A strategic approach to
registered designs can
really solidify your market
presence and boost your
goodwill, which in turn
strengthens your ongoing
profitability.

Unlike patents, design registration protects the visual appearance of your
new and distinctive product, rather than its function or composition. In a
consumer world where looks can trump even functionality, this is a big deal
for your competitive edge.

Design registration can also be lucrative in the long-term if you decide to
commercialise. You can sell your registered design for a one-off payment, or you
can license it to leverage ongoing royalties and increase your value over time.

Design registration confers a range
of powerful protections.

It is clear that design registration delivers a variety of commercial benefits and
financial opportunities. However, the benefit to you of registering your design
can go even further in terms of safeguarding you from the actions of your
competitors

Design registration is a powerful
deterrent against imitators, so can
be used to successfully hinder your
competition.

If a design is registered, this prevents other parties from copying the new and
distinctive visual features of that design. This safeguard is comprehensive, and to
an extent, even includes protecting future visual changes and improvements to
that design.

Design registration also augments the existing and potential patents that make
up your overall IP strategy, conferring an additional layer of valuable protection
and opportunity. In addition, if a third party uses your registered design without
your permission and your design is infringed, you can recover damages where
your sales have been detrimentally affected.

However, the protection that design registration affords you does not stop there.
Registered designs can also prevent competitors from lodging their own
registrations that may conflict with your registered design. In this way, your
registration will prevent others from attaining valuable legal protection.

Once your design is published, the registered design then becomes ‘prior art’ for the purposes of any design application that is filed thereafter. This is enormously beneficial because, subject to jurisdictions that have local ‘novelty’ requirements (for example, New Zealand), publication is at times recognised worldwide, meaning that a registered design in Australia will in many circumstances prevent a competitor from obtaining a design registration for an item with the same or a similar appearance overseas.

We are experts in evaluating, filing and managing your registered design.

At Platform IP we are passionate about design. Unlike some other IP firms
where design protection can be more of an afterthought, our understanding
of the design market, and our expertise with design registrations is
unmatched. When you bring your design to us, we will identify the full range
of potential problems, and then deliver creative solutions, working with you
to innovate your design without impacting on functionality.

We will expertly manage every detail along the path to registration, and establish
a strategy that not only protects you, but also ensures that your design is
commercially viable, delivering you the highest possible returns.

We will expertly manage every detail
along the path to registration, and
establish a strategy that not only
protects you, but also ensures that your
design is commercially viable, delivering
you the highest possible returns.

We are prominent filers of registered designs, providing personalised advice that
is seamlessly aligned with your business needs. We will evaluate and innovate
your design, expertly determine protection scope, and implement a strategy that
protects you into the future while delivering ongoing commercial benefits. We are
also deeply experienced in securing and protecting designs for some of the
world’s most well-respected and known companies from across all industry
types, technologies and product categories.

Our design experts can file and prosecute design applications in both Australia
and New Zealand, and will also coordinate applications in international
jurisdictions including the Asia-Pacific, the United Kingdom, North America and
the European Union, with the assistance of our expert global IP attorney network.

Our IP attorneys also provide commercialisation advice for your design, including
strategies for assignment and licensing to ensure that you are maximising your
returns. We also offer portfolio management services, infringement and validity
advice, searching and watching services, design registration renewals and
revocations, and we manage litigation and dispute resolution processes.

Talk to a Design Attorney today.

Searching and monitoring

Searching and monitoring is a meticulous and ongoing process that is crucial to
maintaining your protection, because it keeps you up to date on both new and
existing designs, as well as in the know about what your competitors are up to.
At Platform IP we monitor and carry out exhaustive searches of the design
register so that you can make confident business decisions with peace of mind
that you are not infringing on the IP rights of your competitors.

We also remain comprehensively informed about your competitors’ activity by
conducting regular searches for the publication of new design applications and
registrations, so that you are protected from competitor activity that has
potential to infringe on your registered design.

Portfolio management

At Platform IP we also strategically manage your design portfolio, so that you can
be sure that the full scope of your protection is maintained over time, and that
your commercial viability is maximised now and into the future.

As part of our portfolio management service, we monitor deadlines for design
registration renewals, as well as manage payment of all of your renewal fees so
that you will never be caught out by cut-off dates. Our systems, processes and
expertise in managing this crucial aspect of your overall design registration
strategy ensure that your valuable time can be spent on managing your
enterprise rather than on time consuming, complex portfolio administration.

Industrial Design & Support

At Platform IP, our local and global network of industrial designers are involved at every stage of your design concept, from point of ideation to manufacturing management and support. Working closely with Platform IP, our network of designers are always in the know. They become informed of any validity and infringement concerns early-on during ideation and concept development.

Is your design idea ready for 3D prototyping? Find out how we can help.

Our Design Right
Services & Expertise

Services

Patents

Protect, grow and monetise
your innovation.

Trade Marks

Trade mark to help secure
your brand’s future.

Designs

Safeguard your unique design.

IP Oppositions & Disputes

Enforce your rights and protect
your trade mark from infringement.

IP Commercialisation

Enhance your prospects of
success with a bespoke
commercialisation pathway.

IP Valuations

Find out what your IP
is really worth.

IP
InSights

23 Aug

Design Copycatting – Can Changes To Design Law Knock Out The Knock Off Industry?

With the proliferation of designs, inventions and ideas, genuine originality in the innovation era is an exceptional achievement, giving rise to calls for an IP law revamp ... Read More

15 Jul

Jeep And Mahindra: A ‘Turbocharged’ IP Battle

The Mahindra Thar proposed Australian launch – a contentious matter involving the passing off and design infringement on Jeep’s Australian registered designs ... Read More