to http://compumark.thomson.com.