Company name registrations with CIPC versus trade marks
What is the difference between a company name registration with the Companies and Intellectual Property Commission (“CIPC”) and a trade mark registration with CIPC? Why wont my company name registration protect my brand? These are just some of the questions regularly asked by our clients.
Although both company registrations and trade mark registrations are administered by the CIPC they are placed on two different search and registration databases and therefore no automatic cross-referencing occurs between the two.
A company registration does not protect your brand from other persons using the brand (name) in relation to the goods and services of interest to you. Whereas a trade mark registration will allow you to protect and reserve the exclusive use of your trade mark in respect of specific goods and services from use by a third party.
Contact us at to learn how you can protect your brand through trade mark registration.
Janine is the Director of Janine Nainkin Inc and has been a practising intellectual property attorney for more than twenty five years. Clients seek her expertise when it comes to South African IP Law, knowing they can trust her advice...