The Value of Trademark Industry Data 

In the corporate world, trademark data and industry trends can reveal much about competitive filings and sectoral performance.

When trademark practitioners talk about ‘trademark data’, they often refer to the data related to trademark applications, refusals, and renewals held by the Intellectual Property offices in each territory globally. The focus of this data generally lies in its relevance to the particular portfolio or potential trademarks that they are handling at the time.

The broader value of trademark industry data 

There is a broader application for trademark data when analyzed as a whole and when broken down by vertical, industry, products, or other variables. In a 2019 paper titled “All the great things you can do with trademark data: Taking stock and looking ahead¹” by Carolina Castaldi, the value of trademark industry data as a research area is examined.

She highlights 3 key issues that form the basis of the lack of study in the area to date: 

1. Limited access to trademark data outside of the field of trademark professionals and the variation in the amount of work that needs to be done to put the data to use; 

2. A consequent preference for other data sources, particularly patent data; 

3. Existing studies harnessing or containing trademark data tend to be published across a variety of research areas and they may not be aware of what is available or indeed, possible. 

She also identifies 3 core constructs and separately 3 contexts to which trademark industry data can add significant value. Assets, strategies, and capabilities are the constructs which serve as indicators of the trademark owners’ achievements and capacity in each. 

Global trademark filing trends 

The Corsearch Trademark Industry Report, last published in 2017, was refreshed in 2023 and brings a wealth of trademark data, broken down by region, industry, and products. The report shows that global filing activity remains strong across regions, indicating continuing investment in both innovation and the protection of registrations. Filing patterns remained mostly consistent over the past two years, and the companies featured in the top 50 remained largely the same. 

The report provides a benchmark for law firms to ensure their clients are keeping pace with competitors. Trademark data and industry trends shine a spotlight on competitor filing patterns and growth within a sector. The report can inform IP strategies and help identify unexplored revenue opportunities. It can also provide early warning that your competitors are expanding into new markets. 

The Corsearch Trademark Industry Report also reveals key trends. Two trends that have emerged from this 2023 edition are that: 

1. Applications in China have been declining, while overall filings across many industries have remained stable; and 

2. Several industries also show a pattern of narrowing the gaps between the top five filers, in terms of the volume of filing activity over the past five years. 

It is true that trademark data can be difficult to access (and certainly to analyze!) for those outside the industry and more difficult to acquire across a large volume of regions. That is why Corsearch has harnessed its best-in-class trademark data and the analytical power of TrademarkNow to uncover trends, patterns, and other valuable information. These insights are essential for both trademark professionals and those interested in keeping their finger on the pulse of developments in their own vertical. 

Download the Trademark Industry Report 2023 

See an overview of trademark filings by product class, industry, jurisdiction, and originating country and our deep dive into 11 industry groupings.

The report offers:

• A benchmark for law firms
• Insights into sectoral performance
• Help in identifying growth vectors
• Early warning of competitor activity

References 

[1] https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1476127019847835