A Product’s Form: The First Impression that Dominates the Market Consumers react instantly to the beauty and originality of a product’s form, just as much as they do to its function. A product’s appearance is not merely a shell; it is the most powerful visual language that embodies a brand’s philosophy and earns consumer trust. A ‘product design right’ is a core asset that legally protects this market-leading, unique form, granting an unassailable market position that competitors dare not imitate.
Why is protecting product appearance important? A successful design becomes a target for ‘copycat’ products immediately upon launch. If a competitor easily imitates the unique form of a product developed through massive R&D investment and sells it at a low price, you can lose your rightful market share and brand reputation in an instant. Securing a design right is the most certain way to fundamentally block such unfair competition and build an exclusive territory for your brand.
LEPLUS’s Professional Services •Designing a Multi-dimensional Scope of Rights: We clearly express the core features of a design using various drawings, such as six-view drawings, perspective views, and cross-sectional views. This allows us to design an airtight right that anticipates and defends against attempts to circumvent the scope of rights with minor variations. •Strategic Protection Using Partial Designs: We employ a sophisticated legal strategy by registering only the most original part of a product (e.g., a smartphone’s camera island, a car’s grille) as a ‘partial design’. This effectively counters competitors’ similar products that slightly alter the overall form. • Integrated Strategy with Patents: We provide comprehensive consulting that organically links patent strategy and design strategy to protect both the functional aspects (patent) and aesthetic aspects (design) of a product, building a double or triple layer of protection.
