Intellectual Property Strategies for Timber and Forest Products The Case of Regional Collective Trademark Applications by Japanese Forestry Associations

Journal article

16 pages

2071-1050

In this study, we clarify the motivation for applying for regional collective trademarks (RCTs) and the eects perceived by the right holders of wood and forest products. We further examine the historical contexts and social circumstances of production regions with RCT registrations. A survey of eight right holders, including forestry associations that applied for RCTs, was conducted in this study. We obtained a sucient quantity of perception data for comparisons across dierent production sites. The primary motivations of forest associations applying for RCTs were preventing counterfeit goods and improving awareness and familiarity. It was identified that the relative lengths of the brand histories have impacted the current branding strategies, including the motives for RCT applications. In terms of the perceived eects of RCTs, four RCT right holders perceived the former positive eect of preventing counterfeit goods, and seven perceived the latter positive eect of improving awareness and familiarity. All of the forest associations intend to renew their RCTs. The primary motivation of the RCT holders is not price enhancement. It remains to be seen whether the RCT brands can dierentiate themselves to consumers and constructors in terms of quality or brand stories.

This resource was extracted from the Directory of Open Access Journals (DOAJ)

Published in : Sustainability, vol. 12, no. 5 (2020).

Basel, Switzerland : MDPI, 2020.

English