Why Designs Matter
Design is where function meets form. From tables to telephones, industrial design is one of the key factors that attracts consumers to a product, or leads them to prefer using one product over another.
- Design drives consumer choice – Consumers search for products that work well and are good-looking at the same time. The “look” or appearance of a product can play a major role in the consumer’s purchase decision.
- Design is relevant to all businesses – The appearance counts, whatever the product, from household items, cars and communication equipment to lighting apparatus, packaging and containers.
- Design is evolving – New technologies linked, in particular, to the Internet and social media have triggered the creation of new types of designs, such as graphical user interfaces (GUIs) and icons.
How design rights can be of benefit to Start-ups and SMEs
Protecting designs should be part of any business strategy from the very outset of any project, as novelty is often required to obtain design rights. Protecting designs offers the following benefits:
1. It provides exclusive rights
2. Design rights are business assets
3. Design rights can be sold or licensed to another company
4. Design rights can strengthen a company’s brand and reputation
5. Protection contributes to obtaining a return on investment