We’re glad to welcome a guest post from Brian Gregg. Brian practices in the Intellectual Property and Food Industry Practice Groups at McNees, Wallace & Nurick, LLC, a full-service law firm with locations in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Washington, DC. He’s a home brewer and a member of The Brewers Association.

Learn more about his specialties, including “Heads Up – The Top 5 Reasons Craft Breweries Need to Register their Trademarks”  on his website.

Brian will be presenting “Brand Protection for the Craft Beer  Industry,” our free webinar on Wednesday, February 29. Join us!

 So Why Do Craft Breweries need the ® ?

Having a strategy for creating, clearing, and registering new trademarks allows craft brewers to minimize the time and resources spent on trademark disputes while building strong, distinctive trademarks that consumers recognize.

Every craft brewer should understand the basics of trademarks and brand protection.  The craft beer industry is a fertile environment for trademark disputes for several reasons.  The industry has seen extensive growth in the last decade.  Consumers are faced with more brands than ever.  Most craft breweries start local and expand their distribution over time and many do not realize the risks of launching a brand based on uncleared and unregistered trademarks.  At the same time, other beverage industries, like wine and spirits, view the growth of the craft beer industry as a threat to their businesses and are aggressively defending their brands.  As the craft beer industry grows so do the risks and costs associated with protecting trademarks and brands – but these risks and costs can be minimized and managed.

Join my webinar on February 29 to learn more. This webinar will provide you with a basic understanding of trademarks and brand protection from the perspective of the craft beer industry.  You will learn:

• What trademarks are (domain names and business names are not trademarks).
• Why clearing and registering your trademarks early are particularly important for local/regional craft brewers.
• How to avoid spending time and money on unnecessary and avoidable trademark disputes.
• How choosing to protect strong, distinctive trademarks can set your brand apart.

Sign up for the webinar today here.