Some Good Economic News

According to the World Intellectual Property Indicators Report, trademark-filing activity worldwide boomed in 2020, defying a global economic downturn and “signaling vibrant entrepreneurship and the introduction of new goods and services in response to the pandemic.” Trademark filing activity rose by more than 13 percent. Patent-filing activity grew in 2020 as well, after the first dip in a decade in 2019, which was driven by a decline in China. But in 2020, China’s IP office reported growth again with 1.5 million patent applications, 2.5 times more than the number reported by the USPTO. The strong growth in global trademark filing is driven by filings in products and services related to advertising and business management; pharmaceuticals; surgical, medical and dental goods. For example, India’s 15 percent-plus growth in trademark activity was driven by resident filings in pharmaceuticals.