Frequently Asked Questions

Is RioBrand a trademark register?

No. RioBrand is a global repository of brands. We do not have any legal authority and therefore do not claim to 'register' brands. As well as referring to trademarks, the term 'brands' encompasses items of intellectual property that cannot be registered as trademarks.

I can't find brand-x on RioBrand. Where is it?

RioBrand relies on brand owners to enter brands into the RioBrand repository. The repository is growing into an increasingly complete collection of brand materials, but we will never be able to claim that it contains every brand in the world. RioBrand is a responsible member of the branding profession, and we therefore refuse to enter brands into the repository without the permission and active involvement of the brand owners.

Does putting my brand on RioBrand give me legal protection of the brand?

No. RioBrand cannot grant you any legal rights. We provide a platform for brand owners to clearly demonstrate to the world ownership of their brands, and allow users to search brands in our repository, but we do not take any role in enforcing the right of brand owners in legal disputes.

I've registered my domain name - doesn't that protect my brand online?

Domain name registration doesn't protect your brand, online or anywhere else. Owning a domain name can help ensure that customers find your website easily, and can block third parties from hosting websites purporting to represent your business. But domain registration only protects the use of names in the context of Internet applications such as the web and email. Domain registration doesn't protect the visual representation of your brand; nor does it deter third parties from using or imitating your brand in websites, emails, or in the offline world. RioBrand aims to provide a single, well-known point of reference for brand information so that third parties can easily establish if an action they are planning to take may infringe the rights of a brand owner.

I found that someone has put up a brand on RioBrand that belongs to me! What can I do about it?

Your first step should be to contact the party claiming the role of brand owner, using the contact email address shown in the repository. If this route does not get you the result you want, then you will have to progress the matter through conventional legal channels.

How do I take my brand off RioBrand?

Use the 'Manage My Brands' link to access the Brand Manager functions. After putting in your username and password, you can select from the brands you own in the repository, and make any of them 'inactive' or withdraw any of them. 'Inactive' brands are held in the repository but are not included in user searches. You can make an 'inactive' brand active at any time. If you choose to withdraw a brand, then all the information held about it in the repository will be permanently deleted. We do not make any refunds for brands that are withdrawn from the repository. 'Inactive' brands are subject to renewal fees.

Parts of RioBrand don't work when I use the site at work. What's going on?

If you are accessing RioBrand from a corporate network, your network administrators may have disabled JavaScript and cookies. You need to configure your browser to allow JavaScript and cookies when using RioBrand.

How much information should I give when I describe my brand?

As much as possible. The more information you give, the more likely your brand will be found by people searching for it.

Does RioBrand guarantee that my brand will always be found by someone searching for it?

RioBrand cannot make any guarantees about search results. The brand owner is responsible for describing his brand as fully as possible, using the tools available on the site. The brand owner should add any keywords that will help in the search process, and make use of the descriptive and classification fields provided. We cannot guarantee that a searcher will formulate the right kind of query, or that a brand owner will describe the brand fully.

If I don't find a match for my brand on RioBrand, is it safe to start using it?

Not necessarily. RioBrand is a first point of entry for brand developers, and not a replacement for detailed searches of national registers. RioBrand is not a definitive reflection of brand registrations, but a voluntary tool for the branding industry that relies on the input of brand owners. RioBrand can direct you to partner companies who can help you pursue registration of trademarks.

I am studying brand development. Can I use material I find in RioBrand?

All brands in the RioBrand repository remain the property of their owners. If you wish to use any material from the repository, you must seek the permission of the relevant brand owner. The layout of brand information, and all other non-brand-specific content on the RioBrand site, is the copyright of Rio Brand Limited. We will not reasonably deny free use of our own copyright material for academic purposes as long as you seek our permission.

Is RioBrand associated with any of the national or regional trademark registries, or with any intellectual property groups such as the WIPO (World Intellectual Property Organisation)?

RioBrand supports the efforts of trademark registries and intellectual property groups in safeguarding intellectual property assets. We also support efforts by these and other bodies to create equitable frameworks for the creation and usage of intellectual property throughout the world. We maintain dialogs with a range of organisations in the intellectual property, legal and branding arenas, but we do not receive funding from any such body. RioBrand is a member of INTA (the International Trademarks Association).

How can I partner with RioBrand?

RioBrand is developing an affiliate scheme which will allow qualified site owners to earn commissions by referring successful sales to RioBrand. We also run a scheme for companies in the offline world, details of which are available on application.

What is the Vienna Classification?

The Vienna Classification is an "international classification of the figurative elements of marks". The classification scheme was developed to help intellectual property professionals describe the appearance of visual devices ("marks"). The classification was first introduced in 1973. The current version is the fourth edition, which was published in 1998. The Vienna Classification is managed by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO).

WIPO's FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions) about the Vienna Classification is at http://www.wipo.org/classifications/en/vienna/about/vienna.html .

The full text of the Vienna Classification, together with a useful preface, are also available at http://classifications.wipo.int/fulltext/vienna/enmain0.htm .

What is the Nice Classification?

The Nice Classification is an international classification scheme for goods and services used by trademark professionals. All registered trademarks must be classified using one or more of the 42 classes in the Nice classification. The classification was first introduced in 1957. The current version is the seventh edition, which was published in 1997.

RioBrand uses Nice classes to identify the areas of business with which a brand is associated. If a brand is also a registered trademark, then the user submitting the brand to the RioBrand repository should specify the Nice classes used for the trademark registration. Users submitting brands to the repository can also choose to allocate Nice classes to brands which are not registered trademarks.

If you are submitting a brand to the repository and know your Nice classes, you can enter them directly in the box provided. Alternatively, you can use our 'Nice wizard' tool to browse the Nice Classification. Any codes you check in the tool will be automatically copied into your brand submission details when you click 'done' in the tool.