IHMA welcomes new move to protect holograms

The International Hologram Manufacturers Association (IHMA) has welcomed a move which could lead to holograms being specifically covered under a national trademark law for the first time.

It follows news from Taiwan where government authorities have introduced a bill to expand the types of representation protected by trademark law by including holograms, 3D shapes and movements for the first time.

The move states that anything that serves to 'identify' something, whether in the form of words, patterns, graphics, colors, holograms or sounds, could be submitted for trademark protection in Taiwan.

The IHMA says that this will boost the protection of the intellectual property rights of holograms and will be a boon for brand owners looking to protect their products and market share.

Holograms have to date been deemed to be covered by copyright law (as covered in the Berne Conventions) and the European Community Design Rights, but they have not been specifically mentioned in any national legislation on trademark or copyright.

The Taiwanese move is therefore a step forward for the 'normalization' of holograms as a protected item.

Wang Mei-hua, director-general of Taiwan's Ministry of Economic Affairs' Intellectual Property Office (IPO), said that if the revised law is passed, animation and holograms that appear on mobile phones could also receive trademark protection.