BrandDevelopment
Finding new names for products or services, or even for entire companies, has become a complex task, especially in the context of globalisation. On the one hand, aspects of naming and trademark law play a role, because the new name or logo must be free of third-party rights and also accessible to appropriate trademark protection. In addition, linguistic and cultural aspects must be taken into account to avoid the newly developed name or logo having a negative connotation in a foreign language or culture.
We can support you in this area with our research skills and also contribute our international experience in branding. We provide this branding service, i.e. the development of brands, for you under our service mark brandeur®.
The name branding is the first step in which a brand name is developed as a word. Then, a special graphic design of the newly created brand name is drafted and the corporate identity colours for this brand are defined. Finally, a memorable brand slogan is developed that is intended to convey the brand message.
A product or service that is only offered under its generic name is arbitrarily substitutable. The consumer cannot associate it with a specific original source. Advertising is then almost ineffective.
In order for a product or service to be successfully positioned in the market, it must have an individual name. The more memorable and independent this name is, the faster it can develop into a strong brand name. And only a strong brand name can be effectively anchored in the minds of market participants.
So the first step in introducing a product to the market is to find a name.
The brand name should be protected as a word mark or word/figurative mark in the most important markets before the product is launched..
© 2025 Dr. Wolfram Schlimme
Many people have a visual memory and remember images particularly well. For this consumer group, an icon or a logo is the ideal marker for the origin of a product or service. A logo can also be an important recognition feature if a product, for example for historical reasons, has different names in different markets.
The second step in introducing a product to the market is thus to create a figurative mark as a visual recognition element.
The figurative mark should be protected in the most important markets as a figurative mark or a word/figurative mark before the product is launched..
© 2025 Dr. Wolfram Schlimme
A slogan is an advertising message (advertising claim) that conveys a core statement about a product or company to consumers in a short and concise form. A slogan should reflect the corporate philosophy and, if the slogan is associated with a brand, the core values of the brand.
Finally, in a third step, the most important advertising message is to be worded in a slogan.
The slogan should be protected as a word mark or slogan mark in the most important markets before the product launch..
© 2025 Dr. Wolfram Schlimme
A short and concise sequence of tones can identify a product or service as a product by creating an association between the sequence of tones and the product. Typical examples of this are telephone ringtones or jingles that mark radio or television broadcasts. A jingle is a short sequence of notes or melody that serves as an audible means of recognising a company or a product in the form of a memorable phonetic sign. A jingle may also contain lyrics that reflect the advertising slogan for the product or company. For such aural signs, trademark protection is available as a sound mark.
© 2025 Dr. Wolfram Schlimme
Sensory branding
Sensory branding is not aimed at the visual perception of a sign, i.e. it does not appeal to the eye, but to other senses, such as hearing, smell or touch.
Olfactory branding
A certain unmistakably defined scent can also be suitable for characterising a product in the sense of an indication of origin. If this scent can be clearly described and the other requirements for trademark protection are met, it can be placed under trademark protection as a so-called olfactory trademark, i.e. a scent trademark.
Haptic branding
The sense of touching can also be an important element in the marketing of a product, in order to be able to recognise the product by means of an individually identifiable and tangible shape or surface design. In principle, such a sign can also be protected by trademark as a tactile mark, provided that it is describable and suitable as an indication of origin.
© 2025 Dr. Wolfram Schlimme
The design of a product can be so special that it functions as an indication of origin. The consumer can then recognise from the typical design of the product or its packaging that this product comes from a very specific manufacturer. In some rare cases, even the colour or combination of colours of the product, its packaging or its point of sale can indicate the origin of the product to the consumer. However, such an indication-of-origin function of colour is often only given after a very high degree of reputation has been reached.
For design brands, trade mark protection is available as a three-dimensional mark or as a colour mark. Therefore, in addition or as an alternative, it may be useful to apply for design protection of the shape of the product or its packaging as a registered design..
© 2025 Dr. Wolfram Schlimme
