Is considered to be product or service brand, any visible or sound sign used or which is intended to use and which is capable of distinguishing the products or services from a natural or legal person.
The sign in question can be:
- Denominations in all forms ( words, letters, acronyms and numbers, assembly of words, surname names taken in themselves or in a distinctive form, particular name, arbitrary or fantasy, letters, acronyms and numbers ) ;
- figurative signs ( drawings, labels, stamps, holograms, logos, synthetic images, forms in particular those of the product or its conditioning or that characteristic in the service, the arrangements, the combinations or shades of colors );
- sound signs (sounds, musical phrases), audiovisual signs;
- Signs in series.
Protection procedure
To protect your brand, you must follow the related procedure by sending a registration request directly to the OAPI (Yaoundé) or to one of its National Liaison Structures (SNL) present in each of the 17 member states. You can also do it via an agent . Doing so, you must specify the class (s) of products and/or services for which protection is requested. It is now possible for you to make the request by electronic means . Any protection request must be accompanied by proof of payment of the due tax . Before any registration request, it is recommended to carry out an aeriority search . The OAPI also offers you the possibility of protecting your brand abroad .
