AGIP Contributes to Thomson Reuters' Report on Trademarks in the Middle East

The Middle East is a large consumer market. As a result, many international brands are very interested in the region, and we’re seeing steady growth among firms looking to protect their brands here- Charles Sha'ban

AMMAN- The Thomson Reuters special report on trademarks in the Middle East that has been recently launched gives a detailed look at the trademarks market in the Middle East which is witnessing a hike in the number of US and European companies that are trying to protect their trademarks in this emerging market.

Mr. Charles Sha'ban, executive director at Abu-Ghazaleh Intellectual Property (AGIP) stated in the report: "The Middle East is a large consumer market. As a result, many international brands are very interested in the region, and we’re seeing steady growth among firms looking to protect their brands in this specific region.”

Sha’ban added, “Ten years ago, local awareness regarding IP laws was very low. This was the case even in big industries like pharmaceuticals, where the Middle East has a strong presence. Local companies were making products with no brand protection whatsoever as recently as the 1990s. More recently, there has been a surge in awareness among companies and individuals, and we’re starting to see the local IP infrastructure grow to accommodate this.”

In 2003, AGIP established ag-IP-news Agency; the first and only specialized news agency in covering Intellectual Property events and activities (www.ag-ip-news.com); the Agency aims at spreading awareness about IP issues in the Middle East, gives a comprehensive look on IP status for Western companies that are interested in the Middle East market and at the same time covers any IP-related issues around the world.

The comprehensive report also tackles several key issues and challenges: How can firms develop successful brand strategies in a region with such diverse cultural and socioeconomic footprints? How should big brands navigate the threat of civil unrest, which has been a constant source of tension in the region for many years? And who are the brand leaders who have already started to forge a path of best practices in the Middle East?

The report can be found through the following link: http://img.en25.com/Web/ThomsonReutersScience/1001619.pdf