Graham Hood on Canadian brand owners’ response to US trade policies

Recently, Graham Hood, the firm’s Trademarks Practice Group Leader, spoke with Rani Mehta of Managing IP about Canadian brand owners’ response to the US political climate.

He noted that Canadian brand owners have been going out of their way to demonstrate their so-called ‘Canadianness’, in order “to show customers at home and abroad that they come from Canada and are proud” of their products and services.

These efforts to demonstrate their Canadianness inform how Canadian brand owners approach their trademarks, including their logos and slogans.

For instance, businesses who wish to use the country’s “11-point maple leaf” design in their logos must obtain permission from the federal government, while those who wish to promote their product or service as a leading product or service among Canadian consumers may face objections related to descriptiveness or distinctiveness.

In his interview with Managing IP, Graham explains how trademark lawyers can assist brand owners in navigating these challenges.

Subscribers can read the full story on the Managing IP website.