Welcome Address by Ms Liew Woon Yin at ‘IPOS-INTA Asia-Pacific Forum', at Sheraton Towers Singapore
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Mr Bruce MacPherson,
Director of External Relations,
International Trademark Association
Distinguished Guests
Ladies and Gentlemen
- Good morning. I would like to extend a very warm welcome to each and everyone of you to the INTA-IPOS Asia Pacific Forum.
- We hope you enjoyed our little welcome gift of song and dance just now. It is a sampling of what we call our “Uniquely Singapore” experience. This is not only our new tourism tagline but also a holistic brand strategy that brings together the total Singapore experience, both social and economic. Hopefully, for our overseas friends, you will have opportunity to experience more of our uniqueness over the next few days.
- Unique and distinctive. These are essential qualities for a sucessful trade mark. Trade marks are unique and distinctive identifiers that connect businesses with their markets. They are synonymous with business. Way back in 1878, 17 merchants and manufacturers formed the International Trade Mark Association (INTA) “to protect and promote the rights of trademark owners, to secure useful legislation and to give aid and encouragement to all efforts for the advancement and observance of trademark rights.” More than a hundred years on, INTA is right here, for the first time, and still doing what it does best - facilitating business, representing the international trade mark community, helping to shape public policy and to advance professional knowledge and development.
- We are indeed privileged to be able to partner INTA in hosting this important Forum in Singapore.
- Singapore’s own trade mark journey started in 1938 with the establishment of the then Registry of Trade marks and Patents and what a journey it has been since.
- Although I was not there from the very beginning, I count it my privilege to have been associated with the Registry for many years through to its conversion into a statutory board as the Intellectual Property Office of Singapore (IPOS).
- In recent years, it has been especially fascinating to witness the amazing transformation of our world into a borderless global village – interwoven and interdependent. And more importantly for us at IPOS, the rise and rise of intellectual property (IP) as the currency for this new world order.
- In the area of trade marks, they have moved from being mere identifiers of origin to being living emotional relationships with the buying public.
- Take a walk down Orchard Road today and you will literally be bombarded from all sides and in every available space and medium by innovative, attention grabbing collaterals and gimmicks - all from aspiring businesses battling for our mindshare.
- We also have seen our enterprises leveraging on their brands to grow their businesses. Take for instance, a long time favourite seafood restaurant here known as the “No Signboard” Seafood Restaurant. They started life as a small neighbourhood set-up with no specific trade mark to distinguish themselves. Over time, they became known as the “No Signboard” restaurant and they have since established a chain of restaurants operating under that unique trade mark with a flagship concept outlet at the Esplanade itself! Do check out their scrumptious menu if you have the time.
- With all this focus on trade mark and branding, we have taken steps to ensure that our trade mark regime is also up to the mark to stay relevant in this highly competitive business landscape. The new laws came into effect last July.
- In gist, the changes include the following:
- First, the removal of the requirement that a trade mark must be visually perceptible. Businesses here are now free to innovate in using unconventional marks e.g. unique sounds to brand themselves in the market place,
- Second, better protection for well-known marks and improved remedies in civil actions by trade mark owners including the introduction of statutory damages to ease the burden of proving actual damages; and
- Finally, strengthening border enforcement measures by giving more powers to our enforcement officers to take immediate action if they defect any counterfeit goods in the course of their duties.
- So you see, this Forum could not have come at a better time. As we seek to gain a deeper understanding of the issues in the operation of the new laws, this Forum will serve as a valuable platform for all of us to stay in tune with what is happening across national borders in this dynamic region of the Asia-Pacific.
- We have a very exciting programme lined up for these two days. From exploring the legal issues in selecting a trade mark, understanding the benefits and pitfalls of co-branding, the impact of Madrid Protocol, to addressing border enforcements concerns and the usefulness of new and nonconventional trade marks, we will no doubt benefit greatly from the insight and experiences shared by the many industry experts and professionals at this Forum.
- It leaves me now to thank once again INTA, supporting organisations, the Action Community for Entrepreneurship (ACE), International Enterprise Singapore (IE Singapore), Singapore Business Federation (SBF) and the Standards, Productivity and Innovation Board (SPRING Singapore), speakers and every one of you for making this Forum a reality and more importantly, a success.
- I wish you all a very fruitful and enriching time at this Forum. Thank you.
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