Branding - the key to increasing product value

Many activities in response to brand day

Vietnam Brand Day and the Vietnam National Brand Program (approved under Decision No. 253/2003/QD-TTg dated November 25, 2003) are considered the focal point to gather and arouse the efforts of sectors and levels, and the enthusiasm ofbusiness community, thereby promoting and building the image of Vietnam in the international arena.

Through the Program, many Vietnamese corporations and enterprises have realized the important role of brand as the key to increasing the value of products as well as the value of enterprises. Enterprises have gradually built, developed and managed their brands, contributing to improving competitiveness and affirming their position in domestic and foreign markets.

TH Group continuously achieves "National Brand" title. Photo courtesy

In the context of the complicated developments of the Covid-19 pandemic, the unstable geopolitical situation in the world has negatively impacted many aspects of socio-economic life, production and business activities of enterprises, but in 2021, the value ofnational brandVietnam continued to increase by 21.6% compared to 2020, from 319 billion USD to 388 billion USD. According to Brand Finance - the world's leading brand valuation organization, this result goes against the global downward trend. This result has affirmed the correct policies of the Party and Government, especially the drastic direction in raising awareness of the importance of brands to the social community, supporting businesses in building and developing brands.

In celebration of Vietnam Brand Day April 20, to help increase awareness of Vietnam National Brand and promote products that have achieved Vietnam National Brand recognized by the Government, the Ministry of Industry and Trade assigned the Trade Promotion Agency to coordinate with ministries, branches, People's Committees of provinces and centrally run cities to deploy National Brand Week 2022 from April 17 to 24 nationwide with many meaningful and practical activities such as: A series of communication activities on mass media, outdoor promotion, hanging billboards and banners to celebrate National Brand Day April 20 on the streets in provinces, cities and the headquarters of the Ministry of Industry and Trade; Opening ceremony of Vietnam National Brand Week and Vietnam National Brand Forum 2022 with side events of the photo exhibition.

Nghe An's agricultural products are processed and packaged beautifully. Photo: Thu Huyen

Perform assigned tasks,Nghe An Department of Industry and Tradehas developed a Plan and implemented activities in response to the National Brand Week to celebrate Vietnam Brand Day April 20, 2022. Mr. Pham Van Hoa - Director of the Department of Industry and Trade said that the Department is focusing on a number of contents: posting a congratulatory letter from the Minister of Industry and Trade, writing articles, reporting on the activities of the National Brand Week on mass media; coordinating with People's Committees of districts, cities, towns and related units to propagate the activities of the National Brand Week on electronic information portals, local radio and television stations; organizing the hanging of propaganda banners and flags at a number of locations, main roads and routes in Vinh city...

The activities in the Vietnam National Brand Week aim to promote and publicize the National Brand Program, thereby creating a basis to attract the attention, response and participation of the business community and society in building and developing the brand. At the same time, creating trust and choice of consumers for goods and services bearing the National Brand logo.

Mr. Pham Van Hoa - Director of Department of Industry and Trade

Need to pay attention to building product brand

According to data compiled by the Department of Science and Technology, by the beginning of 2022, Nghe An had 1,492 protected objects, including 1,393 trademarks, 71 designs, 19 utility solutions and 9 inventions (In 2021 alone, Nghe An had 226 certificates, including 197 trademarks, 19 designs, 9 utility solutions and 01 invention, an increase of 188 compared to 2020, equivalent to an increase of 20.2%).

In addition to 2 geographical indication certificates and 8 certification marks, Nghe An has so far had 31 entities granted collective trademark protection certificates. Yen Thanh wild garden chicken and Nghi Long safe vegetables have had their applications assessed and accepted as valid but have not yet been granted certificates.

Solanum procumbens and Gymnema sylvestre - products from precious medicinal herbs of Con Cuong displayed at a fair. Photo: Thu Huyen

The representative of the Department of Science and Technology said: After the success of the Vinh orange traceability stamp, 65 Nghe An specialty products have been stamped with traceability stamps: Van Phan fish sauce, Sa Nam soy sauce, ATC clean mushrooms, guava, avocado, Nghia Dan grapefruit, mu tun wine, Con Cuong orange wine, Thanh Chuong chicken, do cha, Con Cuong vegetables and fruits,... In general, many businesses are aware of the role of intellectual property, registering for protection of inventions, trademarks, and industrial designs in the domestic market; Compared to the whole country, the number of subjects granted protection certificates by Nghe An enterprises is ranked as average. Many famous enterprises and craft village products have been protected and developed well; the products grantedgeographical indicationsand collective brands have increased the value of Nghe An's traditional and specialty products, promoting socio-economic development.

However, there are still many products that have not really created a reputation in the market nationwide. This shows that most of the rights holders in Nghe An do not have a reasonable strategy in the issue of using and exploiting the inherent value of industrial property rights.

Many 4-star OCOP products are interested in building brands and increasing product value. Photo: Thu Huyen

Very few businesses and establishments establish rights with the purpose of sustainable development, but mainly to prevent infringement from other production and business entities, when there is a basis for infringement; after being granted a protection certificate, it is considered that the right establishment activity has ended. Some units try to follow the reputation of a few famous brands; production and business in the same field, industry, seeing other establishments establishing rights, they also follow suit.

Therefore, to help overcome the situation where businesses do not pay due attention to the story of trademark registration, building and developing product brands, relevant authorities need to promote the application of solutions such as strengthening propaganda and dissemination of intellectual property to businesses and local state management agencies. Combine the work of managing goods quality with the process of building brands andindustrial property registration...Thereby, helping businesses fully realize the importance and promptly register trademarks for their business products.