Jayne Durden is the Global Director of Trademarks and Brand Protection for Techtronics Industries North America (TTI). Prior to joining TTI, Jayne was Vice President of Law Firm Strategy for Anaqua.
A trademark attorney and solicitor, Jayne previously worked in large, as well as boutique law firms in Australia and the U.S., including Ladas & Parry LLP, Allens, and The Webb Law Firm.
The default position of brands has often been to protect as many marks as possible, driving other applicants out and helping establish a well-known and profitable identity. When names can make or break a brand, a significant number of trademarks are created purely for protection. However, these protective practices lead to a systemic problem. When new entrants to a market are faced with trademark clutter, their only choice is to adopt equally aggressive application strategies. This behavior leads to more clutter and further reduces the available pool of marks for the next generation of applicants.
In 2016 social media users reached 2.3 billion. With an audience made up of consumers, competitors and industry influencers, social media is a melting pot of opportunity and risk. Social platforms have quickly become a go-to platform for engaging with customers. If used correctly, companies have the potential to build an online persona that stands out and drives commercial success… When big brands enforce their trademark rights against potentially infringing smaller entities, the David-and-Goliath-type battle can help to alienate the consumer market. Brands such as M&Ms are now using online personas – developed on social media – to gently enforce trademark rights.