Preserving Style and Substance
As a highly visual and creative sector, the fashion industry faces a number of pressing challenges when it comes to online brand protection.
Fashion brands invest heavily in building their reputation and growing consumer trust. However, these efforts are being undermined by counterfeit products, trademark infringement, and copyright violations: all of which can damage a brand’s reputation and financial bottom line.
The cost of counterfeit products
Counterfeiters often copy popular designs, offering low-cost imitations via unregulated online platforms and marketplaces. When unsuspecting consumers unknowingly buy counterfeit items, the poor quality of these products can lead to dissatisfaction: tarnishing the brand’s image.
A real-world example is Bikinis Guadalupe Cid, a sustainable swimwear brand who found low-quality copycat products all over sites like Alibaba and Amazon.
As well as harming the brand’s reputation, the fast-fashion replicas also violated the sustainable production practices Bikinis Guadalupe Cid stands for.
"SnapDragon was instrumental in defending our brand, eliminating fakes, and protecting our reputation. Their dynamic approach tackled diverse threats with unparalleled efficiency."
Another issue is the loss of revenue, as sale of fake products can undercut sales of genuine products. The financial loss from missed sales is further compounded by expensive legal action when it’s time to challenge the bad actors.
Trademark Infringements and identity risks
The unauthorised use of trademarks can confuse customers and dilute brand value. For fashion companies, trademarks (like logos) are often a key part of their identity, serving as a guarantee of quality and authenticity.
Trademark infringement in the fashion industry is particularly common due to the sector’s heavy reliance on iconic designs and logos to stand out in a competitive market. As global marketplaces become a more popular way to shop, intellectual property violation is becoming a bigger problem. Find out more about fast fashion and fakes on Shein.
Who hasn’t seen a “Louis Vuit” bag or fake Nike shirt? Fakes in the fashion industry are everywhere and easily produced.
When trademarks are misused, it undermines consumer confidence and can even lead to customers associating the brand with substandard or fraudulent products. But it doesn’t stop there, the misuse of trademarks and brand assets on social media platforms and fake websites is especially dangerous. By posing as a brand, they can use their platforms to sell fake goods and phish for customer information like phone numbers and credit card details.
Copyright infringements risking innovation
The copying of original prints and patterns is a major challenge for fashion brands, especially those that rely on unique and innovative creations. In the digital age, it’s easy to steal and reproduce designs without permission, leading to significant financial losses.
Luxury pyjama designer Olivia Von Halle faced this issue, when counterfeit products boasting her copyrighted prints started appearing on global platforms. This put the brand’s luxury reputation and uniqueness in jeopardy. SnapDragon was able to take down thousands of infringing products from leading online marketplaces.
"SnapDragon's robust efforts ensured not only the removal of thousands of counterfeit listings, but also fortified our brand's authenticity and reputation."
For independent designers and luxury brands alike, the inability to protect intellectual property can stifle creativity and discourage innovation, as the risk of exploitation becomes too high.
Why an effective brand protection strategy is crucial
By taking a proactive approach to online brand protection, fashion brands can safeguard their creative assets, maintain customer trust, and secure their identity in an industry where innovation and reputation drive success.
Comprehensive online brand protection solutions like SnapDragon make it easier for fashion brands to take back control. Using a mix of advanced software and a dedicated team of brand protection experts, SnapDragon offers speedy identification of brand threats across hundreds of global marketplaces.
As well as trademark, design and copyright monitoring and logo detection, our software can also identify lookalike websites hosting fake product listings. Our team can also help take down counterfeit listings and other IP threats: quickly and effectively.
