18 April

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Sound Marks in Vietnam: Legal Advancement and Brand-Building Opportunities

In an increasingly competitive branding landscape, establishing a unique impression in customers’ minds is critical for survival. Beyond traditional signs such as logos or names, sound is emerging as a “new power”—a promising brand-building tool for Vietnamese businesses. A pivotal legal development came with the amended Intellectual Property Law of 2022 (effective from January 1, 2023), enacted to fulfill Vietnam’s international commitments under the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). For the first time, Vietnamese law has officially expanded the definition of a trademark to recognize and protect “sound signs that can be represented graphically.” This change not...

16 April

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Trademark Refusal on Absolute Grounds: KENFOX Successfully Helps Secure Protection for 4 International Trademarks in Vietnam

Posted by Quyen Nguyen

in Notable Articles, Trademark

Download KENFOX IP & Law Office has recently achieved a significant victory in helping clients successfully register and protect 04 International Registrations (IRs) designating Vietnam. All 04 of these trademarks were initially refused protection by the Intellectual Property Office of Vietnam (IP Vietnam) on absolute grounds, specifically for being considered descriptive. Trademark Refusal on Absolute Grounds in Vietnam During the examination process for trademark applications in Vietnam, refusals issued by IP Vietnam based on absolute grounds (stipulated in Articles 73, 74 of the Intellectual Property Law) are a quite common situation and pose significant challenges for trademark owners. The most common reason for...

15 April

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Letter of Consent for Trademarks Within Corporate Groups in Vietnam: Legal Analysis, Practice, and Recommendations

Posted by Quyen Nguyen

in Notable Articles, Trademark, Uncategorized

The fundamental principle of intellectual property (IP) law is to prevent consumer confusion regarding the commercial origin of goods and services. However, in practice, companies within the same corporate group or with close affiliations often wish to use similar trademarks. Does a "Letter of Consent" from the prior trademark owner (usually the parent company) carry enough legal weight to negate the likelihood of confusion? Despite a clear parent-subsidiary or internal affiliation, the Intellectual Property Office of Vietnam (IPVN)'s acceptance or refusal of a subsidiary company's trademark application (even with a Letter of Consent) still heavily depends on the assessing examiner's...

10 April

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Letter of Consent: The Key to Overcoming Trademark Refusal by the IP Office of Vietnam?

Posted by Quyen Nguyen

in Notable Articles, Trademark

During the trademark registration process in Vietnam, a frequent obstacle encountered by applicants is the rejection of applications based on findings that the applied-for mark is confusingly similar or identical to a previously registered trademark (the cited mark). Although the Intellectual Property Office of Vietnam (IP Viet Nam) has, in practice, reviewed and accepted Letters of Consent (LoCs) in numerous instances as grounds for withdrawing notifications of intended refusal of trademark protection, the absence of specific provisions within Vietnam's IP law addressing this mechanism creates a significant legal vacuum. Consequently, the acceptance of a Letter of Consent is largely contingent...

09 April

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Use Evidence from Online Sales to Increase your Damage Compensation: Possible in Vietnam?

Posted by Quyen Nguyen

in Notable Articles

The protection and enforcement of intellectual property (IP) rights are fundamental to innovation and economic development. However, one of the biggest challenges rights holders face when their rights are infringed is obtaining adequate compensation for the damages suffered. In Vietnam, as in many other countries, determining and claiming actual damages encounters numerous difficulties, often resulting in court-awarded compensation that does not truly reflect the losses....

04 April

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Patent Amendments in Vietnam: Rights and Limitations for Applicants

Posted by Quyen Nguyen

in Notable Articles, Patent

The patent registration process in Vietnam, as in many other countries, may involve multiple stages of examination. Throughout this process, amendments to the patent application may become necessary to clarify, refine, or narrow the scope of protection. KENFOX IP & Law Office provides analyses of the rights and limitations regarding patent application amendments under Vietnamese law, while also drawing a comparison with a landmark case in India to help patent applicants in Vietnam understand the differences on this issue....

27 March

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Chinese-character trademarks in Vietnam: Does similarity/identicalness in meaning with another trademark constitute infringement?

Posted by Quyen Nguyen

in Notable Articles, Trademark

Whether use of a Chinese trademark having similar/identical meaning with a prior English mark constitutes a trademark infringement in Vietnam. Imagine you choose a Chinese character trademark for a new product line in Vietnam to avoid conflicts with existing marks. However, this Chinese mark has the exact same meaning as an English language trademark already protected in Vietnam. This increasingly common scenario poses a key question: Does this semantic similarity alone trigger trademark infringement in Vietnam?...

27 March

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Common Grounds for Trademark Refusal in Vietnam: What are they?

Posted by Quyen Nguyen

in Notable Articles, Trademark

Trademark applicants in Vietnam often face the risk of refusal, leading to wasted time and resources. However, many of these rejections are avoidable. Understanding the common grounds for trademark refusal in Vietnam – such as conflicts with existing trademarks, generic terms, or violations of public order and morality – enables applicants to proactively address potential issues. This proactive approach leads to more effective responses to challenges and, ultimately, a more efficient and successful trademark registration process....

25 March

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Trademark Examination Process and Common Grounds for Trademark Refusal in Vietnam

Posted by Quyen Nguyen

in Notable Articles, Trademark, Vietnam

Applicants who are aware of the trademark examination process in Vietnam will be more likely to submit complete and accurate applications from the outset, minimizing the risk of receiving official notifications of deficiencies and the associated delays. This knowledge also enables effective responses to challenges and ultimately increases the chances of successful and cost-efficient trademark registration in Vietnam....

12 March

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Intellectual Property Collateral – Trademarks in Vietnam: Legal Analysis and Market Outlook

Posted by Quyen Nguyen

in Notable Articles, Trademark, Vietnam

Vietnam is rapidly developing as a globally integrated and dynamic economy, making intellectual property (IP) increasingly vital, particularly in technology, e-commerce, and pharmaceuticals. With rising foreign investment, a critical legal question emerges: Can Vietnam's current laws effectively protect IP as collateral, allowing businesses and investors to utilize it as a financial instrument?...