Trademark data is a valuable resource that goes beyond legal records. While it plays a crucial role in brand protection and registration, it also provides a window into commercial activity. In our recent report Trademark Filing and Litigation Trends 2024, we explore the insights and opportunities revealed by analyzing trademark data.
The value of trademark data
Every month around one million new trademark applications are filed at intellectual property offices around the world.
Each of these new applications tell a story.
They represent investment into new commercial activity from brand name to logos and corporate identities to market expansion. Every trademark record contains information about its owner, the nature of their business (through Nice Classes), and where they are active. Aggregating and analyzing this data allows us to track trends and make forecasts for industry sectors and national economies.
For over 110 years, Clarivate™ has meticulously collected and enhanced trademark records. With a global collection of over 147 million trademark records and 7 million trademark cases, we have the unique ability to analyze trademark filing and litigation data at scale.
Revealing global and regional insights
In this report, we look at trademark filing and litigation trends since 2010 at six major trademark registers, the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Mainland China, Japan and South Korea.
At a global level, a long-term growth trend is clear– more trademark applications are filed each year than in previous years. Yet, there are national variations and this growth ebbs and flows. By analyzing these six key trademark registers, we uncover both global and regional trends.
Key takeaways from the report
- Stability and Growth: After three years of volatile trademark filing activity worldwide, 2023 marked a return to stability and growth. Despite lower filings compared to 2022, the overall data indicates a positive trend.
- Pre-Covid-19 Trends: The report highlights a return to the pre-pandemic stable growth model. This suggests that businesses are adapting and recovering from the disruptions caused by the pandemic.
- Prominent Nice Classes: Three Nice Classes came out on top when looking at filing activity across the analyzed registers. This includes Nice Class 35 (retail and business services), Class 9 (technology) and Class 41 (technical services).
- East vs West Shift: Trademark filing giants Japan and Mainland China are experiencing a decline in growth, while the U.K. trademark register maintains a robust trajectory since the “Brexit” referendum. The East and West are reshaping the trademark landscape.
- Top Applications: Within the report, we identify the Top 20 applicants at each of the major trademark registers in 2023. Overall, we see applicants from Mainland China are filing large numbers of trademark applications in the United States and Europe while American brands are still dominant on the global stage.
- Litigation Trends: Although applicants from Mainland China file over 20% of all U.S. trademark applicants, litigation trends indicate that filers from Mainland China are unlikely to vigorously defend these marks. A similar trend appears in the EU and the UK.
Brand creation is one of the key engines of economic growth. 2024 is on target to be a near record year. Download a copy of Trademark Filing and Litigation Trends 2024 to understand what is taking place at major trademark registers around the world and to identify opportunities for brand owners, brand creators, and brand protectors alike.
Helping you build, protect and expand strong brands.
At Clarivate, we aim to help you anticipate and navigate the ever-evolving challenges and trends that impact the global trademark ecosystem. This is our Think forward™ promise — we will work to connect you to intelligence you can trust to ensure an IP-empowered tomorrow.
Contact us today to learn how to access Clarivate trademark data that unlocks valuable insights and informs strategy.
