Simultaneously with registration in the frame of the Madrid System of the trademark „Grüne Erde”, belonging to the Austrian company specializing in fabrication of textile products, cosmetics and ecological furniture, the number of registered international trademarks overlapped a figure of million.
Registration of trademarks often pictures the evolution of consumer preferences, which take account of the economic operators in their efforts to strengthen market. In this case it is about a mark “green”, which reflects the increasing awareness of the importance of ecological aspect of both among the general public, and the business community.
"The trademarks help consumers to choose products consciously. They are some extremely valuable assets. The international registration of trademarks, administered by WIPO, is a profitable way, convenient and rational protection and management of the portfolio of brands businesses, "said Francis Gurry, WIPO Director General.
Reinhard Kepplinger, founder and director of "Grüne Erde", said the company is "delighted" by the international registered trademark number 1. 000 000. "We found that the Madrid system offers a simple and inexpensive registration of international trademarks", Kepplinger said, adding that "Grüne Erde", served by over 300 employees, is an eloquent proof of the fact that “creating a big ecological enterprise being successful in the market is possible ". The company produces and sells a range of about 5,000 products made from natural materials, including furniture, textiles and cosmetics.
Rapid growth in the last two decades the number of registered international trademarks under the Madrid System reflects the globalization of trade and increasingly wide recognition of the importance of trademarks. After recording the first international brand in 1893 by the Swiss producer of chocolate "Russ Suchard & Company”, had to go 93 years in order to have in 1986 500000-th registered international trademark, filed by Swiss company Sandoz AG (which now belongs to the German company BASF SE). The trademark no. 750 000 was filed 15 years later, in 2001 by the German Gesellschaft für microTec mbH Mikrotechnologie mbH. The international Trademark with the number 900 000 was filed 5 years later, in 2006 by the Chaozhou Chinese Fengxi Jinbaichuan Crafts Porcelain Factory, while the mark with number 1 000 000 was registered after 3 years.
Details: http://www.wipo.int/pressroom/en/articles/2009/article_0011.html