Beyond traditional IP: The new way to protect brands from online threats

Protecting a brand requires much more than registering a trademark and hoping for the best. The rise of counterfeit goods, cybersquatting, and intellectual property misuse online has made it essential for businesses to take a more active role in safeguarding their identity. These issues are no longer exclusive just for large enterprises; small businesses are increasingly becoming targets too.

But with the rise of online brand theft we are also seeing new accessible solutions, with Trama leading the trend by offering businesses of all sizes the tools they need to protect their brands from online threats.

Brand protection: No longer just for big businesses

Traditionally, comprehensive brand protection was a luxury that only large corporations could afford. Trademark registration, monitoring, and enforcement required significant resources and a dedicated legal team. Smaller businesses, often operating on tight budgets, were left to fend for themselves.

This imbalance worked for a while because the threats seemed primarily directed at well-known global brands. But the internet changed everything. Today, small businesses face the same risks as their larger counterparts. Counterfeit products, fake social media accounts, and trademark infringements can now affect anyone, regardless of business size.

Igor Demcak, Co-Founder and Trademark Lawyer at Trama, highlights this shift: “Our clients are primarily small retail businesses, who are just starting out. And yet, they’ve already encountered multiple other businesses trying to copy their products. Because the truth is: infringers don’t discriminate between big and small brands anymore. In fact, smaller businesses often become easier targets because they’re perceived as less likely to monitor and enforce their rights. And they are paying the price for it.”

The real cost of fake products

For smaller businesses, protecting a brand is often a matter of survival. When operating with limited resources, every sale counts, and the damage caused by counterfeiting or infringement can be devastating. A recent report from the OECD and the EUIPO shows that small and medium-sized businesses (SMEs) are 34% less likely to survive after five years if they face intellectual property (IP) infringement by counterfeiters.

In the online space, the stakes are even higher. What starts as a single fake product listing can snowball into hundreds across multiple channels, flooding the marketplaces and pushing the real brand behind. With the rise of platforms like AliExpress and Temu, it becomes increasingly difficult for an average customer to differentiate between a real and fake product in the vast sea of counterfeit.

As Demcak puts it, “The first step is understanding that your brand is your most valuable asset. Protecting it isn’t just a legal necessity; it’s an investment in your future.”

Trama makes this investment manageable by equipping small businesses with the right tools to stay in control.

A new approach to brand protection

Given the challenges, it’s clear that businesses need a more proactive and holistic approach to protecting their brands. The old method of “register a trademark and forget about it” just doesn’t cut it anymore. That’s where Trama came up with a unique solution.

Trama is designed to make brand protection easy and affordable, even for small businesses. By combining trademark registration, brand monitoring, and infringement takedown services into one platform, Trama simplifies what used to be a complicated and expensive process.

The process starts with a free monitoring report, giving businesses a comprehensive overview of potential threats to their brand. This report highlights any unauthorized uses of their trademarks or brand assets across online platforms, marketplaces, and social media. Instead of navigating multiple channels to uncover these issues, Trama presents all identified threats in a single, user-friendly dashboard.

Once the threats are identified, Trama offers a range of solutions tailored to the specific situation. Businesses can choose actions such as takedowns of infringing content, sending cease and desist letters, or pursuing more formal legal measures. These options are clearly laid out within the platform, making it easy for business owners to decide the best course of action.

By investing in the right protection now, you’re not just safeguarding your business from immediate threats—you’re setting up for long-term success and growth. With Trama by your side, you can focus on what you do best: building your brand and serving your customers, while leaving the complexities of brand protection to the experts.