The market success of consumer goods depends largely on an attractive presentation and an emotional message. But you also have to be in tune with current trends. Getting these factors right can involve a lot of effort. How can you prevent Imitators from diverting success to their Imitations?

Lego® is an interesting example. The Dane Godtfred Kirk Christiansen invented these special clamping bricks together with his father Ole Kirk Christiansen and applied for a patent in 1958. No one was allowed to sell compatible bricks as long as the Patents were valid.
After the basic patents expired, the company had to come up with new strategies to defend its supremacy. As we all know, Lego® developed new brick shapes and started to create Lego® worlds. Lego® men enriched the world and electronics were introduced. And the small worlds are brought to life in the big reality at Legoland® as a leisure and vacation park.
In the background, the Danish company has continuously registered new Trademarks. There are over 60 Lego® Trademarks in the Swiss trademark register, for example. The new shapes have been protected with Designs. Today, for example, there are 63 registrations for Lego® toys in the German Design Register.
In the 1990s, when the category of shape marks was created, Lego® registered the building block as a shape mark. These were used against Competitors and fundamental supreme court decisions were issued.
Read on here to find out what legal means are available to defend against Imitators.