The 4 Biggest International Trademark Mistakes and How to Avoid Them

You filed your US trademark and now you're expanding internationally, but most founders make at least one of four costly mistakes along the way. Trademark attorney Jessica Eaves Mathews breaks down the international trademark mistakes that put your brand, your customers, and your business at risk. In this video, Jessica walks through why waiting until after you go global to file is dangerous under first to file rules, and why unprotected manufacturing relationships are one of the most common ways founders lose control of their own brand name overseas. She shares a real client case involving a skincare manufacturer in China and the specific contract clauses, work for hire, IP ownership, and non-registration, that should be in every manufacturing agreement. She also covers why US trademark rights stop at the border, even on platforms like Amazon, and why translation and localization checks matter before you expand. What's covered: Why waiting to file internationally puts your brand at risk The manufacturer trademark hijacking problem and how to prevent it Contract clauses every international manufacturing agreement needs Why your US trademark doesn't protect you on global platforms How to check your brand name's meaning in other languages Ready to build your international brand protection strategy? Book a free consultation: https://www.leveragelegalgroup.com/co... TIMELINE: 00:00 Four international trademark mistakes that can cost you your brand 0:34 Mistake one: waiting until after you go global to file 1:33 Why the Madrid Protocol matters for early filing 2:06 Mistake two: no written IP agreements with manufacturers 2:53 Case study: a manufacturer registers a client's brand in China 4:08 The three contract clauses every manufacturing agreement needs 5:28 Mistake three: assuming your US mark protects you abroad 5:53 Why Amazon sellers commonly get this wrong 6:31 Mistake four: ignoring translation and localization issues 6:44 Coca-Cola and Pepsi's infamous translation failures in China 7:18 Doctrine of foreign equivalence and vetting names early 8:12 Recap of all four mistakes 8:42 Free consultation offer and next video on AI and IP ownership Get the Founder’s Guide to Protecting Your Brand, IP, and AI Strategy: https://www.leveragelegalgroup.com/co... Reach Jessica: Jessica@leveragelegalgroup.com 206-465-5334 or 888-505-5838 Website: https://www.LeverageLegalGroup.com/ LinkedIn:   / jessicaeavesmathews   #internationaltrademark #trademarklawyer #brandprotection #manufacturingagreement #IPstrategy