Rabito Bunny, Becomes the World No.1 iPhone Case(2)

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Globalization of Rabito 



© Rabito / Rabito official website

Q: Rabito is participating in various exhibitions and selling products abroad.  Do you have any know-how for IP protection outside Korea?

Kim: “No perfect protection”
It is hard to directly control every little thing outside Korea without having international branches as major global companies do. Instead, Rabito usually monitors the online market such as amazon.com. When we find the knockoffs on the market, we provide the evidence to warn the sellers not to distribute those copies. Then the market would stop selling those copies and spreading piracy.

© Rabito / Rabito official website

Mina: “International Design Filing, Exclusive License.”
Asians used to be unwelcomed by Western exhibitions because of concerns that they could possibly distribute copies of Western designs.  On the contrary, the number of Westerns who copy Asian designs has increased recently, which implies that Korean designers have gained more recognition than they did in the past.  As we got the chance to go to the global market, we realized that managing IP properties is one of the most important things.

In Rabito’s case, we manage Intellectual Properties outside the country by giving exclusive license to the local retailers.   In addition, starting from Madrid, Rabito applied and registered designs in Europe, U.S.A., Japan and some other countrie; those countries are traditional IP powers, so Rabito gains an advantage for applying its designs in those nations.  We achieve security and credibility by applying our designs first because the sellers prefer to sell applied designs.  

Rabito Cell phone case, Kipris Search Result

Q: Any suggestions for the designers who are considering go abroad?

Kim: "Understand the poisonous clauses and verify contract"
When licensing with foreign companies, we are not fully aware of how the license and contract duration get decided because every country has different process.  Hence, in order to avoid any possible disadvantage, companies should fully understand the poisonous clauses and carefully verify the contract articles. Discussing with IP specialists is another way to prevent the companies from the possible disadvantages. 

Lastly,

Q: Do you have any advice for the designers about the IP protection strategies?

Rabito rabiito tail sauction, Search Result with Kipris

 
Kim "Right as the weapon."
There are various ways to protect the design properties.  You should consider both commercialization and popularization of your brand name and products at the same time.  Count that your design is your asset, and prepare for the litigation or dispute just in case.  You should understand your design right in details. Find a suitable IP attorney and get the advice from him or her.

Mina: "Design is your right to be claimed."
I realized that it is more effective to have a secure preparation in advance than to cope with a difficulty after something happened. I misunderstood and thought that my design outcomes would automatically belong to my properties.  I now understand my designs won’t be mine if I don’t insist my right to own them.   

  The End.



* This posting is restructured based on ‘Design Map’ by Korean Intellectual Property Office.

 

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