Your brand is growing across the U.S. It is distinctive, strong, and demand grows with every passing quarter. So, what is next? International expansion is the logical next step. With that expansion comes a need for additional trademark protections.
Trademark registrations are “territorial,” which means that they are only effective in the jurisdiction that granted them. State-level trademarks are only effective in that state; U.S. federal trademark registrations are only effective in the U.S. and its territories, etc.
That means that when you are ready to expand your brand beyond the U.S., you should also expand your trademark registrations to match. There is no “one size fits all” approach to international trademark strategy, and the best territories to target for protection depend on the overall business goals, prime markets, risk of infringement, and efficiency.
Efficiency can be a critical concern, since there are so many different countries to seek protection in and every one of them has its own filing fees and procedures. Therefore, it is common to focus on jurisdictions such as the European Union, since a single filing covers 27 different countries. Other countries that are prime for expansion are Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and India. Not only do these countries represent massive markets, but as “common law” countries, their trademark procedures and laws are more similar to those in the U.S. and offer a sense of familiarity.
The United Kingdom, in particular, is an attractive option for trademark protection. The U.K. is historically a strong trading partner of the U.S., and even with recent events like Brexit, tariff uncertainty remains a viable market for many companies. In fact, even brands that are less prominent in the U.S. can become “prestige brands” in the U.K. or the rest of Europe (as we explored in our earlier post on the power of a brand).
The importance of international brand strategy means that it is equally important to monitor the larger picture of intellectual property procedures in the rest of the world. In the U.K., for example, all intellectual property fees are set to increase by 25% on April 1, 2026. This increase will affect the entire lifecycle of a trademark, and while it is impossible to avoid the increased fees for future renewals, they can at least be avoided by filing initial applications by March 31.
The intellectual property team at Greenspoon Marder works closely with law firms around the world to assist clients with international branding strategies, obtaining international trademark registrations, and enforcing intellectual property rights around the globe. Contact us today to discuss how to maximize the value of your brand.
