Blog
Insights on trademark protection across UK, EU and US
AI does not fix bad data. It exposes it
Most IP firms are treating AI as a tool to buy. The harder truth is that AI on top of unverified data is confident output nobody has checked. Here is what I learned running a monitoring platform that had to find that out for itself.
We searched 9,000 UK trade mark decisions for AI. Here is what we found
The IPO warned this month about AI-generated case law reaching tribunals. So we searched our own database of UK trade mark decisions to see how often it has actually happened. The answer: at least eleven times since mid-2025, including cases no one has written about, and one where the AI accusation was the thing that turned out to be wrong.
TMGUARD is now a registered UK trade mark
The platform that catches bad-faith trade mark filings on behalf of its customers has just registered its own UK trade mark. The path here included one extra step worth knowing about: an anonymous third party tried to block the registration on absolute grounds. The IPO examiner reviewed and rejected the challenge. Registration followed the same day.
The trademark a Brittany brewery never saw coming
Aurélien Picard ran a three-person brewery in Brittany for nine years. In March 2026, a Dutch law firm acting for The Imagine Peace Revocable Trust ordered him to stop selling John Lemon beer or face €100,000 in fines. Here is the trademark architecture he never saw, and what UK SMEs can learn from it.
900 million followers, 4 years on shelves, still blocked. The Cristiano Ronaldo Origins trademark decision
Eden Parfums filed a UK trademark application for Cristiano Ronaldo Origins in 2021. Estée Lauder opposed. In April 2026, after nearly five years, the UKIPO refused the application in full. Here's what it tells brand owners about fame, timing, and prior rights.
150 years of UK trademarks, what the register actually shows
The UK IPO marked 150 years of the trade mark registry this week. We looked at the 2,446 trademarks filed between 1876 and 1899. Only 425 are still active today, a 17.4% survival rate across 127 years.
200 years of trademark data
The oldest trademark record in our database is from 1823. The newest was filed today. 200 years of data, 21 million marks, searchable in seconds.
Which companies file trademarks in all three jurisdictions?
Mattel leads with 22,000 trademark filings across the UK, EU, and US. Here are the 20 companies that file the most trademarks across all three registers.
Over 1 million trademarks filed in 2025
1,013,626 new trademark applications were filed across the UK, EU, and US registers in 2025. That is 2,776 new applications every single day. Here is what the data shows.
21 million trademarks, 3 registers, 1 platform
TMGuard now monitors over 21 million trademarks across the UK IPO, EUIPO, and USPTO. All sourced directly from official registers. Updated daily.
James Bond's owners just opposed the James Pond trademark. Here is what 35 years without registration gets you
The James Pond video game franchise has existed since 1990. But when the owners finally tried to register the trademark, the James Bond rights holders blocked it. This is the second time.
Taylor Swift is being sued for trademark infringement. Here is what every brand owner should learn from it
A Las Vegas performer is asking a federal judge to halt sales of Taylor Swift's "Life of a Showgirl" merchandise, claiming it infringes her registered "Confessions of a Showgirl" mark. The case is a masterclass in what happens when a bigger player enters your trademark space.
easyGroup loses High Court trademark case against small insole company Easyfeet
Sir Stelios Haji-Ioannou's easyGroup tried to stop a small Estonian insole company from using "Easyfeet." The High Court dismissed the claim entirely. Here is what it means for businesses that use common English words in their names.
What 3.87 million trademarks tell us about the UK economy
The complete UK trademark register contains 3,874,122 marks filed since 1876. We analysed the full dataset. Here's what it reveals about how British businesses protect their brands.
22,650 UK trademarks expire in April 2026. Does yours?
Nearly 23,000 UK trademarks are due to expire next month. If the owners don't renew, they lose protection and anyone can file the same or similar mark. Here's what you need to know.
The first UK trademark was registered 150 years ago. Most businesses still don't monitor the register
On 1 January 1876, a beer label for Bass & Co's Pale Ale became UK Trade Mark No. 1. 150 years and 3.87 million trademarks later, the majority of UK businesses have no idea what's being filed against their brands.
Former Defence Secretary Ben Wallace in trademark row with Glenfiddich whisky
Ben Wallace named his consulting firm "Glenfiddich Consulting" after a military codename he used during the Ukraine conflict. The whisky brand's owners have filed a trademark violation case.
Meghan Markle's As Ever brand trademarked in the UK
Meghan Markle's lifestyle brand As Ever has been trademarked in the UK, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Mexico. The product range overlaps significantly with King Charles' own food and drink line
Iceland supermarket ends decade-long trademark battle with Iceland the country
After three court defeats and nearly a decade of litigation, the UK supermarket chain has abandoned its fight over the word "Iceland." What this landmark case means for geographic name trademarks.
Luke Littler trademarked his face. But the real story started a year ago
The headlines say Luke Littler just moved to trademark his face. The IPO register tells a different story. His team has been building a systematic IP portfolio since March 2024.
What the government's AI copyright report means for trademark owners
The government just published its 125-page report on copyright and AI. It doesn't mention trademark monitoring once. That's exactly the point.
What 419 Dragons' Den brands reveal about IP and investment
We analysed every brand from the IPO's Dragons' Den blog - 419 brands, 171 episodes, 12 years of data. Here's what we found about intellectual property and investment.
How Dryrobe won its trademark genericide case and why monitoring matters
A UK court ruled that Dryrobe's trademark had not become generic, largely because the company took "relentless efforts" to monitor and protect its brand. Here's what every trademark owner can learn from this case.
The House of Lords just published a landmark report on AI and Copyright — Here's what it means for trademark owners
The Lords Committee rejected weakening UK copyright law, backed mandatory transparency for AI developers, and called for new digital identity protections. Here's why trademark owners should be paying attention.
UK trademark fees are increasing from 1 April 2026 - here's what's changing and what you can do now
Jo Malone sued for using her own name - trademark lessons for business owners
UK Trademark oppositions doubled post-Brexit - Official IPO data
95% of Trademark opponents have lawyers. 40% of applicants don't.
40% of UK trademark oppositions result in withdrawal - what that means for your brand
TM7 form: what it is and when you need it
The TM7 is the official form for opposing a UK trademark application. Here's everything you need to know about when to file it, what it costs, and how the process works.
UK trade mark monitoring: why most SMEs are unprotected
Over 90% of small businesses with registered trademarks don't actively monitor for conflicts. Here's why that's a problem and what you can do about it.
When does my trade mark expire? Free renewal date checker
UK trademarks must be renewed every 10 years. Miss the deadline and your protection lapses. Use our free tool to check your renewal date instantly.
What does a trade mark opposition cost? Real data from 9,300 UK cases
We analysed 9,300 UK trademark opposition decisions to break down the real costs involved — from IPO fees to legal representation to the cost of doing nothing.
How to oppose a trade mark in the UK: a plain English guide
A step-by-step guide to opposing a UK trademark application — from spotting the conflict to filing the TM7 form and what to expect during the process.
UK trade mark filings hit 203,000 in 2025 - what it means for your brand
With over 203,000 trademark applications filed in the UK during 2025, the risk of someone registering a mark that conflicts with yours has never been higher.
The 2-month deadline every UK trade mark owner should know
When a new trademark is published in the UK Trade Marks Journal, you have exactly two months to oppose it. Miss the window and your only option is expensive cancellation proceedings.
What happens when someone files a TradeMark similar to yours
Every week, hundreds of new trademark applications are published in the UK. If one of them conflicts with your brand, you have a limited window to act. Here's what happens and what you can do about it.