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I'm constantly looking for truly inspired creations that appeal
to customers.
But successful designs can attract copycats.
It's a frustrating problem but there are simple ways to protect your hard work.
I've been creating one off designs for years and these are protected by copyright,
but if you're expanding into larger production runs it's a good idea to register your designs.
Which is where you really need the help of a business advisor.
Really great to see you Alison.
So, tell me about your new business.
Well Hamish, I'm an aboriginal designer which means you know I design a whole lot of
things that are inspired by aboriginal culture.
So Alison, have you thought about protecting your design?
I'm about to launch a new phase of my business,
going into large productions of my designs.
Copyright covers my original work, but I need to register my designs if they are
going to be mass produced.
Registering your designs is important
if you're ever going to sell your business or even if you want to licence your designs
to manufacturers.
Look, when I started my business, I mean it's design I was so excited. I mean I basically just
go out into the landscape, I find things that inspire me and just get designing.
So for me,
designing creations that inspire people,
that's all the stuff that really gets me going
but what pays the bills, that's a totally different story.
my business consultant to me through a checklist startup companies
things you absolutely need to know.
How would you feel if someone copied you're design?
I would be totally devastated if somebody had stolen my designs, take this design here,
it's got a really beautiful story at it's core and also just doing the designs it's self it takes so many hours,
t's self it takes so many hours, I would just feel totally ripped off
and completely devastated.
Start by asking yourself whether it's worth protecting your designs,
if someone ells is commissioning your work, any written agreement should
cover who owns the intellectual property and on what terms.
But if you're creating your own work that you want to licence or manufacture.
Theft of your design could wast allot of time and money,
it's definitely worth protecting. So how do I go about registering my designs?
It's not an automatic process is it?
No, the design has to be
new and distinctive.
Well, my designs are new and distinctive.
New in this case means new to market,
so the market can't have seen it before.
There can't be brochure produced on it, it's got to be totally new.
Well it's going to be too late for this then because I have already made a brochure. Yes.
So I won't know anything until I lodge an application with IP Australia?
You can get some professional help and in fact if there is a lot riding on it I would recommend you do so.
A design can be a valuable asset
but to be registered it has to be new and distinctive.
For more information on designs
contact IP Australia,
a local business advisor or an attorney.