This report highlights key findings from WIPO’s global study on intellectual property (IP) awareness and perceptions, accompanied by an overview of the methodology used. It also compares results from 2023 and 2025 to identify important trends and changes across 74 countries and 35,500 respondents.
The findings reveal notable progress in global IP awareness alongside persistent regional disparities in all five IP rights (or IPR) namely: Patents, Designs, Trademarks, Copyright and Geographical Indications, reflecting a growing recognition of their importance.
Evolving awareness levels
Global awareness of all five IP rights has increased significantly, though regional variations persist. The Asia-Pacific region registers improvement among both youth and women across all IP rights. Western European and other states show increased youth awareness, while Eastern European states experience declining awareness among this group. Latin American and the Caribbean states show mixed results, with decreased patent and trademarks awareness among youth but stable knowledge levels among women. In African states, awareness among both youth and women decreased, particularly for designs and copyright.
Changing perceptions of innovation
The global landscape of attitudes toward products protected by IP rights has been evolving, reflecting diverse consumer experiences and expectations shaped by regional differences. African nations are increasingly recognizing the value and advantages of IP-protected products, particularly those protected by patents and geographical indications (GIs). In the Asia-Pacific region, there is a broader shift in outlook regarding the perception of IP-protected products across all five IP categories surveyed, with the overall trend indicating a decline. Notably, consumers in this region are increasingly viewing innovations in digital communication as especially beneficial for consumers. In Eastern European states, consumer perceptions have experienced a moderate decline across all five IP rights. Meanwhile, Latin American and Caribbean states display a range of opinions, with increased appreciation for patented products but a diminished belief in the value of design products. In Western European and other states, a more positive outlook is observed for trademarks and copyright, albeit with increased skepticism towards design-protected products.
Continuing confidence in IP’s economic role
Across all regions, there is strong confidence in the positive economic role of IP rights. Perceptions of negative impacts have decreased, particularly in Western European and other states and Asia-Pacific states. At the same time, belief in the positive effects of IP rights remains high worldwide, despite a noticeable decline in Western European and other states.